Wedding attire advice - Central Park Boathouse

Weekend wedding early summer at the Central Park Boathouse, NYC. Starts at 6:30pm. Groom will be wearing a black suit, I hear. Can I wear wheat-colored linen pants and a navy linen sport jacket with tie and brown loafers, or do I need to also wear a suit? While I'd be better-dressed than the groom if I wore the linen odd pants and jacket combo, I would technically be less formal. Photo: http://www.thecentralparkboathouse.c...tures/bq19.jpg

What does the invitation say?

It doesn't say anything about dress.

It sounds like it will be a relatively casual wedding, your outfit should work. Do you know the bride or the groom? You might want to run a question by one of the wedding party, just to be sure if there are any expectations.

Personally I'm tempted to suggest something a little more formal than loafers, but I know the things are the next thing to formal wear in Manhattan.

Lovely place for a wedding, I've always liked the boathouse.

I think you'll look fine if not a bit senatorial.

I might put on a suit, but thats me.

Why are you about the groom wearing a black suit? You want him to wear a SC to his wedding?

I agree that a black lounge suit, without facings on the lapels (i.e., not a dress lounge suit = tuxedo), is not the best choice for an evening wedding. That said, it is not a sartorial crime. Solid black suits are fine at night, though, as always, they must be used carefully. Assuming the shirt is white, if the black has some sheen to it, it could look good, and in terms of all-round appropriateness be okay.

Assuming the suit is SB, the groom or his bride probably wanted a suit that (a) does not look like a standard business suit, (b) suggests nighttime, and (c) suggests some seriousness of purpose. So they went with black. A blue or cream DB or (even better) a warm-weather dress lounge would have given them a much better (a)-(c) aggregate; if the groom has a sartorial awakening in the future, he will probably come to realize that. But black SB does okay by these standards. It isn't great, it isn't good, but it's okay. Certainly better than the groom's wearing an SB sportcoat, as Spoo observes.

Hence I don't think you would necessarily be better dressed than the groom if you wear what you describe. It depends on what he pairs his with and what you pair yours with. Being less well dressed than the groom is not necessarily bad, of course. Nor is it necessarily good.

For myself, if the groom can be expected to wear a lounge suit or a DB blazer, then I'd always do the same. Preferably with peak lapels and/or with a vest, just to take a stand for elegance and treating weddings like the important events they are. But YMMV.

Originally Posted by SpooPoker

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Why are you

about the groom wearing a black suit? You want him to wear a SC to his wedding?

Tux would be appropriate, as would a navy or midnight blue suit. Black suit without silk sating or grosgrain lapel facings and the appropriate black tie accoutrements is not right. It's a weird, bastardized, rather un-stylish thing. In any case, the question is whether one is obligated to wear a dark suit if the groom is wearing one or if the ensemble I mentioned is okay. Is the ensemble I mentioned ever okay for an evening wedding (given the light odd pants and the linen material on jacket and pants)? Charcoal and grey are not good suit colors for evening affairs. I agree that a navy lounge suit would work (since I certainly can't exceed the groom's formality by wearing a tux) but I think there is something entirely business-y about a single-breasted, 2-button or 3-roll-2-button lounge suit (all of mine are like this) which isn't quite appropriate for something as clearly non-business as a wedding.

I would wear a summer suit. If you don't have one wear your linen sport jacket and pants.