Traditionally the groom should wear the same outfit as his best man and any groomsmen, as well as possibly the fathers of the couple. However, as it is a very special day for the groom, most want to do something different to make them stand out from the crowd.
The groom doesn’t have to go over the top to make his formal wear different from the rest of the boys. The key is to change just one simple thing, such as the colour or shape of one item, and to keep the rest the same. The change might not be immediately obvious, but the guests will be looking at him all day so they’ll notice eventually, and it will certainly stand out in the wedding photos.
Here are five ideas on groom and groomsmen fashion to make the groom stand out from the groomsmen:
Subtly adjust the jacket style
Whatever type of suit the groom chooses, there will probably be a selection of jackets that look good together without being exactly the same. If the groomsmen are wearing single breasted, he could choose a double, if they are wearing three button styles, he could sport a single, and if the groomsmen’s jackets have plain lapels, the groom could wear satin.
Find a different colour suit or jacket
Wearing a different colour suit or jacket to the groomsmen will provide a total contrast and make it very obvious who the star of the show is. Just be sure that the suit and jacket shapes and styles are the same.
For morning suits the groom could wear a charcoal grey while the groomsmen wear pale grey. For an evening affair the groomsmen could wear a black dinner jacket while the groom wears a white one. Finally for a backyard wedding, the groomsmen could wear a khaki suit while the groom wears white.
Wear a fancy boutonniere
If the groom wants to wear the same outfit as the groomsmen, he can always achieve a unique look with a more ornate boutonniere. Currently one of the most popular styles of groom’s boutonniere is a mini version of the bride’s bouquet, which will look stunning in your wedding photos. However, just making the groom’s boutonniere bigger, more colourful, or more intricate can achieve the right effect.
Think about the tie
It might be that the groom decides to wear a different sort of tie to his groomsmen, and they could wear a simple long toe while he wears a cravat or bow tie. However, this does tend to look a little untidy so it might be better if all the men wear the same type of tie and the groom just chooses a bigger one, or one in a different colour.
Personalise the waistcoat
To really make the groom stand out, have him in a coloured waistcoat, while the groomsmen wear cummerbunds. If they are all wearing waistcoats, make sure his is a brighter colour than the rest, or that it is highly patterned while the groomsmen wear plain ones.
