How to Dress for a Wedding: 2017 Edition

by Peter White
Photo source

We are fast approaching wedding season. For most of us, this means that at least one of our summer weekends will be taken up with the activity of being a wedding guest.

Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that weddings are important occasions. This importance is reflected in the myriad of dress codes, style guides and unwritten rules that relate to what we must wear to attend them.

We’re sorry to break this to you, but dressing well for a wedding isn’t always straight-forward. Ensuring your status as a stylish wedding guest will involve more thought than just putting on your favourite suit. 

In reality, looking good at a wedding involves a careful balancing act of meeting etiquette expectations while still letting a bit of your personal style shine through. In other words: you want to look enough like all the other male guests to be polite, but different enough to mark yourself out as a man with style.

Still following?!

We’ve put together a guide for dressing for weddings in a way that’s etiquette-appropriate, stylish and true to you.

The suit

The suit you choose will be the linchpin of your entire look. For an autumn or winter wedding we’d recommend opting for navy or dark grey. During the spring or summer you may wish to mix things up a bit and go for a light grey, beige or pale blue suit. 

Here are a few other key things to keep in mind:

  • Black suits can be worn for a wedding, but you may end up looking like you’ve come straight from the office. 
  • Having your suit professionally fitted will always elevate your look. A bespoke suit is never out of place.
  • For a contemporary look, choose a slim fitting suit with narrow lapels.
  • Patterned suits can be a good choice for a wedding, but they’re much harder to pull off. A suit in a solid colour will create an instant classic look. 

The shirt

It’s very hard to beat a crisp white shirt, especially at a wedding. A classic white shirt will make your outfit formal but fresh, and will give you an excellent palette for adding accessories. 

The accessories

If you are a fan of tailoring accessories, a formal event such as a wedding gives you the perfect opportunity to shine! 

During the cooler months a waistcoat can be a stylish and practical addition to your outfit. This is also a great time to give your cufflinks, pocket squares and lapel pins an airing. As for ties, weddings are generally formal enough that you will require neckwear of some kind. If you want to do something a bit different, swap your tie for a bow tie or cravat. 

The shoes

Traditional wedding guest attire calls for formal footwear. Choose something in suede or leather. Brogues and oxford styles are ideal, as are dressier styles of loafers. 

Looking for the perfect wedding guest accessories? Take a look at our collection of neckties and pocket squares.

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Considering Bespoke?

Every commission begins with a conversation. Here are answers to some of the questions we're often asked.

Business suits start from £999 for single or double breasted, and from £1,299 for a three-piece with waistcoat. Wedding suits start from £999, averaging around £1,500 depending on cloth and detailing.

The standard turnaround is 10 weeks from first fitting to collection. An express service is available in 5 weeks for an additional fee.

Yes. Alongside the York and London showrooms, Mullen & Mullen serves Sheffield and Manchester by arrangement, with fittings available at a client's home or office.

An independent, family-run business with over 50 years of combined experience in the industry, we pride ourselves on exceptional value: quality that speaks for itself without the inflated price tag. Fittings are in person and unhurried, built around a conversation about how a garment should look, fit, and feel, from a standout velvet jacket to a quietly sharp business suit.

The York showroom is at Unit 3, Middlethorpe Business Park, Sim Balk Ln, YO23 2BD, open by appointment Monday to Saturday, 9:30–5:30.

The London showroom is at 35 Sackville Street, Mayfair, W1S 3EG, open by appointment only.

Yes. Fittings can take place at a client's home or office instead of a showroom, at no extra call-out fee.

Bespoke shirts start from £180, made from English and European mill cloths with a choice of over 60 collar and cuff styles.

A bespoke suit is cut to a client's own measurements rather than a standard size, through a multiple-fitting process designed to get the fit right before it's finished. Cloth, lining, buttons, and detailing are all chosen individually rather than fixed in advance.

This individual approach also means better quality and longevity. A bespoke suit is made to fit and move with you, making it a garment built to last for years, not seasons.

Yes, alongside our bespoke suits, we also make bespoke shirts, overcoats, velvet dinner jackets, and shooting attire. Whatever the garment, the same approach applies: an unhurried, in-person fitting process built around getting the look, fit, and feel exactly right.