Attend any wedding and, even if you've never met any of the bridal party before, you get a pretty big heads up on which one the bride is. The big dress and colour coordinated followers is a pretty big hint. Unless it's a naturist wedding...but this isn't a blog about that.
So moving on quickly now, when it comes to menswear, typically suits are fairly similar and there’s too often room for confusion as to who the groom is! So, how do you make the groom stand out? Just a few subtle changes can make quite a dramatic visual difference, and so here’s our top tips for making the groom look special on the day.
1. Add a pocket square to your outfit
If the Groom and his Groomsmen are all in the same ties or cravats, then this is a great but subtle way for the Groom to stand out against the rest of the wedding party.
The simple addition of a pocket square changes the look of a suit completely, and immediately marks the Groom as being different to the rest of the party. It doesn’t matter how the pocket square is folded, but the more obvious it is the more he will stand out.
2. Have your Groom in a different colour
This is something that’s proving quite popular, and we see it quite often with colour schemes like navy and ivory for example, where the groom will wear an ivory tie and pocket square, while the rest of the groomsmen wear navy ties and pocket squares.
If you’ve got different colours in the flowers, or maybe a favourite colour of a loved one, it’s a small change that’ll get the Groom noticed. If all your Groomsmen are wearing pink with the suits, try navy or blush to make the Groom really stand out. You’ll still be tied into the colour scheme but have the added extra to stand out from the rest of the wedding party and your guests!
If you don’t want as bold a statement as a different colour, try looking for ties in the same colour but with a pattern on it.
3. Change a tie for a cravat or bow tie
Not all of the wedding party has to be wearing the same accessories. Try having the Groom wearing a bow tie or a cravat in the same colour as the Groomsmen.
This bold statement will really make your Groom stand out. Bow Ties are the next new trend, so why not have the Groomsmen in skinny ties and your Groom in a bow tie? If you prefer a cravat, you can always wear that instead on the bow tie. They’ll look super cool, and no one will be asking “Now which one’s the Groom?”
If you don’t want as bold a statement as having the Groomsmen in ties and the Groom in a cravat, try having the Groomsmen in skinny ties and the Groom in a regular tie or vice versa.
4. Add other accessories
If you’re not keen on having the Groom wearing something completely different to the rest of the party, what about something subtle like a tie bar or a button hole in the jacket?
Get the Groom wearing something different like this, your guests will know it’s his big day and comment on what a lovely touch the accessories are. Tie bars and button holes come in a huge array of styles, so experiment to find which one you prefer. The tie bars will give that off a flash of elegance; whilst the the button holes will tie into the bouquets.
5. Waistcoats work with all options
Some couples will opt for having the Groom and Groomsmen in different suits to really make him stand out, but a simpler option if you want to keep them looking fairly similar is to add a waistcoat to the groom’s outfit.
Many modern suits come with a waistcoat as an option already, or if you’re going down the morning suit or traditional look, then you could try a different pattern or colour to the waistcoat to create that distinction.
Some of these options can work in tandem, so a waistcoat with a bow tie for the Groom looks fantastic for example, so don’t be afraid of mixing things up a bit until you find something you’re happy with. Regardless of what you go for, have a fantastic wedding!
