Weddings. Considering they’re supposed to be the happiest day of our lives, they’re quite the minefield. Short-fused familial politics, ballooning budgets, the 1000-bar pressure of the best man’s speech; the wedding day offers a plethora of anxieties virtually unrivalled elsewhere in life. The least we can do, then, is allay your fears in the wardrobe department.
So here’s our guide to what to wear on the big day (and the days immediately after) - no matter which role in the melodrama you are given.
THE GROOM
The big one. In an age in which eye-wateringly expensive weddings have become the norm – the cost of the average wedding in the UK and Ireland is now upwards of £25,000 – we prefer simple elegance to over the top flamboyance. A well-fitting three-piece suit, in an eye-catching dark blue with subtle geometric pattern fabric, is the correct choice for the sophisticated groom. Add in a vivid silk tie for a flash of colour and pair with a co-ordinating (not matching, never matching) pocketsquare, and you might just upstage the bride.
THE BEST MAN
Admittedly, this will partly be subject to the tastes of the groom, but just in case he isn't quite as sartorially savvy as you might hope, use your powers of persuasion to push him in the right direction. Keep it cool and understated with a pared-down companion piece to his show-stopping outfit, this closely toning navy suit is still sharply cut but doesn’t compete with the groom’s main event.
THE EVENING GUEST
By the time you arrive, everyone will, in theory, have loosened up a bit. Now, it goes without saying that you'll want to look your best, but one can afford to be a little more casual at this stage of the event. A smart, stylish grandad shirt, slim fit blazer and slim-leg chinos should strike the balance nicely and keep your toes on the dancefloor without overheating.
THE HONEYMOONER
The big occasion is over with, and you've managed to come out the other side in more or less one piece. As you embark upon the holiday of a lifetime, it's only right that you should assure your other half that it’s going to be a stylish one. Keep your look cool in the heat of wherever you're going with some smart cotton chinos, a tapered fit casual shirt and neat leather trainers.
