our friends at astor & black invade the blog today to discuss the debates that go along with wedding tuxes… and the custom options that exist.

Marshall and Michi. Photo by Allison Conklin.

The day has arrived. You’ve had a good night’s sleep, you’ve taken your vitamins and you’re ready to tackle this head on. It’s What You’re Going to Wear to the Wedding Day.

After a coffee with the wife-to-be and an hour of discussion, you’re feeling pretty good about your progress. After the second hour, you tell her: “Honey, it’s your day to shine. I just need to make you look good.” You’re rewarded with a smile, maybe a kiss, but no absolution from the meeting. After the third hour, you’ve already been to your honeymoon and back, plus you’ve made up a haiku about socks, and decided on a name for your goldfish.

Finally, the planning is over. And the shopping begins.

There’s a brief rent vs. buy debate, then a trip to the department store – for three hours and three hundred (or so) fitting room marches – an online search, a trip back to the department store, a fitting, a tailor, the fabric retailer downtown, and then another round at a different department store, the one with more variety at the outlet mall outside town.

Sound like a headache yet?

Charles and Lindsey. Photo by Manolo Doreste.

At this point, you’re beginning to wish there was a tuxedo genie that if you just promise to stop eating chocolate, or drinking so much beer, the genie will appear at night while you sleep. It will wake you with a touch of a feather and hand deliver an impeccably designed tuxedo that is timelessly classic, and yet perfectly suited for the wedding theme and color scheme. The fabric is soft, the satin is luscious, the seams sharp, and accessories you never even knew you wanted.

You step out of bed and change into the tuxedo. It feels snug and cool against your skin. You stand in front of the mirror with your and wow! The man looking back at you is definitely you, albeit an updated version, an upgraded version. This must be a dream, you pinch yourself, it must be a dream.

You grab the phone, “Honey, you have to get over here, right now!” She’s on her way before you hang up. She comes rushing through the door.

“Honey! Are you alright?” She’s in the hallway right around the corner. You’re still looking at your reflection.

“Honey?” and then she turns the corner. She stops in her tracks. You turn to her. She meets your gaze, speechless for a moment.

Then she’s not. “Omg, honey, you look amazing! This… I literally dreamed of this just last night! This is exactly how I always imagined you would look – so fantastic and dashing!”

“This must be a dream,” you both say at the same time.

But it doesn’t have to be.

When you opt for a custom tuxedo for your wedding day, it saves a lot of hassle, a lot of time, and the end product is perfect. The look and fit will be timeless, so your wedding night will never be dated, nor the photos. The quality is top tier so the tuxedo will last upwards of ten years. (That’s assuming you don’t eat too much pasta in the interim).

The primary advantage of custom is the limitless array of options at your disposal in terms of fabric, design and accessories to match any theme or style. At Astor & Black, our favorite custom clothing company*, you also have the benefit of the clothier as a personal fashion consultant who will guide you through the maze of options to finding the wedding attire best suited for you.

And not just you. And not just the tuxedo. They can outfit the best man, the groomsmen, or an entire wedding party. They also offer a full range of men’s and tuxedo accessories, including belts and shirts, and have special wedding packages for groom and groomsmen attire. It’s a sweet deal.

The greatest deterrent to going custom however, is the price tag. While there’s no denying that a custom wedding tuxedo is more expensive than renting or buying, the actual numbers might surprise you. It’s an investment and it could begin paying off right from the first day you make an appointment with an Astor & Black clothier.

It could be a dream come true.
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astor & black is a sponsor of the man registry’s groomsadvice.com

Are you considering a custom tuxedo for your wedding day. What about the look makes makes it right for you? Tell us in the comments section below.

By Susan Alexander Shapiro from BravoBride.com

Need a little help on what to think about when choosing what to wear for you and your best friends on your big day? Keep these tid-bits in mind when picking out groomsmen attire.

Formal or Unique?
Tuxedos and a uniformed color scheme is the traditional view of a wedding, but times are changing. Converse shoes can replace dress shoes and a pair of khakis and a white shirt can substitute for a suit and tie all depending on your personal style. What is your style? Do you want a traditional wedding where all your groomsmen wear tuxedos or do you want them in super hero costumes? Knowing what type of wedding you want will help in choosing the attire of the entire wedding party. Realizing your theme or style will be the base of your entire event.

Budget Concerns
As much as you don’t want to mention it, how much things cost is an issue in every wedding, and not just for the bride and groom. In the case of groomsmen attire, some couples choose to rent tuxes for their groomsmen while others let their friend’s foot the bill. It is important to consider everyone’s financial input to your wedding. You don’t want your best friends not to be in your wedding because they can’t afford it nor do you want to take on more expenses than what is in your budget. Some inexpensive wedding ideas include:

1.) Let groomsmen wear their own suits instead of renting tuxes.
2.) Go for a more casual look by having them only wear the same color shirts or ties.
3.) Go online. You can find almost anything online, and usually for less.
4.) Rent tuxes as a group. A lot of places have group discounts.
5.) Let the guys wear their own shoes instead of renting them.

Simple changes such as these can save you and your bridal party a bundle.

Wearing a different color tie is a great way for the groom to stand out from the groomsmen.

Time to Shine
In a room full of suits and ties, how does a groom not blend in with the rest? After deciding what your what your style will be and what your budget is, making sure you stand out from your groomsmen is the next step. Besides the bride, you are the most important person of the day and it is your time to shine.

1.) If in tuxedos, changing vest colors or designs will help designate you as the groom. Try going with a completely different color instead of just changing hues.
2.) Going outside the norm, some men are choosing to wear a completely different color suit or tux than their groomsmen. This bold statement really makes the groom stand out amongst his friends.
3.) Groomsmen in the wedding party will usually be wearing boutonnières. Although they all will be beautiful, the grooms could be a different flower and color than anyone else’s.

Remember these simple tips when it’s time to start thinking about what the men will be wearing in your wedding party. We all know your bride is going to stand out on the big day, make sure you are standing out with her.

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Susan Alexander Shapiro is the founder of BravoBride.com — the web’s leading destination for brides wanting to buy and sell new and pre-owned wedding items. BravoBride focuses on designer used wedding dresses, jewelry, accessories, ceremony and reception items, unique wedding favors— and everything else you need for the perfect inexpensive wedding.

Struggling to perfect that elegant look for the wedding day? If you answered yes, today is your lucky day. Our friends over at Marriage.com along with formalwear expert Rik Ducar have put together a video that should help simplify the process.

At Marriage.com, we like to bring on guest experts to offer advice on a wide range of wedding topics. And now, we are fortunate enough to include Rik Ducar as a men’s formalwear expert.  Rik is on the preferred vendor list at prestigious hotels like The Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, The St. Regis Hotel, Palomar Hotels, Montage Beverly Hills, Peninsula Hotel and W Hotels nationwide. He has also dressed some serious celebrity clientele, such as rapper T.I. and football player Matt Hasselbeck.  And now, he is nice enough to offer some dress tips for all grooms-to-be. Recently, we visited Rik’s Beverly Hills store to interview him about some tux tips and trends. Check out the following video to learn about cuff links, pocket squares, and other tuxedo to-dos.

Credits:
Videography: Michael Masarof
Music: “Cosmo,” by Alexander Blu

For additional upcoming interview segments with Rik, check out the Marriage.com blog.

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Marriage.com is the newest innovator in wedding planning, connecting engaged couples with local wedding professionals, expert advice, deals and events. The Marriage.com micro-site will give the bridal community control of the wedding planning process in a personalized, Web 2.0 community and experience, set to launch on Valentine’s Day 2011.

Today, we are honored to have Michael Andrews guest blogging on the top 5 men’s wedding attire trends for 2011. Michael is Founder and CEO of Michael Andrews Bespoke – New York’s Designer Custom Tailor that crafts high-end yet affordable menswear with a modern flair.

The 2011 Groom: Coming Soon to a Wedding Near You

Michael Andrew Bespoke’s Top Five Groom’s Attire Trends for 2011

1. For formal weddings, we are seeing a real trend toward slim fit one-button midnight blue tuxedo with peak lapels.  Dark blue looks richer under evening light and provides a better contrast against the black satin on the lapels.  When the jacket is cut trim through the waist, the peak lapels help accentuate the shoulders for a flattering silhouette.

2. We are also seeing a strong trend toward less formal weddings.  Roughly half of the wedding outfits we make are suits instead of tuxedos.  For destination weddings and daytime summer weddings, we see a lot of cotton and linen suits. For evening weddings, we are doing a lot of charcoal grey and midnight blue suits.

3. We are also seeing very few tuxedo shirts with traditional pleats or a bib front.  Most guys are opting for a more simple, updated style.  The most popular is a classic spread collar shirt made in a rich piqué fabric that gives the shirt a more luxurious and formal appearance. The hidden button front offers a clean, formal look and eliminates the need for tuxedo studs.

4. A return to the bowtie.  For the past few years, long black ties had eclipsed the traditional bowtie in popularity, but we have seen the bowtie come back strong this year.  Opt for an oversized velvet bowtie to make a statement.

5. The perfect groomsman gift: matching custom shirts and ties.  It gives a degree of consistency to the wedding party while still being personalized to each groomsman.

To learn more about Michal Andrews Bespoke and to browse their collection of suits, dress shirts, overcoats and more – visit their website.

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How do you feel about Michael’s picks for 2011 groom trends? Anything that you’d like to see on the list that isn’t? Let us know in the comments.

Indochino's Wedding Collection

By Guest Blogger Simon Daykin

June is here and the summer wedding season is kicking off.  So for this issue I have decided to speak on the topic of THE SUIT.  I have been to black tie weddings, formal weddings, semi formal weddings, beach weddings and back yard weddings.  All of these weddings have a few things in common.  One I focus on with my grooms is “what the hell kind of suit do I wear?”  So it’s pretty simple really, I have knocked the options down to 3 categories of suits  (Not included are casual weddings, shorts, t-shirts, etc…I am of the opinion that if your bride is in a wedding dress, you should be in a suit of some sort)

Tuxes, Tails & Morning Coats, Oh My!

I love wearing a tuxedo; there is just a feeling about putting one on.  Most grooms just go for the standard tux no matter what kind of wedding they are having.  But this doesn’t have to be single or double breasted.  2 or 3 piece…3 piece comes with a vest or waist coat.  Then we get into the tails (not a fav of mine) or the Morning Coat (I do like this one).  The Morning Coat is a very British look (in my humble opinion) and I really like it, plus it gives you an excuse to wear an ascot.  It’s up to you what you decide on, but these are the options for a Black Tie or Formal wedding.  If you are having a Black Tie wedding, I suggest including some text on the invitation stating this, so your guests know there will be a dress code. So…there are so many choices for a black tie wedding.  You have the standard tuxedo, but you can get a 1, 2 or 3 (and so on) button jacket.

I Have A Birthday Suit, But Now I Need A Wedding Suit.

Wedding Day Gear from Indochino

If you have decided to pass on the tuxedo option and you’re looking for a suit, there are limitless options for you.  Colors, styles, cuts and so on.  It will all depend on what YOU want, and what your bride says you want (Kidding!)  Listen to her, but when it comes down to it, you have to wear it and you have to be comfortable in it.  A well made suit can look amazing!  I always suggest getting a new suit for the wedding, if you can’t get a tailor made one, then buy off the rack and have it altered just for you.  As my readers know, I highly recommend Indochino for all your formal wear needs.  I own some of their stuff and it is fantastic!  Also, it’s not really that expensive.  Have a look at your wedding colors, I suggest getting a neutral-ish suit (no wild colors) and adding the color and flair with the tie, shirt and of course the pocket square.  A black, charcoal or navy suit will look great and you can wear it again after the wedding.

Style And Sand

Destination weddings have always been popular.  Sadly most of the destination wedding photos I see are all the same, khaki’s and a white shirt…..BLAH!!!  Really!?!?  How boring is that!  I taught you better than that.  Just because you don’t want a formal wedding and its a little warmer on the beach doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the style and look like everyone else.  You can still rock the suit, it doesn’t have to be black, of course not.  Try light grey linen, a pale blue, maybe you go plaid or striped, or go all out and sport a skinny fit white suit.  You don’t have to even wear a jacket.  I styled a groom who got married in Jamaica; he wanted to be cool in the heat, yet stylish.  So we got him into a light grey suit (no jacket), high button vest, custom made white shirt, simple black tie (top button unbuttoned) and we rolled up those sleeves.

Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice

So there are the 3 simple groom’s attire categories.  Now within these categories there are so many choices.  But this is the fun stuff, picking out what to wear should be a good time.  Remember, just because a lot of people do it, doesn’t mean you have to.  So toss all the safe and boring options out the window and start new.  Grab some men’s fashion magazines, Google pictures of Chuck Bass, or other people whose style you respect for ideas on style and what you want to be wearing at your wedding.

When it comes to putting an outfit together, you can take a few different looks and mesh them all into one.  Don’t go overboard, but add in all the cool stuff you like, if you think it’s too much, you can start taking stuff away until you feel it all looks right.  I suggest taking a photo of you in the outfit(s), that way you can see what other people will see and not in the mirror.

I always suggest getting a brand new suit for your wedding.  Your Bride gets a dress, so I feel it is only fair for the Groom to get a new suit.  You can wear the suit after the wedding and I firmly believe that every man should own his own tuxedo.  You may not know when you’ll need it…but when you do, you’ll have it there, ready and waiting.

If you would like to know more about your style options, then you can contact me at simon@gutsygroom.com and we can get you on the right path to looking your best at your wedding.