Whether you’re getting married at the local church or with the sand beneath your feet, there are far fewer rules around what grooms can and can’t wear on their wedding day.
But with the venue, colour scheme and season to consider – how can grooms pull off colour on their wedding day?
Naturally, Together Journal sought guidance from the experts over at Crane Brothers, the Auckland menswear atelier responsible for the most dapper wardrobes in New Zealand.
Below, read Digital and Brand Manager Ben Saint George’s advice for grooms from what to look for when investing in a timeless suit to the colours trending this season.
How can men determine which colours suit them best?
“This is a tricky one as it’s so individual, so truly the best advice is start looking at options early and often. Skin tone, eye colour, hair colour – all of these can affect which colours flatter you. Until you’ve seen a few options on, you just won’t know how they look so make sure you give yourself time to experiment, and get some professional advice.
If you’re choosing from a fabric swatch, try draping it over your shoulder while wearing a shirt, so that you can get a sense for how the colour sits next to your face – you should be able to tell pretty instinctively if it looks good or not. And if in doubt, you can’t really go wrong with navy.”
What are the most important factors grooms should consider when looking for a suit?
“You can have the most exciting colour or pattern in the world, but that’s all for nought if the suit doesn’t fit well. Having something made for you is a huge boon especially if, like most of us, you’re not a perfect match for off-the-rack clothing.
Consider the other elements of the wedding as well – where you’re having it, what time of day the ceremony will be and so on. Not all suits are ideal for all occasions, so try and match the formality of the outfit to the kind of wedding you want to have. Cobalt blue could look great by the beach – in a city church, perhaps not so much.”
Do you have any tips for grooms who are new to wearing colour?
“If in doubt, stick to the basics. Navy and grey tailoring looks good with most complexions and pairs well with wedding tones – whites, ivory, gold, silver and so forth.
READ MORE: How to master the tie-less suit
An ivory tie in a shade that compliments the bride is a great way to complete a look and make what could be a more straightforward suit feel ceremonial.”
Are there any rules around wearing colour on your wedding day?
“Less can definitely be more. You want to look elegant, you don’t want to look loud, so add some interest with the suit and maybe the tie, but leave it at that. The shirt should probably stay white.
Don’t get too bogged down in trying to make everything match exactly either. Having the groomsmen’s ties made from the same fabric as the bridesmaids’ dresses sounds good in theory, but in practice often looks less good than complimentary but distinct looks, to say nothing of being a pain to organise.”
Have you noticed any emerging colour trends so far this year?
“Earth tones – browns, beiges, tobacco shades and so on – are definitely in ascendant at the moment. It’s a really flattering and chic palette that’s been a bit under-appreciated for a while.
Warm tones like these look great as part of a summer wedding and capture a bit of that relaxed, Rivieran elegance that maps so well to the Antipodean lifestyle and climate.”
Visit Crane Brothers online or follow @cranebrothers on Instagram to browse their carefully curated selection of clothing, footwear and accessories. The menswear brand also offers a made-to-measure service with fine examples of their tailoring demonstrated above.
