How To Dress the Dudes for a Wedding: A Guide to Gussying Up the Groomsmen

Marrying the love of your life? Congratulations! You’ve now taken your first steps towards happily ever after. Of course, no celebration is complete without the brothers-in-arms that you’ve spent all your years of singlehood with. Sharing your happiness with your best buddies can make the event more meaningful for you.

The call to suit up for a wedding can fill some men with crippling anxiety, though. As the groom, there’s no escaping the spotlight—you’ll undoubtedly have to take numerous photos with your bros throughout the day. You’ll want to look like you and the boys cleaned up nice in them, right? There’s also a certain amount of pressure involved when you’re the one tasked with putting together a cohesive look that your bride-to-be will approve of.

Fret not, gentlemen. With our guide, you can face your groomsmen style fears head-on.

Work with the weather

Selecting a wedding date is one of the first things you’ll have to do when planning your wedding. Keep in mind, then, that the season you choose to hold your special event in will dictate the attire for your entire wedding party.

You and your guys can always go the traditional (and easy) route with suits or tuxedos. If you’re having an outdoor wedding at the height of summer, though, you’ll all become really uncomfortable in them, fast. Enduring formal suits for the wedding photos is not going to be worth it if sweaty brows and red faces are the only things that come through the lens.

Take the weather into consideration, then, instead of working against it. Deck your dudes out in duds that won’t cause them discomfort. In the hotter months, you can choose to ditch jackets entirely, swapping them out for smart-looking vests. For a white winter wedding, wrap your boys up in wool or other heavy fabrics to keep them from freezing.

Look over the location

Location-scouting is often the next item that couples need to cross off their wedding planning list. It, too, should affect your style choices for the big day.

Once you’ve settled on the location, take note of the terrain. Having a beach wedding? You’ll have to consider the sand getting into everyone’s shoes, then. Saying “I do” on the edge of a wooded forest or on top of a mountain? Then you’ll want to be extra careful of mud accumulating on your soles, as well as grass stains. The point is, use these notes when you finally move on to choosing the attire for the wedding party.

Wherever possible, account for every scenario. Again, you can expect your every move to be documented. Dark colors can hide a multitude of sins when you’re having your wedding in a rugged environment. Certain fabrics are also more stain-resistant, so those are a good option for the “wear it and forget about it” set.

Brainstorm with the bride

A wedding should be a collaborative effort. Yes, we know it’s easier to leave all the decisions to your blushing bride, but you lift a great weight off her shoulders when you choose to get involved. After all, it’s your wedding, too.

Creating a coordinated look at the front of the pews will require input from the both of you. Therefore, ask her about her side of the aisle. What colors and fabrics will her bridesmaids be wearing? Would it be a good idea for everyone to match or to use complimentary shades instead? Questions like these will help set the overall tone for the wedding party, giving your resulting photos a more refined look.

Make it all match

Dressing up your dudes and dudettes isn’t just done for aesthetic purposes. It also serves an important function: what they wear identifies them as members of the wedding party. This makes it easier for guests to seek them out for assistance, photographers to gather the group for pictures, and so on.

There’s also an emotional aspect to the tradition. Everyone at your wedding, including your groomsmen, will feel like they’re part of the special event you’re having, and not merely bearing witness to it. That’s why, at the very least, you’ll want everyone dressed in a relatively similar color palette.

You can take this feeling of belonging up a notch by giving your groomsmen matching gifts of things they can wear to the ceremony. Custom men’s sneakers are a popular choice among fashion-forward grooms. Some of the most stylish men in the world, including Robert Downey Jr. and Timothée Chalamet, have shown up to numerous red carpets wearing sharp suits with sneakers—and looked great doing so.

On our online 3D customization platform, you can easily design custom men’s sneakers for yourself and your groomsmen. They’re available in three base styles: trainers, high-tops, and multi-trainers. From there, you have the option to personalize every part of the shoe, from the toe box to the sole. All of our custom men’s sneakers can be crafted using a variety of materials, including nappa leather, full-grain leather, suede, and more. Our easy-to-use color picker should help you find the shades that best match your suits, or the theme of your wedding. If you don’t see the color you want, though, simply use the chat box on the bottom left of the screen to speak directly to one of our agents about your options.

Accessorize accordingly

No wedding ensemble is complete without accessories. The right ones can instantly elevate any outfit while further emphasizing the cohesion of your groomsmen’s looks.

Matching cufflinks, pocket squares, or tie accessories such as tie clips or pins can add just a bit of wow factor to any outfit. Again, these are great gift ideas that you can present to your best friends on the big day. Like custom men’s sneakers, they’ll be able to use these items again and again in the future.  

Here at Idrese, we believe in dressing to impress. In addition to custom men’s sneakers, we also offer bespoke dress shoes, as well as pre-made formal and casual footwear in a variety of styles. Browse our main page now for beautifully-crafted shoes for your momentous occasions.