You’ll want the men looking dapper on your big day and one way you can ensure they’ll look the part is by hiring outfits for the groom, best man, ushers, and close male friends and family. Confetti presents our top ten tips for hiring menswear for a wedding.
Before you decide on a menswear hire company
1. Bride and groom need to discuss style, theme and look for the menswear. Chances are the bride already has strong views and ideas concerning how the men will complement the bridesmaids’ outfits and the wedding decoration. Issues of comfort and climate should be considered as well as just matching thematically the rest of the wedding ( a tropical wedding requires different attire than a formal English winter wedding). The groom, best man and men involved need to be happy with these choices.
2. Make sure you have a firm knowledge of the colour scheme. Take a swatch or pantone colour card of any signature colour you intend to use. Perhaps the ties or cravats could incorporate this colour.
3. Decide upon a budget. If you’re armed with only a vague idea of what you want then a salesperson could push you towards more and more expensive options. Set yourself a realistic budget that matches your spending in other areas.
4. In order to establish your budget, draw up a definitive list of the number of complete outfits you will need to hire. Have a look at your wedding guest list for help.
Choosing a menswear hire company
5. Ideally take the advice of friends and family regarding local suppliers. Nothing beats a word of mouth recommendation.
6. Read reviews and ask for a look round their showroom. Make sure you are happy with the quality of their garments and you trust them to not let you down on the big day. They should appear organised and advice you on schedules of fitting as well as styles etc. Service should be professional and friendly.
7. Consider the range of menswear available to hire. Morning suits (top hat and tails), dinner jackets (aka tuxedos) and lounge suits are fairly standard, but you may need to go further afield for highland garb, kilts, or exotic national dress.
8. A good hire company will also hire shoes, cufflinks, cravats, ties etc. They should be happy to advise you on the available options. To ensure everyone in the men’s party match you should seriously consider this option. When the photographs show the odd man out with brown shoes you’ll wish you hired the full ensemble.
Arranging fittings and getting organised
9. Arrange fittings for every suit hired, months before the wedding day. Make sure that shoes, cufflinks, ties, hats and any other accessories fit. A week before your wedding get everyone involved in a dress rehearsal, in case there have been any weight fluctuations. You can’t expect last minute alterations on the day of your wedding.
Looking after your outfit
10. Keep your suit in its protective garment carrier and hang it up as soon as you get home. Leave the jacket in its protective carrier if you have to travel far to the wedding. Particularly if you are riding in a car – morning suits in particular tend to crease easily.
