Men's Wedding Guest Attire: What Should Men Wear to a Wedding?

What Should Men Wear to a Wedding?

The wedding dress code for guys starts with the invitation but ends with personal style. The four most common categories are black tie, formal, cocktail or semi-formal, and casual. From there, factors like venue, season, and theme refine a generic suit into men's wedding attire built for the specific occasion.

A few questions to ask yourself before picking out a wedding outfit:

• Dress code. Check the invitation or wedding website for any specified dress code, then add personal flair where it fits. Black tie, casual, or anything in between gives you a starting point for the rest of the look.
• Venue. Is it a beach wedding, an outdoor wedding in the country, or a city affair? Beach weddings call for lightweight fabrics and relaxed silhouettes. City weddings tend to favor sleek, modern looks.
• Season. Bright colors and floral prints suit spring and summer weddings, while darker hues and richer fabrics work better for fall and winter weddings.
• Theme. A retro or rustic-chic wedding theme is an invitation to have some fun with your outfit and lean into the vibe.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to wedding guest attire. The most important thing is to feel comfortable and confident in what you are wearing.

Men's Wedding Attire by Dress Code

Before you stress about what to wear, break it down by dress code. Dressing for a wedding is not about picking any old outfit. It is about reading the invitation, then matching the energy. Let's walk through men's wedding outfits one dress code at a time.

Wedding Dress Code Quick Comparison

Black Tie Wedding Guest Attire

A black tie wedding leaves little room for interpretation. You must wear a tuxedo, including a tuxedo jacket, tuxedo pants, and a black bow tie. Show personal style through the dress shirt, bow tie pattern, lapel pin, and shoe selections rather than reinventing the silhouette. White tie wedding dress codes are even more formal and call for tailcoats, but they are far less common.

DO:

• Wear a black or midnight blue tuxedo. For a black tie wedding, black and midnight blue tuxes are most appropriate. If you must wear another color, keep it as dark as possible.
• Wear black patent leather, leather, or velvet oxford or loafer shoes. Unless indicated in the invitation, sneakers or any other casual shoe are considered inappropriate for the occasion.
• Wear a collared dress shirt. T-shirts, polo shirts, and banded collar shirts are not acceptable for a black tie dress code. If appropriate for the wedding venue and theme, consider a tuxedo shirt in a different color, texture, or pattern (think pastel, denim, or pinstripe).

DON'T:

• Wear a white or ivory dinner jacket. Statement looks and dinner jackets, especially white or ivory dinner jackets, should be reserved for the groom and his attendants.
• Wear a floral boutonniere. These are typically reserved for groomsmen, groom, and wedding party attendants. Instead, consider adorning your tuxedo lapel with a stylish lapel pin.
• Intentionally upstage the groom or his attendants with your apparel. Keep your look clean, classic, and free from too many details that may appear that you are trying to upstage the man of the hour.

Formal Men's Wedding Attire

If the wedding dress code calls for formal, many of the black tie attire rules apply. The largest difference is that a tuxedo is optional rather than required. Instead of wearing a black or midnight tuxedo, consider wearing a black or dark colored suit. Formal wedding attire still leans dark, structured, and sharp.

DO:

• Wear a dark suit or tuxedo. For a formal wedding, dark suits in colors like black, charcoal grey, or navy blue are most appropriate.
• Wear a bow tie or necktie. Unlike with black tie attire, a bow tie is not required. You may wear a bow tie or necktie.
• Wear a collared dress shirt. T-shirts, polo shirts, and banded collar shirts are not acceptable for a formal dress code. If appropriate for the wedding venue and theme, consider a dress shirt in a different color, texture, or pattern (like pastel, denim, or pinstripe) to show off a bit of your personal style.

DON'T:

• Wear casual shoes. Although black patent leather shoes are not required, dress shoes are a must for formal attire.
• Mix and match suiting separates. A full suit with matching jacket and trousers should be worn. Resist the urge to mix suiting separates in different colors for formal wedding attire.
• Opt for overly casual accessories. There is room to let your personal style shine, but keep it classy. Skip the novelty ties and neon socks since they are a bit too loud for the occasion. Stick to classic accessories that add a touch of sophistication without stealing the show, such as a chrome tie bar and matching cufflinks.
• Disregard grooming. Keep your hair tidy, whether it is a neat cut or a styled 'do. Make sure your facial hair is in check, whether it is a clean shave or a well-groomed beard.

Cocktail and Semi-Formal Wedding Attire for Guests

A semi-formal wedding or one with cocktail attire indicated gives more freedom in look styling than black tie and formal dress codes. With cocktail dress you can loosen the necktie a bit, literally and figuratively, and relax into more modern fashions for the event. The semi-formal dress code still calls for a suit, so keep it classy because it is still a wedding.

DO:

• Wear a suit. For a wedding with cocktail attire, suits or suit separates are most acceptable. Navy blazers and sport coats are often popular for cocktail events because as the evening moves on and the dancing begins, you can lose the suit jacket and get more comfortable.
• Wear a necktie. Wear a necktie with your suit to the event initially, and if other guests are not in neckties, feel free to slip it off and put it in your jacket pocket.
• Accessorize your look. Adorn your look with sophisticated jewelry (wooden or beaded bracelets), a lapel pin, a tie bar, or a patterned pocket square to show your personal style.

DON'T:

• Wear a tuxedo. Cocktail attire requires a certain level of formality, but definitely not a tuxedo. A suit and trousers will suffice.
• Wear jeans. Jeans are not typically considered acceptable for a cocktail attire wedding, even with a blazer. Save this look for another time and place.
• Wear clothing with rips, holes, or tears. Cocktail attire is still dress-to-impress, so clothing with rips and holes will not make the cut. Keep your look sophisticated unless otherwise indicated by the couple.

Casual Wedding Guest Attire

Casual is the broadest and most confusing of the wedding dress codes because everyone's description of casual wedding attire is different. When deciding what to wear to a wedding marked "casual," take cues from the invitation, the venue, and the time of day. The casual dress code is most common for outdoor weddings, destination weddings, and afternoon weddings.

DO:

• Wear chinos or suit pants. Chinos or khakis are a great option for casual weddings, especially those that take place in the summer. In cooler climates, opt for a nice pair of lightweight wool trousers.
• Wear a printed shirt. A printed shirt in plaid, stripes, or an all-over pattern is a great option for a casual wedding.
• Add color to your look. Unlike black tie and formal weddings where dark colors are encouraged, a casual wedding is often a good time to add a little color to your look.

DON'T:

• Wear a t-shirt. Unless the couple has specifically indicated a super casual wedding, a t-shirt is probably not your best bet. Opt for a polo or short sleeve poplin shirt if you are looking to wear short sleeves.
• Wear a necktie. For casual attire, you can likely skip the bow tie and necktie. If you are not comfortable wearing your shirt open and unbuttoned at the top, consider wearing a banded collar shirt with all buttons fastened.
• Wear open-toe shoes or flip flops. Unless specifically indicated as a beach wedding, stick with a closed-toe oxford or loafer shoe, even if you go without socks.

Men's Wedding Attire FAQs

Why a Suit You Own Beats One You Rent

Wedding season tends to come in waves. Friends from college, work, and family all get married around the same window, which means most guys end up at multiple weddings in a single year. A suit you own pays for itself fast at that pace—with SuitShop, it pays for itself immediately, since buying yours-to-keep suits are priced at about the same as a rental. You also get a better fit, with better, top-rated sizing, including multiple fit types, lengths, and jackets and pants sized separately for more adaptability to your specific body type. And, SuitShop suits are constructed with performance fabrics that hold their shape, meaning the suit easily can travel from a formal wedding to a destination wedding to the office without losing its edge.

Ready to Suit Up?

Build a wedding-ready closet you actually own. Browse SuitShop suits and tuxedos, dress shirts, and accessories to suit up for the next wedding on your calendar, whatever the dress code, season, or theme. Skip the rental and walk into the ceremony in something you will actually wear again.