This summer, the trend for more casual groomswear is set to be even more popular, as wedding blogs and US influences have increased so too have the options that are open to a groom who wants to be himself, on his one fab day. So many of the old school, formal "suits for a wedding" rules are being broken and it's now perfectly acceptable to swap the full suit in favour of a blazer and a tie, or ditch the jacket and instead wear a shirt and waistcoat. Gone are the traditional heavy winter colours of black, navy and dark grey, and instead wedding suits in pale grey, soft beiges, khaki shades and linen styles take centre-stage.
So for the groom who wants to make his own stylish mark, we thought we'd run through some of the options for a Summer Groom in 2012.
When considering the style of groomswear the two key points to remember are the time of day and your location. A garden or beach wedding do not lend themselves to blacktie (no matter what you see on American blogs), while a groom at ballroom affair in the city centre, may look a little odd if he's wearing linen.
But that's not to say you have to stick to old formalities or be boring either - there are lots of options. For a summer wedding in 2012, I would encourage all grooms to be themselves - if you're a relaxed sort of guy, but want to dress up, choose a suit that is relaxed but spice it up with a beautiful tie. If you're a non-formal sort of person, ditch the suit and choose a jacket or waistcoat. Be yourself, it's your day, you have full reign to think outside the box of traditional wedding suits.
Lightweight Summer Suits
First up we have light shades and light fabric style suits. Starting clockwise we have a very cool linen and wool mix, light grey suit from Reiss, next up is a wool mix, taupe shade suit from Ted Baker, the light dove grey suit is Yves Saint Laurent available from Mr. Porter and the khaki shade suit is from Banana Republic (they ship to Ireland now yay!)
Louis Copeland also has a great selection of summer suits at the moment, as does Next who have a selection of lighter coloured suits in petrol blue, taupe and sand - great value. J.Crew is also a great option for good value summer suits that are more modern and less worky.
Linen Suits for a Wedding
If you’ll be exchanging vows in scorching sunshine (basically abroad) , your groom will want to be in the most lightweight and breathable outfit possible, therefore linen is a perfect option (especially if tying the knot abroad) as its soft texture, is cool and light. Check out the options pictured above - first up we have the dark blue suit from Hugo Boss (perfect if your groom is a little shy of the lighter colour options), next are the light shade Canali and Richard James linen suits which are both available from Mr. Porter. If you want to add a fun twist, take this idea above from Once Wed of adding a bow tie to your linen suit, this combo brings your look from relaxed beach to country chic.
Wedding Waistcoats
A very cool but casual look is to wear a waistcoat minus the jacket. Pick a fun waistcoat style like these pictured above, starting clockwise we have a fun powder blue version from Ted Baker, a fun biscuit shade style from Topman, the chic blue version is from ASOS and the relaxed soft grey style is from Oliver Spencer which is available from Mr. Porter. Just pin on the boutonniere and you’re ready to go!
Jackets and Trousers
If you want a less informal look, lose the tie, just make sure to keep everything else as tailored and fitted as ever and you have yourself a contemporary take on grooms wear. Be inventive with your shirt choice like this one pictured above with the neutral suit which is from Marks and Spencers or keep it sleek like this houndstooth version from Reiss paired with a crisp white shirt.
Black Tie Wedding Wear
If you are having a more formal, black tie style affair make sure your groom opts for a well tailored version just as meticulously slim as his favorite suit. A crisp shirt and punchy pocket square finishes the look perfectly.Pictured above we have a white tuxedo suit from Boss Black and shirt by D&G featured over on GQ, tux and bow tie from Paul Smith, tuxedo suit from J.Crew available from Mr. Porter and the very cool, very fun, midnight blue (great alternative to black) tux is from Prada, this dashing ensemble was also featured over on GQ.
OneFab tip - when wearing black tie make sure to keep everything in proportion, the boutonniere should be as small as the lapel is slim.
If your mind is racing thinking about options for groomswear, check out our post on grooms' accessories for more ideas on how to jazz up the look, or if you're still looking for more direction about the different styles of formal wedding suit then we can help with our guide to wedding suits.
Top image credit - Groom in suit from Style Me Pretty shot by Susan Dean Photography | Groom in waistcoat via Once Wed
