Today we’re focusing on the lads and have asked Gavin Divilly from menswear supplier Bond Brothers some key questions when it comes to kitting out the groom and his groomsmen on the Big Day. From trends to timing, here’s some useful info when it comes to choosing a wedding suit.
Bond Brothers – www.bondbrothers.ie
1. What options do grooms have when it comes to choosing a suit?
We supply a variety of options to our customers and we would always discuss the individual requirements/styles with the Groom. It would be very rare for a Groom to come in wishing to purchase one of our contemporary cut, morning tails outfits as he would probably never wear it again, so renting is the best option here. However, we also offer a made-to-measure service for Grooms who really want to treat themselves to some cutting edge cloths, detailing, etc. Currently all our rental suits have an option to purchase. However, alongside our rental choices we have a separate retail section which provides a more unique look for the Groom and offers a wide variety of styles, cloths, colours and other detailing options.
2. What are the big trends in menswear for weddings in 2015?
We found in 2014 that Grooms ended up looking a lot like their guests, as it became very popular for wedding guests to wear a 3-piece slim fit blue or grey suit to a wedding… which became a popular look and style for Grooms also last year. We feel that it’s always best for a Groom to stand out from the crowd and Grooms should never rule out wearing morning tails until they have tried them on. The cuts of these garments are becoming very contemporary and once they are fitted well, they will always look great. There is a big swing back towards the more classic look whilst adding a contemporary twist, like mixing a traditional suit up with a tweed or double breasted waistcoat with matching ties.
3. What are the big trends in terms of accessories?
The likes of bow ties are a great ‘fashion’ item for your wedding but that’s where it ends. They were popular last year and we will probably see another season of them but for your wedding it’s never a good idea to follow ‘in trend’ fashions, so leave the bow ties for the Black Tie weddings. You don’t want to look at your pictures in 2 year’s time and say “why did I wear a bow tie?” Your wedding suit should have a timeless look and not a high street fashion look.
We always recommend if you’re going with a buttonhole flower, which most wedding parties do, then leave out the pocket square as there is a danger of too much going on in a 10 inch radius – from your tie/cravat to your pocket. If you do go for the pocket square try to keep it matching the tie.
A good pair of shoes are a must for your wedding and the likes of brogues are not for everyone. You can never go wrong with a nice black slightly rounded toe or if you want to add that contemporary twist with your navy suit a nice brown leather brushed shoe can really set the outfit off.
4. How would you suggest coordinating the bridesmaids and groomsmen?
Sometimes strong colours like that of popular bridesmaid dresses can be too strong a colour for most guys to wear in ties and waistcoats etc, so you are better off just going for something that will complement a colour rather than trying to always match it. You can never go wrong with silver and ivory! If this is the case, then put a hint of the colour of the bridesmaid dress or bride’s dress in the button-hole flower. You don’t always have to coordinate everyone in the wedding party.
5. When should grooms get fitted for their wedding suit?
We always say we like to have the guys suits picked at least 12 weeks before the date and then we like to take the measurements again 6 weeks before the date. As we offer our final fitting service a week before the wedding it won’t matter if they lose or put on some weight in between measurements because we have plenty of time to make any alterations.
