Of all the things that go into wedding planning, I thought choosing Andrew’s outfit and the groomsmen’s looks would be the easiest by far. Well, I was wrong! Andrew and I went back and forth a lot on what he was going to wear. Initially, we wanted suits instead of tuxedos. This was really because we didn’t want an old-school tux, with thick satin stripes down the pants and an ill-fitting jacket. That’s all we’d ever seen! We also considered going with navy suits because it’s both of our favorite colors. We also knew we wanted Andrew’s look to be slightly different from the groomsmen but didn’t want anything too jarring. Should Andrew be in a bow tie and the groomsmen be in ties? Vice versa? Should Andrew be in a tuxedo and the groomsmen in suits? Should Andrew’s jacket be a different color altogether? Lots of little decisions to be made but I am so happy with the final looks we came up with. Crisp and classic!
Andrew’s Tuxedo
Once I got my dress, it was easier to pin down exactly what the men should be wearing. We let that dictate the apparel vibes for the rest of the bridal party! If you haven’t seen my wedding dress and the bridesmaid details, read that here! Although I love navy blue and think it’s such a chic choice for weddings, it just wasn’t right for our venue or decor. After lots of back and forth, we also realized a suit, even in black, wasn’t going to be formal enough to pair with my gown so we decided on a tuxedo for Andrew! Then we debated putting the groomsmen in suits so that Andrew would stand out but I didn’t love it overall. We also considered having them in ties and Andrew in a bow tie, or Andrew in a different color jacket. We ultimately decided to have them all in black tuxedos with bow ties because I loved the cohesive, classic feel.
We rented his tuxedo from The Black Tux and were thrilled with the experience. It’s super easy, cost-effective, and they have amazing styles! The customer service was incredible – if your order arrives with anything wrong or the sizing is even slightly off, they send out a new one immediately and make sure it arrives before your event. They’ll even send out the full look beforehand for a free at-home try on! They also have shops within some Nordstrom locations so be sure to check your local store. Highly recommend The Black Tux for any suit or tuxedo rentals. We will never use anywhere else! For Andrew’s look, we rented the notch lapel tuxedo and paired it with the cotton fly-front dress shirt and gold knot cuff links. To make Andrew’s look more special, we added a velvet bow tie and velvet dress shoes. It was a subtle change but definitely made him stand out the appropriate amount. It was also a fun way for Andrew to express his style, while still remaining classic overall. These picks landed him in Martha Stewart Weddings article all about groom style so I’d say he nailed it!
Groomsmen Tuxedos
Much like my bridesmaids, the groomsmen were definitely not hard to make look good! We kept their looks really simple and handsome. We styled all the groomsmen in the notch lapel tuxedo, cotton fly-front dress shirt and black butterfly bowtie, all rented from The Black Tux. Pro-tip: To make it super easy for your groomsmen and avoid anyone getting the wrong items, The Black Tux allows you to choose the list of items that need to be rented and then invite the groomsmen to order their own. This allows the men to input their own sizing and payment information without accidentally ordering the wrong items. Their look was completed with gold onyx cuff links and black leather shoes. The subtle touch of gold on the cuff links called back the gold in Andrew’s cuff links and the rest of the gold in the decor. I debated just having the men wear any black shoes but there is so much variation between shades of black (yes, really!), toe shapes, and shine that it’s just easier for continuity if everyone is wearing the same exact style. This way you don’t have someone sticking out like a sore thumb (besides the groom).
Venue – The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe | Photography – Charissa Magno Photography | Videography – Audrey Alba Films | Month of Coordination – Kelsey Rae Designs | Florals – Blue Ladder Botany | Chair Rental – APR Boutique Rentals | Flatware and Charger Rentals – The Chiavari Guys | Lighting and Boxwood Walls – Bright Event Rentals | Laser Cut Signage – TheConfettiHome | Acrylic Signage – Details, Darling | Placecards – BetterWeddingDecor | Cake – Laura Marie’s Cakes | Donut Catering – Sensational Treats | Donut Bags – HH Paper Co | DJ – Bryan Thrane at Pacific Entertainment | Acoustic Guitarist – Austin Ellis | Officiant – Vows from the Heart | Watercolor Artist – Chasing Linen | Wedding Dress – Hayley Paige “Chandon” gown | Bridal Shop and Alterations – The White Flower Bridal Boutique | Bridesmaid Dresses – Show Me Your Mumu | Hair – Tommy Tisso | Makeup – Makeup by Kandice | Groom and Groomsmen Tuxedos – The Black Tux
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