Hiring of suits is the rule rather than the exception these days. The main reason for this is the ease with which outfits can be co-ordinated at a suit-hire establishment for not often, if at all, does a groom, his best man and groomsman own matching suits!
Suit-hire businesses are worth their weight in gold when it comes to outfitting the groom and his attendants. They have a wide range of apparel, including a fine range of accessories.
The groom should, early on in the preparations for the wedding, visit one of these to be advised on the most appropriate clothing.
It is always a good idea for the bride-to-be to also go along, especially if there is to be a colour theme. Trends remain on a par with last year. For example, silver vests are being worn as a contrast to the suit rather than co-ordinating with the bridesmaids' dresses, while ties are often used to pick up on the colour story.
Today's more relaxed dress code no longer requires a particular style of suit to be worn at a particular time of the day, which makes things easier. The groom and his attendants' choice of attire takes in a range of fashion dress suits, with the traditional morning suit or evening tails continuing to be sought-after. When it comes to dinner suits, the most popular dinner jacket is the single-breasted shawl lapel style.
Again this season, fashion suits are featuring single-breasted jackets, with black, charcoal and a range of greys being the popular shades. The two- or three-button suit coats are usually accompanied by a waistcoat and neckpiece, ties showing in a range of widths.
For a casual wedding the shirt can be worn open-necked with a jacket. Another trend is to forfeit the jacket, a vest being worn instead with the shirt and trousers.
Another popular trend for summer weddings is shirts that are designed to be worn outside the trousers, also without a jacket.
And kilts, particularly in Otago and Southland, will always be popular!
