The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - The Telegraph Magazine
Which groom are you?
Trad, mod or a touch of the Med? The big-day choice is yours…
A TRUSTY SUIT or morning ensemble used to be the uniform for a man at the altar, but that’s no longer automatically so. While the classics rarely falter, today the dress codes (and the weddings themselves) are much more freewheeling – you’re as likely to be invited to a Somerset barn as a village church. All you have to do is sign up to your wedding tribe.
MODERN
If your wedding day is more about craft ales than fiddly canapés, particularly if it’s in a rustic setting, soft-structured fabrics and playful accessories will be your friends. Try: 1. Lace and silk tie, £130, Marwood (marwood.life). 2. Gardenia pin, £120, Lanvin (matches fashion.com). 3. Loafers, £525, Crockett & Jones (crockett andjones.com). 4. Blazer, £370, Zadig & Voltaire (farfetch.com).
TRADITIONAL
While morning dress might be centuries old, that needn’t make wearing it a fusty affair. ‘If you’re going to do it properly, make sure you opt for a lightweight wool, in charcoal or grey,’ says Oliver Spencer, of tailoring emporium Favourbrook. ‘A Prince of Wales check or houndstooth will also help it look modern.’ Try: 1. Silk tie, £125, Drake’s (drakes.com). 2. Paisley pocket square, £55, Gieves & Hawkes (gieves and hawkes.com). 3. Merino morning coat, £690, Favourbook (favourbrook.com).
MEDITERRANEAN
Saying ‘I do’ in Provence or on the Amalfi coast calls for lightweight fabrics and accessories with flair. It’s worth investigating a halfcanvas blazer – lighter as they’re made without a lining in the back. Consider forgoing a tie in favour of an open collar. Crumpled linens are a total no-go. Try: 1. Silk foulard, £330, Rubinacci (mariano rubinacci.net). 2. Gommino shoes, £310, Tod’s (tods.com). 3. Cotton trousers, £340, Ermenegildo Zegna (zegna. co.uk). 4. Cotton jacket, £710, Etro (mrporter.com).
FOR THE EVENING
After-dark calls for cocktail attire. An impeccable tux jacket with gleaming slippers – think matinee idol – should do it. Try: 1. Velvet tuxedo jacket, £1,200, Labassa Woolfe (labassawoolfe.com). 2. Silk bow tie, £125, Dunhill (dunhill.com). 3. Patent slippers, £670, Manolo Blahnik (manoloblahnik.com).