Gone are the days when people expect weddings to be uptight, black-tie affairs. Casual weddings are becoming more and more popular today, especially with younger couples. If you’re the type of guy who prefers a laid-back atmosphere for your wedding, then this guide is for you. Casual wedding attire for men doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need is some ingenuity, a good eye for detail, and basic style ideas to play around with.
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Casual Weddings: An Overview
So what is a casual wedding anyway? At its most basic, take a typical black-tie ceremony and strip all the fanciness away. No limousines, no tuxedoes, no ball gowns, and no sparkling chandeliers inside an 18th-century mansion. It’s a relaxed event where people don’t need to conform to super-strict dress codes.
Most casual weddings follow a standard formula, beginning with venues. It’s normal to hold casual weddings on a beach, a garden, or even in a backyard. These events almost always follow a rustic, country atmosphere. The guest list is small and often limited to a few hundred people. Almost everyone invited is a close friend or immediate relative.
Here, laid-back energy radiates from the venue, decor, and even the food. That’s why your outfit should follow the motif as well. Ditch the dinner jacket and go for a relaxed dapper look. The rules of a casual wedding are simple. Here are a few guidelines you can follow when selecting an outfit based on location:
Beach
A ceremony on the beach or any other waterfront (lake or riverfront) means you can dress down the most. These venues tend to be sunny and windy. As such, you’ll need to dress for both warm and cold temperatures. Go for a jacket made of light fabric like linen if the weather is a bit warm. And if it’s windy or cold, go for cashmere. As for pants, go for a fabric that is easy to roll up. This is in case the water line reaches the ceremony area. These also go well with more relaxed footwear such as suede shoes with rubber soles. Or if the couple permits it, even sandals or flip-flops.
Garden/Backyard
A garden wedding takes place on the soil. As such, you’ll have to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances where the soil becomes mud. Dress up as you would for a beach wedding with lighter fabrics, preferably linen so you can soak up the breeze. The same goes for pants. And as for shoes, you can go for shoes such as loafers and topsiders.
Civil/Courtroom
Who says casual weddings always have to be outdoors? In the case of a civil wedding in a courtroom or the office of a presiding official, dress as you would in a courtroom. Go for a basic blazer or jacket, but ditch the tie. An undershirt made of a light fabric will do justice to your look, but make sure to not button the collar up. Smart casual pants such as khakis and brown leather shoes will go together in this situation too.
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Casual Wedding Attire For Men: Basic Look
The first and foremost rule for casual wedding attire for men is comfort. This means, no heavy fabrics and nothing too hard to move in. Get rid of all those uptight suits and tuxes and opt for something more free and lightweight.
For The Groom
When it comes to casual wedding attire for men, the groom sets the standard. Pair a basic blazer with khakis in contrasting colors. For shirts, go for a plaid or plain white collared shirt. Add on a necktie or bowtie as an optional touch to pull the whole look together.
Suspenders are also a good way to create that classic, laidback look that never goes out of style. You can also choose to swap out your blazer jacket for a vest for a more relaxed look. Remember to pick colors that are in line with your wedding’s color scheme.
This creates a relaxed modern “boho” look that is perfect for a casual wedding setting. It is a good balance of dressing up and dressing down so that you still look smart and sharp on your big day.
For The Groomsmen
As the accompaniments to the groom, you don’t want to upstage him but you should still complement his look. When it comes to casual wedding attire for groomsmen, take a page from the groom’s getup and work around that. Remove or add on some elements from the groom’s outfit or dress in a complementary color to the groom’s suit. This way, your attire won’t stray too far away from the wedding’s theme.
For The Wedding Guests
If you’re dressing up to attend a wedding, the expectations are a bit more relaxed but you should still be appropriately dressed. You don’t want to be the only one in a t-shirt and jeans but you don’t want to turn up in a full suit either. Pair a basic dress shirt with long pants and closed-toe dress shoes or loafers to create the perfect smart casual look!
One useful tip is to consider the venue and season of the wedding. If it’s outdoors during the warmer months, you can turn up in a short-sleeved button-down shirt, looser pants, or formal shorts and sandals. In the colder seasons, you can put on a turtleneck sweater with a relaxed jacket or coat.
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Casual Wedding Attire For Men: More Options
The fun thing about casual wedding attire for men is that it’s a lot more flexible. Casual wedding attire comes in a variety themes, depending on where the wedding is held.
Beach Casual
You can dress down the most at a beach wedding. Well, come on. Isn’t it obvious? You’re close to nature, and you want to feel the breeze or find comfort in the smell of the ocean. As such, what the grooms are wearing is an essential beach casual attire. This takes the form of a plain white button-down shirt, paired with rolled-up khaki pants. For some out there who would still want a touch of formality, you can opt for jackets. Like this look right here:
As much as possible, drop the tie, brother. Again, this is the beach! Dressing down is basically a requirement. You choosing a beach wedding in the first place means you’re going to dress down. It’s a chill, comforting atmosphere and your clothes need to be just as comfortable. As for the groomsmen, only apply the add/subtract rule when it comes to your outfits. Make sure, however, that your looks match the overall feel of the ceremony.
Smart Casual/Casual Cocktail
For men wanting business casual duds, there’s only one rule. Smart casual is all about dressing comfortably for both work and play. Your entire look must work in the boardroom and the rustic restaurant in the countryside. For instance, you can choose to suit up in a nice, clean blazer. Pair that with a comfy pair of stretch pants (not jeans) and loafers without socks. Again, your getup must make you look comfortable in the office and out of town. Either way, you’ll look as dapper as anybody out there on your big day.
Do’s And Don’ts Of Casual Wedding Attire For Men
When you say it’s a casual wedding, do not overstate the term. Casual doesn’t mean you can go wear whatever you want. Even in a relaxed atmosphere, there are still rules when it comes to dressing down. That way, you won’t look like you rolled out of bed a few minutes ago.
DO not be afraid of trying out different ensembles. It’s a casual ceremony, so you don’t have to be pressured to conform to iron-clad expectations. Wear something that is your style. Mix and match to find the perfect combination.
DON’T sacrifice comfort for fashion. If you’re at a beach wedding and you’re somewhat of a hot potato, avoid jackets. Even if that blazer looks good on you, don’t bother. You want to stay fresh and comfortable for the entire day of merrymaking.
DO coordinate your attire with your entourage, or with the groomsmen if you’re the groom. Sure, their outfits would look different by default, but it’s always a good look that there’s a theme you follow. Talk it out with your bros so you can look amazing in your entourage photos.
DON’T wear ill-fitting clothes. This is a given. You would look so out-of-place if your jacket or shirt is a little too big or small for your body type. There’s a reason that this is a universal fashion rule, no matter what your body type is.
DO wear clothes that define you. It’s your wedding, so wear something that’s the epitome of who you are. It helps boost your self-confidence and your mood, so you’ll be ready to take on any challenge and enjoy your big day.
DON’T forget to make the dress code clear on your invitations. The dress code is what gives the ceremony its personalized charm. It’s one of a million reasons that make your wedding yours.
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Casual Wedding Attire For Men: Basic Styling Tips And Tricks
All of the tips in this guide won’t matter if you don’t know the basics of styling. Everything you need to know about looking good lies in your understanding of fit. Does it conform to your body and accentuate your features? Does it radiate your personality? This small guide is all you need. So read on.
Picking Blazers/Jackets
One will notice that when it comes to weddings, blazers and jackets are still stylish. For those going for a business casual look, owning good outwear is essential. Despite this, not any jacket will do. Ultimately, a jacket is useless if it doesn’t fit right. Here are a few tips and tricks in sizing a jacket.
Shoulders: Every man has different shoulder widths. You might be broad, narrow-shouldered, or average. Regardless of your width, a well-fitted suit-jacket should lie flat on your shoulders. Look at the seam where the sleeve and shoulder meet. It should not be hiking up your shoulder or hanging off it.
Sleeve length: If you’re wearing a long-sleeved shirt, show about half-an-inch of the cuff with your arm on the side. Anything less than ½ inch is too long, and anything more than ½ inch is too short.
Tightness: close your jacket button while standing up. There should be no strain when buttoning up. It also shouldn’t have a characteristic “x” crease with the jacket closed. If it has the “x” crease, it’s too tight.
Jacket length: As a rule of thumb, your jacket length should fall past the waistline, in between your lower back and buttocks.
Collar: Always ensure that your jacket collar rests flat over your shirt collar, flush to the back of your neck, without flopping away from your nape.
Picking Pants
It’s no longer the 90s, buddy. Oversized pants may still be in style, but they’re definitely wedding-appropriate. No matter how casual the theme, making sure that your pants fit well is a universal law when it comes to fashion. This is your guide to picking pants size in two categories: off-the-rack and tailored.
Off the rack
Picking pants off the rack comes with a lot of sizing considerations. For instance, how high are the pants? Low-rise, mid-rise, or high-rise? What this means is that you will need to measure your waist according to how high the pants will sit. As for the leg length, measure the length from your groin to your ankle. Then use those measurements to consult with the size chart.
Tailored
If you want your pants tailored, here are a few things you should check –
Your pants should form a smooth drape over your buttocks with no wrinkles. But be careful to ensure that your pants aren’t to tight! Besides the feeling of discomfort, you’ll know your pants are too small if there is too much chafing near the crotch. Similarly, you’ll know your pants are too big if there is so much wrinkling close to the crotch. Either way, ill-fitting back-ends will not feel comfortable when you sit.
Other factors to take note of when tailoring pants include –
Leg length: Unless you specify a shorter leg length, your pants should make a trouser break. The trouser break is the one wrinkle where your shoe stops your pants from falling to its full length.
Style: Skinny, straight, or slim? The style of your pants can be left up to your personal preferences. But the rule is the pant legs shouldn’t be too big that they can cover both of your legs in the way a skirt would.
Casual Wedding Attire For Men: Picking Shoes
When picking shoes for a casual wedding, your foremost concern is comfort. But this doesn’t always mean you can wear sneakers unless it is specified in the dress code. General choices include suede or leather shoes with rubber soles. You can also go for boots like Dr. Martens, topsiders, or anything else that looks relaxed. Since this is a casual wedding, ditch the dress shoes. As long as it fits the wedding’s look and atmosphere, you’re good to go.
Accessorizing
You can get away with way more accessories than you would wear at a black-tie event. Bead bracelets could work if it’s your style, but you can never go wrong with a basic watch. Go for a basic watch with leather straps for a timeless look. The leather straps would be perfect when combined with bracelets or bands.
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Final Thoughts
The entire idea of casual weddings is simple. Dress down. But if all of this seems too complicated to you, just remember to ditch the tux and tailcoat. It’s a more relaxed event, sure, but you can still look as dapper as anyone with these tips.
