Grooming the Groom: Wedding Options for Every Wallet

While current wedding trends show increased requests from grooms for cost-effective suit options, an equal amount of evidence shows the preference for wearing a tuxedo remains strong. In addition, floral color and accessory choices are now being viewed as just as important to the groom and his groomsmen, as they are to the bride and her bridesmaids. With history often reflecting a tuxedo as a groom’s wedding standard, modern choices for the groom and his groomsmen have expanded in options, as well as in the role they play in the wedding. 

Among the many costs of a wedding, a groom’s formalwear often pales in expense to a bride’s gown. Although, with many brides now opting for smaller weddings and less-expensive wedding dresses, grooms are happily following suit. Many cost-conscious grooms are looking to reduce or eliminate the purchase of a one-time tuxedo rental in favor of a suit that offers more opportunity for additional wear after the wedding. Current suit preferences include more requests for plaids and pinstripes, with solid-color suits in blue and grey still highest in popularity. 

However, even with more grooms intent to save money on wedding-day attire, there still remains a strong market for tradition with many grooms choosing to wear a tuxedo when they get married. According to Gerre Rhodes, owner and manager at GT Rhodes Menswear in Vero Beach, tuxedos for weddings remain a consistent and growing part of her business. 

“The formalwear business has been tremendous lately, and has really increased over the last few months. We’ve had more requests for tuxedos since this summer than in the past,” she said. 

When asked about the reason for the increase in tuxedo rentals, Rhodes opined, “During COVID, no one could get married in the ceremonies they originally planned. Now that weddings are being rescheduled, many grooms are choosing tuxedos for their wedding because that’s what they had planned in the first place.” 

Rhodes also reported that another area of the tuxedo business that has contributed to its increase is school events that require young boys to wear tuxedos. At GT Rhodes Menswear, rental costs begin at $200, with the final cost dependent on the size and preference of the customer. 

 In addition to the suit-versus-tux decision, another area receiving more attention now is the flower choices for the groom’s boutonniere, which is typically duplicated on groomsmen, and complements the style/color of the bride’s dress. Current trends show modern grooms are choosing to remain true blue in their preferences. 

 At Sherri’s Floral Shoppe (sherrisflowers.com), located in Sebastian, Shop Manager Terry Taylor noted, “The color blue is hugely popular now in wedding flower and boutonniere requests. But since there are few blue flowers in nature, we often recommend using blue thistles or blue delphiniums as complements to roses. This way, we don’t have to spray other flowers blue, which can appear less elegant.” 

 Taylor also suggested that the trend for blue-flower preference will continue, as evidenced by floral orders she already has well into February 2023. 

Photo courtesy of Ties

Photo courtesy of Jack’s Tuxedo

Photo courtesy of Black N Bianco