Three Ways to Dress Your Bridesman, Groomswoman and Entire Wedding Party

At King & Allen, we are seeing wedding rules and traditions change in a variety of ways. This is especially so when it comes to the conventional gendered roles of the wedding party. Gone are the days where the men were on one side and the women on the other. Couples are redefining their wedding parties and we have seen a rise in the groomsman, brideswoman, and other, less-heteronormative roles.

‘Traditionally, weddings have been very prescriptive but the last few years have seen a huge change in the make-up of wedding parties,’ says Jake Allen. ‘At King & Allen, we firmly believe that it’s your special day and you should have whoever you want in your wedding party, no matter their gender. You should take this as an opportunity to have some fun with your wedding planning, especially when it comes to the suits!’

Take a look at our guide, exploring how to dress your entire wedding party and include all of your beloved friends and family members.

As always, we’ll look at the three C’s of suit design…

COLOUR

The colours for the wedding party’s attire can match the bride or groom, perhaps with slightly different touches such as a contrasting waistcoat. For example, the wedding party might all wear light blue three-piece suits and the groom could wear the same but with a dark blue waistcoat. Tailoring Consultant Chloe has “seen wedding parties that wear a waistcoat and trousers in complementary colours.”, she also points out “another popular option is to wear a three-piece inverting the colours of the bride/groom).”

If you have a maid of honour or person of honour in a suit, with the rest of the bridal party in dresses, you could always choose to highlight the wedding colour themes or choose to have an aspect of the bride’s ensemble incorporated into the suit. For example, you could choose to have the colour of your pocket square match the dress.

Again, it’s your wedding and this is really a chance to show off your individual flair, while celebrating the unique personalities of your entire party.

CUT

At King & Allen we offer two different ranges. Our fully-bespoke suits are available in a feminine cut and a more traditionally masculine cut. Alternatively, our made-to-measure range is in a more classically-masculine cut. You can also think about whether you’d prefer a two-piece or a three-piece suit. Our tailoring consultant Chloe has noticed “a lot of grooms will go for a three-piece and their wedding party will then go for a two-piece suit”. There’s also the option of just wearing trousers and a matching waistcoat, like King & Allen client, Charlotte (above), which is a fun, modern and stylish look.

CLOTH

Wedding parties find it easier to choose coordinating cloths, which bring the whole wedding party together. Alternatively you can choose contrasting cloths that work well together, such as a plain weave jacket and trousers, alongside a check or tweed waistcoat. You can then add some unifying elements such as the pocket square, buttonholes, buttons and lining..

The great thing about suits is that they can be worn by your wedding party again. Giving them more say in the unique, individual elements will give them a garment that will last a long time and be a welcome reminder of the day. 

Did you know that King & Allen offer a deal for wedding parties? If you order four suits, then you get a free waistcoat. If you order five or more suits, you get 10% off all of the suits.

If you’d like to discuss how to dress your wedding party, please contact us here, or book an appointment today.