Wedding Party

Dark gray bridesmaid dresses and ivory/champagne wedding dress - what about the groom/groomsmen

I picked dark gray lace bridesmaid dresses and an ivory/champagne lace wedding dress.  

What should the groom/groomsmen wear?  

Can they wear white shirts if my dress is ivory/champagne?  

What about the jackets/vests?  

It's a rustic wedding so we were considering jeans and black boots for the groomsmen but then what color jackets or vests should they wear?

Re: Dark gray bridesmaid dresses and ivory/champagne wedding dress - what about the groom/groomsmen

  • CMGragainCMGragain member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited October 2016
    I picked dark gray lace bridesmaid dresses and an ivory/champagne lace wedding dress.  

    What should the groom/groomsmen wear?  

    Can they wear white shirts if my dress is ivory/champagne?  

    What about the jackets/vests?  

    It's a rustic wedding so we were considering jeans and black boots for the groomsmen but then what color jackets or vests should they wear?
    What is your wedding dress like?  Is it floor length with lots of lace?  Are the bridesmaids' dresses like cocktail dresses?  This is what help determine what the men should wear.  If you are in a formal lace gown, the men will look out of place in jeans.  If you are wearing a sundress, well I suppose you could have them wear jeans, but this isn't standard at a wedding.

    Suits are appropriate at any wedding.  Standard suit colors are charcoal, light grey, navy, black.  The groomsmen are supposed to wear what the groom wears, but not necessarily all the same color.  White shirts are standard, and they will not clash with your dress.  You could choose a color from your flowers for ties.  Vests are not necessary, but they should not be worn without a jacket, at least for the ceremony.  (I know!  People do it, but it is something that needs to just go away.  Ditto suspenders without a jacket.)
    A less formal look would be a sport coat and pants.


    Love this pic how its not just bridesmaids down one side and groosmen on the other



    httpiimgurcomTCCjW0wjpg
  • I have zero issues with men wearing boots, provided they are actually cowboys or do something with farming. If not, it just seems silly.

    Guys can certainly wear white shirts. It won't look weird.

    I have nothing against vests only.

  • A charcoal or navy suit would be nice.  I think white shirts would be best- they look so crisp with a suit.  A big no on the boots for me.
  • My gown was also ivory/champagne with some lace. BM had wisteria dresses with some lace. Sounds like my wedding was more formal than the look you're going for, but DH and GM were all in black tuxes with ivory shirts. (DH had an ivory vest and GM had black so DH would stand out a bit.)
    I had the same concern as you with pairing white shirts with my ivory dress. The ivory shirts looked nice, but white would probably have looked fine too, honestly. Most dresses are not stark white but a lot of bridal parties still wear white shirts and it looks fine.
    I'm also not a fan of jeans and boots at weddings, but I've also never been to a casual wedding. Also not a fan of jeans with jackets. I do think jeans would be too casual next to the lace dresses. Unless your wedding is so casual that you expect your guests to wear jeans I don't think it's appropriate for your bridal party to do so. Suits and ties without vests still look nice without being too formal. Any of the colors CMG mentioned would work.
  • Either charcoal or navy suit. A white shirt will look fine, but you could find a shirt the same colour as your dress for the GM if you wanted. Navy and grey are neutrals, so any shirt, in theory, will match.
  • I picked dark gray lace bridesmaid dresses and an ivory/champagne lace wedding dress.  

    What should the groom/groomsmen wear?  Suits would look very nice, in either charcoal or dark blue, and those are classic suit colors anyways.

    Can they wear white shirts if my dress is ivory/champagne?  I think ivory or champagne would look better.

    What about the jackets/vests?  They should wear whatever comes with the suits.

    It's a rustic wedding so we were considering jeans and black boots for the groomsmen but then what color jackets or vests should they wear?

    You are wearing a lace wedding dress and your BMs are also in lace dresses. . . that's not rustic.  The Groom and GMs should match the formality of what you and your BMs are wearing.

    Does your groom and the GMs even own black cowboy boots?  I know my Husband sure doesn't, and he'd never waste money on cowboy boots for a wedding because he's never wear them ever again.

    I know due to Pinterest "rustic" weddings are popular and rustic has come to mean a formal lace bridal gown, burlap and lace everywhere, and your WP in cowboy boots and formal dresses/dress shirts and suit vests, but I personally dislike that look.

    That's not what "rustic" means or looks like.


    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


  • Your lace dress and the BMs lace dresses do NOT dictate what your groom or the GMs should wear, contrary to popular belief (and basically every comment I have read on this site). Do what feels right to you and him- it's your day, and no one else's!

    If he feels most comfortable in jeans, and he is fine with still looking nice (no holes in the jeans, boots that aren't torn up, nice shirt, vest, and tie) I think it's perfectly fine. The jeans should probably be a dark wash, though.

    White or ivory shirts will be good. The white option may even be better than an ivory just so it doesn't look like it's slightly a shade off in the pictures. Grey vests that are similar to (or several shades lighter or darker than) the BMs dress colors and whatever accent color you are using for the rest of the wedding- make that the color of the tie! Also, black ties would be good with the grey vests.

  • Your lace dress and the BMs lace dresses do NOT dictate what your groom or the GMs should wear, contrary to popular belief (and basically every comment I have read on this site). Do what feels right to you and him- it's your day, and no one else's!

    If he feels most comfortable in jeans, and he is fine with still looking nice (no holes in the jeans, boots that aren't torn up, nice shirt, vest, and tie) I think it's perfectly fine. The jeans should probably be a dark wash, though.

    White or ivory shirts will be good. The white option may even be better than an ivory just so it doesn't look like it's slightly a shade off in the pictures. Grey vests that are similar to (or several shades lighter or darker than) the BMs dress colors and whatever accent color you are using for the rest of the wedding- make that the color of the tie! Also, black ties would be good with the grey vests.

    True "it's your day" (gag), and since the wedding party attire doesn't affect guest comfort you are free to wear whatever you want.  That freedom doesn't protect you from looking silly, though.  And if the ladies of the wedding party are dressed formally and the guys are dressed like they are going to a small-town bar, it is bound to look silly.  I mean, you would be free to wear clown suits if you wanted, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.

    And @thebirdnest2017, why do you stipulate that the jeans have to be free from holes and preferably dark wash?  What if he "feels most comfortable" in acid wash ripped and stained jeans covered in motor oil?

    I'm not an ultra-formal/traditional person, but whenever I see a groom who couldn't even bother to dress up for his own otherwise-formal wedding it gives me a very negative impression of the man.  
  • Your lace dress and the BMs lace dresses do NOT dictate what your groom or the GMs should wear, contrary to popular belief (and basically every comment I have read on this site). Do what feels right to you and him- it's your day, and no one else's!

    If he feels most comfortable in jeans, and he is fine with still looking nice (no holes in the jeans, boots that aren't torn up, nice shirt, vest, and tie) I think it's perfectly fine. The jeans should probably be a dark wash, though.

    White or ivory shirts will be good. The white option may even be better than an ivory just so it doesn't look like it's slightly a shade off in the pictures. Grey vests that are similar to (or several shades lighter or darker than) the BMs dress colors and whatever accent color you are using for the rest of the wedding- make that the color of the tie! Also, black ties would be good with the grey vests.

    Actually they do, unless you want to look like a sartorial hot mess in front of everyone and in all your pictures.  They Bride and BMs and Groom and GMs will end up looking like they are going to two different events.

    Step away from Pinterest and hipster wedding blogs!

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


  • Your lace dress and the BMs lace dresses do NOT dictate what your groom or the GMs should wear, contrary to popular belief (and basically every comment I have read on this site). Do what feels right to you and him- it's your day, and no one else's!  

    In addition to being questionable advice, in general, it's not particularly helpful advice when someone is asking for people's opinions on GM attire.

    "What do you think of X, Y, and Z?"

    "Doesn't matter!"

    ^^^ Not helpful.

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