Outdoor Summer Wedding Outfit Suggestions

Bawnmore · 31-05-2019 4:23pm #1

We have an outdoor wedding to attend in August in the UK and I'm not quite sure what to wear. It's in a private gardens type location and will be fully outdoors. I've a few 3 piece suits (navy, grey) that I'd typically wear to weddings, but feel it'd be fairly stuffy in a garden setting in a 3 piece suit in the summer. Would separates be worth considering (something like a navy jacket, beige trousers and loafers) or should you always stick to formal wear for weddings?

Twee. · 06-06-2019 10:58am

Separates can be lovely for a wedding, especially when paired with a nice pocket square, good shoes. Are there any other guys going that you could check in with just to be sure it will be formal enough. With the trousers, I'd make sure they're fitted properly like suit trousers. I see a lot of guys wearing chinos hanging off them like they wear jeans.

You could also do a two piece suit but ditch the tie.

baby and crumble · 06-06-2019 11:33am

Honestly I'd definitely recommend looking at a lighter fabric or separates. A garden party wedding is a lot more casual so separates work great - but you need to embrace them being separates, if you know what I mean? A patterned jacket in linen or something lightweight with a pair of trousers looks killer if you ask me, and there's piles of places you can pick up nice ones.

I have a really nice sky blue linen mix blazer (similar to this but lighter) I pair with a white shirt and navy trousers with brown shoes and I get compliments all the time. I'd definitely look at linen or a linen mix as an option, it's so breathable and you stay so comfortable even in the heat.

One thing - if you wear separates you will stick out from most other guys in plain navy or grey suits. So be prepared for that. If you're wearing something like this you'll need to make sure you get it fitting really, really well. Also make sure and pick up a pocket square that compliments but doesn't match your tie - it just sets off a separates outfit really well and makes it look intentional, rather than "oh my suit wasn't clean" or whatever. You know?

Bawnmore · 07-06-2019 9:25am

Twee. wrote: »

Separates can be lovely for a wedding, especially when paired with a nice pocket square, good shoes. Are there any other guys going that you could check in with just to be sure it will be formal enough. With the trousers, I'd make sure they're fitted properly like suit trousers. I see a lot of guys wearing chinos hanging off them like they wear jeans.

You could also do a two piece suit but ditch the tie.

I might check in with a few of the people I know going - good suggestion.

I have a really nice sky blue linen mix blazer (similar to this but lighter) I pair with a white shirt and navy trousers with brown shoes and I get compliments all the time. I'd definitely look at linen or a linen mix as an option, it's so breathable and you stay so comfortable even in the heat.

I like the sound of that - something like this maybe but with a white shirt:

I've a few weeks before the wedding, so I must pop in and try on a few different things and see what works.

One thing - if you wear separates you will stick out from most other guys in plain navy or grey suits. So be prepared for that. If you're wearing something like this you'll need to make sure you get it fitting really, really well. Also make sure and pick up a pocket square that compliments but doesn't match your tie - it just sets off a separates outfit really well and makes it look intentional, rather than "oh my suit wasn't clean" or whatever. You know?

That's a very good point actually that I hadn't considered. I'm not overly fond of sticking out either, so worth consideration!

phantom_lord · 07-06-2019 11:35am

I was at a similar type of wedding recently (in Ireland though, might be different in the UK), and I was expecting it to be a bit less formal and it wasn't at all. Other people didn't really seem to have the same thought about it, just "it's a wedding so navy suit". So definitely worth checking in with other people.

Bawnmore · 07-06-2019 12:15pm

phantom_lord wrote: »

I was at a similar type of wedding recently (in Ireland though, might be different in the UK), and I was expecting it to be a bit less formal and it wasn't at all. Other people didn't really seem to have the same thought about it, just "it's a wedding so navy suit". So definitely worth checking in with other people.

That's a fair point - I know a few people going and I know they'd be 100% traditional 3 piece suit type people so I know the answer I'll get there will definitely lean that way. Maybe that in itself is a good indication that I'd be better off sticking with a navy suit but keep it to 2 piece like Twee suggested above and running with either no tie or maybe a tie with more summery colours.

Twee. · 07-06-2019 12:30pm

There's two sides to it really, you can start the trend! I was at a standard Irish wedding last year, my brother wore a cream/beige linen suit, no tie and it was a hit! But as B&C says, you have to OWN it

....... · 07-06-2019 12:41pm

phantom_lord wrote: »

I was at a similar type of wedding recently (in Ireland though, might be different in the UK), and I was expecting it to be a bit less formal and it wasn't at all. Other people didn't really seem to have the same thought about it, just "it's a wedding so navy suit". So definitely worth checking in with other people.

All the more reason to be unique!

phantom_lord · 07-06-2019 1:23pm

Yeah, it's just a worry that you don't really want to distract or pull attention at someone elses wedding. I was tempted by linen! but I just went for a jacket and trousers rather than a suit, and brighter tie.

baby and crumble · 07-06-2019 6:41pm

The funny thing is in most Irish weddings if there’s a groom he’ll probably be wearing a navy or grey 3 piece suit. So any man wearing similar could get mistaken for him etc. I saw a wedding video of an The wedding of a work acquaintance and it was a sea of navy suits. You had no idea who the groom was.

In fairness too you can get navy and grey suits (if you don’t want to stand out) in lighter fabrics for summer. M&S has an entire linen suit section on their website with all sorts of options. It’s the fabrics that will swelter you in summer in fairness.

eviltimeban · 11-06-2019 9:17am

Outdoor weddings often tend to be less formal so if that's the case you could go with something like this:

Bawnmore · 11-06-2019 10:18am

baby and crumble wrote: »

In fairness too you can get navy and grey suits (if you don’t want to stand out) in lighter fabrics for summer. M&S has an entire linen suit section on their website with all sorts of options. It’s the fabrics that will swelter you in summer in fairness.

I was thinking of that too, but I'd very likely only ever get one wear out of any summer suit I buy, as I could count on one hand the amount of times I've needed a suit over the last few years, let alone a summer suit.

Outdoor weddings often tend to be less formal so if that's the case you could go with something like this:

That's along the lines of what I was thinking originally as whatever about white trousers, I'd probably get use out of a blazer in the future if I was to buy one.

baby and crumble · 11-06-2019 10:32am

if you go with something a bit more informal I'd still bwear a tie to the ceremony. If everyone else is in suits and ties you will look off without one, especially in separates. It's easy enough to take it off and leave it in your pocket or whatever if you reckon it's a casual enough buzz.

Definitely look at getting a blazer in general. I get far more wear day-to-day out of having a couple of different blazers in my wardrobe than anything else. You can get really nice ones on the highstreet for not huge money.

meeeeh · 11-06-2019 11:08am

My advice would be to stay away from white trousers. There is a reason why all promo pictures are taken in Mediterranean. Or at least have light grey/beige/light blue trousers to wear if it's cloudy or rainy. Also white trousers are the extremely impractical, especially if you sit down on some outdoor furniture that's there for a while.

....... · 11-06-2019 12:08pm

meeeeh wrote: »

My advice would be to stay away from white trousers.

Also in case the groom is in white trousers.

Bawnmore · 12-06-2019 9:52am

There's some genuinely well thought out, great advice here - thanks everyone. I'm going to try on some things and see how they feel. I wouldn't really be a white trousers type of guy, but I still definitely like the idea of separates.

I'm also in need a tux in the next week, which presents it's own problems

baby and crumble · 12-06-2019 12:20pm

Bawnmore wrote: »

I'm also in need a tux in the next week, which presents it's own problems

For that I highly recommend Tangos Dress Hire in temple Bar. They're my go-to for guys either renting (they do the best fit possible I've seen for a rental place) or buying (which tbh I'd always recommend). My Dad bought a really fab ex-rental 3-piece tux there, which they adjusted to fit him perfectly. Their prices are really reasonable for their ex-rental stock (which is actually taken from their current rental stuff so in perfect condition) and the team know their stuff. if you're likely to need a tux more than twice more in your life (assuming you stay roughly the same size) buying is a no-brainer.

Or if you want to go high-street, M&S do a pretty decent basic tux.

Oh and make sure you tie your own bowtie. It makes a difference.

phantom_lord · 13-06-2019 5:04pm

baby and crumble wrote: »

if you're likely to need a tux more than twice more in your life (assuming you stay roughly the same size) buying is a no-brainer.

Or if you want to go high-street, M&S do a pretty decent basic tux.

Oh and make sure you tie your own bowtie. It makes a difference.

This is all good advice.

Marcusm · 19-06-2019 8:15pm

Bawnmore wrote: »

We have an outdoor wedding to attend in August in the UK and I'm not quite sure what to wear. It's in a private gardens type location and will be fully outdoors. I've a few 3 piece suits (navy, grey) that I'd typically wear to weddings, but feel it'd be fairly stuffy in a garden setting in a 3 piece suit in the summer. Would separates be worth considering (something like a navy jacket, beige trousers and loafers) or should you always stick to formal wear for weddings?

British wedding therefore morning coat and suitable trousers, waistcoat, shirt & tie. Top hat very optional. Evening wedding then either dinner jacket or, rarely, white tie. Unless it’s a very informal back garden of a suburban home, the Four Weddings & a Funeral is very representative of British wedding attire unless you are told different.

Bawnmore · 20-06-2019 6:22am

Marcusm wrote: »

British wedding therefore morning coat and suitable trousers, waistcoat, shirt & tie. Top hat very optional. Evening wedding then either dinner jacket or, rarely, white tie. Unless it’s a very informal back garden of a suburban home, the Four Weddings & a Funeral is very representative of British wedding attire unless you are told different.

That throws a spanner in the works.

eviltimeban · 20-06-2019 9:31am

Marcusm wrote: »

British wedding therefore morning coat and suitable trousers, waistcoat, shirt & tie. Top hat very optional. Evening wedding then either dinner jacket or, rarely, white tie. Unless it’s a very informal back garden of a suburban home, the Four Weddings & a Funeral is very representative of British wedding attire unless you are told different.

Is that not only if you're in the wedding party? And also cos that's a movie?

I think things have changed somewhat nowadays. See this article: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/how-to-dress-for-a-wedding-men

First point down, "you only need to wear a morning suit if you’ve been instructed to do so. Otherwise you might upstage the groom."

So I think your next step is to see if you can that out.

baby and crumble · 20-06-2019 9:42am

TBH I do think times have changed - maybe in some circles that's the 'norm' but it would very much be a church and upper-middle class and above style wedding. I've never been to a UK wedding where morning dress was standard for everyone. It's usually the same as here for guests, at least in my experience, and in all the wedding outfit guides I've read from English/UK-based publications seem to say the same (eg here, here, and here (yes that last one is from The SUn so hardly a style publication BUT it does give you the insight that morningwear is nowhere on the radar for the majority of English weddings these days)).

It's still an option, but it's 100% the most formal option.

Sir Guy who smiles · 21-06-2019 9:52am

baby and crumble wrote: »

In fairness too you can get navy and grey suits (if you don’t want to stand out) in lighter fabrics for summer. M&S has an entire linen suit section on their website with all sorts of options. It’s the fabrics that will swelter you in summer in fairness.

Not just the fabric but the lining. I have a fully lined beige linen suit for years that I never wore, if it was warm enough to look good it felt too hot to wear. It took me ages to realise that it was the lining that was keeping me hot.

M&S linen suits are fully lined, or used to be.

I have a Suitsupply jacket (not linen) that is only lined in the shoulders and it is super light. Now some of their linen suits are fully lined too, but some aren't.

Outdoor Summer Wedding Outfit Suggestions

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