Dressing for Weddings (Man)

A male wedding guest should seek to contribute to the happiness and love being celebrated. His attire should be smart and within the requested boundaries of the host, and if he chooses to be fashionable, it should be limited to his accessories. Remember that you are not there to attract attention to yourself but rather to help frame an important event in the history of two families.

As to what to wear, most wedding invitations clearly state what the dress code will be. Expect it to fall between black tie and business casual, although 95% of the time if you show up in a dark suit, white shirt, and muted tie with proper dress shoes you’ll be perfectly dressed. If the invitation does not cover what guests should wear, there are a number of clues you can pay attention to that will help you figure out the expected attire:

• First, take into account the location; an outdoor wedding in rural Wisconsin is going to be by its very nature less formal than a wedding at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.
• Second, the time of day; day weddings are often less formal than evening ceremonies. In fact, the wearing of a tuxedo before 5PM is considered a faux pas by many traditionalists, although in the US this rule is often ignored.
• Third, examine the invitation itself. If it looks like they’ve spent a fortune on the invites, you might want to spend a little time dressing the part of a considerate guest.

A low key wedding in which the couple specifically asks for guests to dress casual should be heeded, but with caution. One person’s definition of casual is not another’s, and the prepared man carries in his car or travel kit an upscale casual outfit in case he arrives underdressed.

Source: http://artofmanliness.com