So you’re getting married? Congratulations. At a guess, you are looking forward to it with a mix of wild excitement and general foreboding. On the one hand you are about to commit to the one you love and spend the rest of your life with them, on the other you have a big event coming up – there’s lots of stuff to organise and you are going to have to look your best. We sympathise.

The Custom Tailoring Solution

But don’t worry. We can help … well, in terms of ensuring you look your best, at least. At Ashworth & Bird, we are experts at dressing men for their big day. As Surrey’s best custom tailors, we will create a suit that you will be proud to wear. One that fits perfectly and looks great. A suit that shows the world you care and have made the effort.

The pressure to look your best on your wedding day comes from all sides. Your partner is going all out to look fab, you know they are. So many of your friends and family will be there, expecting a show. And then there’s the pictures. They’ll be with you forever.

 Our expert Custom Tailoring Team are here to relieve the pressure. They will guide you through the whole process, from choosing the cloth and the colour to deciding on all the styling details. And, of course, they will take your measurements so we can make a suit that will fit perfectly.

Why choose a three-piece suit?

Our belief is that the best option for a wedding in the 2020s is the three-piece suit. It is incredibly chic and striking. But equally as important, its classic style means it should serve you for many years to come.

In visual terms, the three-piece suit is closest to Morning Dress, which is classic weddingwear. But tail-coat and top hat is not everybody’s cup of tea – perhaps a bit too old fashioned and stuffy? Whereas the three-piece takes a central element, the waistcoat, and puts it into a more contemporary context, especially as you are no longer constrained by a lack of choice in terms of colour or cloth.

But what seals it for us is that the three-piece suit is so flattering, so slimming even. It enhances the bits you want to make the most of and hides the bits you want to hide. Our skilled tailoring team will take at least 15 measurements to ensure that the suit will fit perfectly and so you look your best.

Choosing the right three-piece for you

Of course, not all three-piece suits are the same and you will have a series of decisions to make before you end up with a suit that not only fits perfectly but with a suit you love.

Our tailoring advisor will talk you through all the options. The first choice will be the style of jacket and waistcoat so that they work in harmony. The options boil down to whether you want a single breasted or double-breasted jacket and how many buttons you want.

And then you can decide how you want to style your waistcoat. Again, there are many options but the main considerations should be how high you want it to sit and whether you would like it in the same fabric as the rest of the suit or in a contrast cloth. The latter is a very classic look and is best realised in the paler shades of grey, light blue and cream, or at the other extreme gives the opportunity for a dash of colour and pattern, perhaps in brocade or tartan.

The jacket and waistcoat styling will also dictate the cut of the trousers – though conversely, if you have a yearning for Oxford Bags or something equally as distinctive, tell us before we sort out the jacket.

Within all of this, your choice of cloth is also important. Both in terms of colour and weave, including the weight of the cloth and any pattern you might fancy.

At Ashworth & Bird we have over 500 cloths you can choose from. They range from pure wools to various blends including, wool and linen, wool cashmere and wool mohair. But don’t worry – we don’t expect you to look at all of them. (Unless you really want to!).

Once we understand when and where you are getting married we can suggest the best cloths for the occasion. If, for example, you are getting married on a Caribbean Island or in the height of summer, you will want a lighter weight cloth, perhaps a wool blended with linen and silk. But if you are tying the knot in the middle of winter or in a castle in Scotland then you will want something warmer, maybe a wool cashmere blend or a modern tweed.

As for colour, the main consideration should be the theme and styling of the wedding. What will your partner be wearing? All white? And what about the bridesmaids or attendants? Also have you decided the colour for the flowers? Your wedding suit needs to complement all of this, not fight against it.

There is generally more leeway in the colours you can wear for a wedding, as opposed to work. However, if you hope to gain extra wear from your three-piece suit then we suggest a modicum of restraint. Classic wedding colours include a range of blues from navy to bright as well as mid and light greys. However, paler shades often work well for weddings in hot climates and darker richer tones are often appropriate for winter weddings. We would suggest avoiding charcoal and black – they are a bit funereal.

As for pattern, this is very much personal taste and can quickly date a suit. However, a check or stripe will add a dash of personality, while a more restrained pattern such as a birdseye gives surface interest and visual appeal without being over-powering.

Tips for fitting in with the wedding theme

As mentioned, the groom’s suit should complement the visual theme of the wedding, not fight against it. You may not know what your partner is wearing until the actual day but it would be god to have an idea of colour and style. Really you should look like a couple, not two strangers who happen to have arrived at the venue at the same time. 

In terms of the general wedding theme and colour palette, the groom’s suit should tone with the scheme and not necessarily stick to it religiously – for example, you need a certain style to pull off a lilac suit but the right navy or blue will sit comfortably alongside.

But what often works well is choosing accessories that pick up the colour theme – be that waistcoats or ties. We can have these made as well. It is advisable to bring along swatches of the colour theme to your appointment.

Adding your own style details

The joy of choosing Custom-Made is that you can add details that you just wouldn’t find on most standard, off-the-peg suits. One option is contrast or specialist buttons. Another is pocket detail. But perhaps the most popular choice is finding a lining that helps show your personality, without dominating the look of your outfit. We have a broad selection you can choose from, and we are confident we can find something that is just right for you.

Another way of adding your personality is through your choice of accessories, be that your tie, cufflinks or pocket square. We can help you with all these elements as well as the suit itself. The aim here is to add to the overall look, with the colours complementing each other.

We would also suggest you think about the shoes you are going to wear. The standard would be classic, goodyear welted leather oxfords but there is leeway here too.

Indeed, it is such choices that make or break an outfit. Our advice would be to hold back any desire to go over the top. Remember, in years to come you don’t want to look back at the wedding photos and be wondering why you chose to look like Coco the Clown.

The Groomsmen

It is also a good idea to exert some style pressure on your Best Man, your groomsmen and any other men in your wedding party (your father, your partner’s father). It would be disappointing if they failed to meet the standard you have set.

The easiest option is to invite them to join you at your fitting so that they can also be measured and fitted for a new suit. That way you can have some control over what they wear. It can also be a good laugh – we are happy to stay open late to accommodate you all. And we will even provide a few beers.

The ideal situation would be that they all wore the same style suit, one that complements what you are wearing. Failing that, you could ask that they all wear a certain colour suit and then provide them with matching waistcoats and ties.

It is up to you to decide whether you pay a contribution towards whatever they wear. But it has to be hoped that they will gain many years of good wear from their new outfit, so you would expect them to be making at least some investment themselves.

 In Summary

Getting married is a big deal. It’s an important day in the lives of both you and your partner. Looking your best is a crucial element within that.

At Ashworth & Bird, we are dedicated to ensure that you will look great and feel comfortable.

• We will measure you
• We will help you choose the right cloth and style for your special event
• We will suggest the details that will make all the difference
• We will manage the whole process and ensure your new suit is ready in plenty of time
• And we will look after the rest of the wedding party, if you want

We look forward to seeing you soon.