A lot goes into planning a wedding, and every bride–groom duo wants to look perfect. As the groom, you must evaluate your options for suits and accessories, such as ties and vests. While many grooms wear a vest with a modern tux, you don’t have to follow this trend if you don’t want to. If you’re unsure whether to wear a vest with your tux, read on for help on how to decide. Consider Your Style Fashion preferences should always be one of the first things you consider since they can directly impact comfort and confidence on your big day. Whether or not you wear a vest is a personal choice that depends on various factors, such as suit type, formality, and preferred accessories. Traditional Tux vs. Suit Before deciding on a vest, you’ll need to determine if you’ll wear a traditional tuxedo or a modern suit. The classic tux is all black with a white button-down shirt worn under it. Moreover, a classic tux only includes dress pants, a button-down dress shirt, and a jacket. Since you wear the coat closed, only a bit of the button-down shows through, leaving little room for a vest. On the other hand, a suit creates a modern look. You wear the vest over your button-down shirt and under the suit jacket to make a similar V-shape over the button-down shirt that you’d achieve with a classic tux. Vest vs. Cummerbund Cummerbunds aren’t as common as they once were, but some grooms still wear them for their weddings. A cummerbund is a fabric sash your wear along your lower waist. Generally, cummerbunds are the same color as the pants to create a high-waisted look, but they can also accent the piece by matching the hue of your tie. Conversely, vests are sleeveless pieces of apparel that go over your entire torso. Like cummerbunds, the color of a vest can match the suit pants and jacket, but it doesn’t have to. Sometimes, couples choose a coordinating color—such as gray vests with silver suits—and other times, the groomsmen’s vests match the bridesmaids’ gowns. No Vest vs. Vest Another question to ask yourself is whether you want to wear anything over the button-up shirt aside from the jacket. A vest isn’t necessary, but it does add a layer of formality. Weddings are major parties; the main couple usually looks the most formal. However, if you prefer a relaxed look for you and your groomsmen, everyone can go vestless. Evaluate Wedding Colors Another way to decide whether to wear a vest with your tux is to evaluate your wedding color scheme. You can pair similar colors of vest and suit jacket to add more dimension to your outfit, which is especially helpful when wearing all-black suits. Likewise, you can add pops of color to tie the wedding party’s apparel in with the wedding theme, especially if all the groomsmen wear white button-down shirts. As you shop for suits, experiment with different vest colors based on the tux you’ll purchase. This makes it easier to decide what pairings look best so you look perfect on the big day. Pro Tip Sometimes the groom’s vest is a different color than those of the groomsmen. The groom may wear gray, blue, or charcoal, while the groomsmen have black vests with their suits. Keep this in mind as you consider color-matching options. Think About the Time of the Year Seasonality also impacts whether a vest is your ideal option. During colder months, a vest will keep you and your groomsmen warmer due to the extra layer of clothing. Moreover, vests come in various materials, and some materials can trap heat to keep you comfortable, such as cotton. Conversely, vests may leave you and the groomsmen a bit too warm during a spring or summer wedding. If you ditch the vest, consider other ways to make your outfit stand out, such as a different-colored tie or even a colored suit. Remember, while wearing a vest is what’s most common when you get married, there’s no hard rule saying you must wear one. What you wear depends on what you find most comfortable. If you’re sweating at the altar, it should only be from that bit of wedding nerves. Tips for Buying Your Wedding Suits As you decide whether you and your groomsmen will wear vests, you’ll also need to prepare for some suit shopping. If you don’t know whether you want vests, browse your options to get a clearer idea of wedding fashions. As you start shopping, strive to be open minded, start shopping early, know your size, and buy quality suits. Following these tips makes it easier for you to decide exactly what you and your groomsmen will wear for the wedding. Be Open Minded While you may initially think you don’t want yourself or the groomsmen in vests, keep an open mind as you shop for suits. Experiment a little to see how your selected tux looks with a vest. You may love the look, especially if it adds dimension to the tux. Similarly, your idea of the ideal tux could change after you select a venue. For example, if you choose a formal setting to tie the knot, you’ll want all the gentlemen in the wedding party to look dapper. Start Shopping Early Never wait until the last second to start suit shopping. Procrastinating makes the process more stressful and makes it harder to get your suit altered if you need a specific fitting. Most wedding experts advise ordering your tux four to six months before your wedding so you have ample time for alterations. Know Your Size Before you go suit shopping, you should at least have an idea of the suit size you wear. Some brands have slightly different sizing, so have your partner or a groomsman measure you before shopping. Jot down your measurements and compare them to sizes for the tux brand you plan to purchase. You can also have a professional measure you at the suit shop. Buy Quality Suits Although a lot of people rent their wedding tux, this isn’t always ideal since you cannot make size customizations. At your wedding, you want to look nothing short of perfect. Purchase suits from a tux retailer to ensure you get the best quality. Shop employees can also help measure you so you buy the right fit. Shop at Grooms Club Grooms Club sells everything a groom needs to ensure he and his groomsmen appear perfect for the wedding. Browse our many products and preassembled suit looks, or customize your own! Ensure you look your best on the big day!