How to Choose Between a Suit and Tuxedo for Your Wedding

Deciding whether to wear a suit or a tuxedo on the wedding day is a big decision for most grooms (or any marrier who prefers this attire!), who need to take into account everything from the wedding aesthetic to their own personal style sense.

Whether he dons an elegant white-tie tuxedo or a casual suit, the groom's attire plays into the dress code for the rest of the event. Not sure what suits your wedding best? Here's how to decide whether a suit or a tux is right for your groom—and your wedding.

What Makes a Suit and Tuxedo Different?

Before you can decide between a suit and tuxedo, it's important to understand the differences in construction and style. "With some exceptions, tuxedos are set apart by luxurious design details, including (usually) silk satin lapels and buttons on the jacket, and a silk satin stripe on the leg and waistband of the tux pants," says Jerod Walburn of The Black Tux. "Suits feature one consistent fabric on both the jacket and pants, lapels and all."

They also come in different colors and call for different types of accessories.

The Accessories

Suits and tuxedos are associated with similar—but not identical—accessories. "While suits usually include belt loops on the pants, tuxedo pants will often have minimal waist adjusters—they're designed to be as simple and streamlined as possible," says Walburn.

Tuxedos are traditionally worn with a cummerbund and bow tie, although you can swap the bow tie for a black necktie for a slightly less formal look. "The only way to make a tuxedo look casual would be by wearing tuxedo sneakers, which has been a big trend originally spotted on the red carpet," says Jackie Avrumson, a bridal stylist.

While suits are typically more casual, you can upgrade the look by adding a vest, swapping a neck tie for a bow tie, or choosing a dark, solid color paired with a white shirt. "The personalization of a suit is seemingly endless, but that can be its own problem, with too many choices and a lot of room for miscalculations," says Walburn. "When you do spice up your suit, limit those aspects to just one or two interesting things: shoes, neckwear, and pocket squares are favorites for personalization. And if your suit has a bold pattern of color to start with, keep the rest of your look simple."

What to Consider When Choosing Between a Tuxedo or Suit

Color

While tuxedos are known for putting the black in a black-tie dress code, a style-conscious groom can find ways to add color to classic formalwear. "Colorful [tuxedo] options are becoming more and more mainstream," says Walburn, pointing out that his company offers subtle dark blue alongside emerald and rose. "We think it's absolutely fair to request a formal, tux-level dress code, and as the groom, wear a bold, colorful tux to stand out," he says. "It's your day, go ahead and break the rules."

A groom with a more subtle sense of style can also opt for prints and patterns on a tuxedo jacket paired with traditional pants. "You can personalize the inner lining of your jacket, if it's custom-made, and choose a fun print or color for the jacket itself, even if you are still wearing a black pant," says Avrumson.

Event Aesthetic

If you're planning to have a black-tie wedding, a tuxedo is a must for your groom. It's the most polished option, and you'll want your groom to set the standard. Traditional etiquette required a tuxedo for evening events and barred from daytime affairs, but many of these rules have loosened and evolved, giving the couple flexibility.

However, you should still consider your venue and overall wedding aesthetic when choosing the men's attire. "A barn wedding versus a hotel wedding will lend itself to a different style, and therefore will set the tone of the formality of the wedding," says Avrumson. "However this really comes down to the preference of the couple. If you are looking to elevate your wedding, regardless of the time of day, you could." 

The Bride's Wedding Dress

While the bride and groom don't need to match, you should make sure you're dressed at equal levels of formality. "If the bride is wearing a Swarovski-encrusted ball gown, she may nudge her groom to wear a tuxedo," says Avrumson. "If the bride is wearing a flowy chiffon dress, she will let her groom know that he can wear a suit. Communication will be key in this decision-making process!"

The Cost

Your budget doesn't necessarily determine whether a suit or tuxedo is the only choice; a variety of other factors, including whether you rent or buy, the fabrics and detailing you choose, and custom fittings all influence the bottom line. "Tuxedos tend to be slightly more expensive because of the unique accent fabrics used in the design," says Walburn. "Otherwise, the only reason a tuxedo would be a lot more expensive than a suit is if that tux was made to a higher quality standard, with better craftsmanship."

If you're looking to make a long-term investment, then choose the type of formalwear you're most likely to wear again. "A classic black tuxedo with a neutral, modern fit is always a good investment, because it's so universal and timeless," says Walburn. "Same goes for a slightly more casual navy suit, and that suit is probably more broadly useful. In both cases, you could wear this for years and years without it looking dated."

The Groomsmen's Attire

The groom and groomsmen aren't required to wear the same type of outfit, although you should make sure they complement (or contrast with) each other intentionally. All the outfits should also stay within your chosen dress code; if you're hosting a black-tie wedding, the groomsmen shouldn't anticipate wearing suits. "If the wedding is not black tie, then most guests will be wearing a suit and that could include the groomsmen," says Avrumson. "For the groom to stand out though, he may opt for the tuxedo to feel elevated on his day."

Walburn recommends making sure that the menswear looks coordinate, whether by formality or color. "You wouldn't be 'doing it wrong' to put the groomsmen in casual, colorful suits and pick a formal black tux for the groom, but the groom might not want to be the only person at the wedding wearing a tux," he says. "That said, there are ways to help the groom stand out: adding or ditching a vest, [choosing] a tie color that's different from the groomsmen ties, or a different suit or tux color entirely."

His Personal Style

When it comes down to making the final call, personal preference will likely play a big part in your groom's decision. "If suits and tuxedos were pizzas, the tux is a classic cheese pie, and the suit is more of a build-your-own situation," says Walburn. "The whole point of the tuxedo is uniformity, but there are still subtle ways to make it yours—neckwear, a pocket square with a unique pattern, cuff links, shirt and shoe selection."

If the classic parameters of a tuxedo feel too restrictive, a suit may offer more opportunities for adding color and personality with less formality. "If you are looking to make your tuxedo casual all around, you are better off opting for the suit," says Avrumson.

The deciding factor should be the groom's personality and comfort, says Walburn. "It's so important to feel comfortable on your wedding day," he says. "When you can truly focus on your partner, your family, your toast—whatever's important to you—that's how you know you wore the perfect thing for your wedding."