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The groomsmen attire checklist
Everything your groomsmen need, from the suit to the socks, and when to get each piece, so nobody shows up in brown shoes.
Decide two things first: buying or renting, and who pays. Then give every groomsman the same list below, with links and an order-by date. Buy suits three to four months out, or set up a rental group two to three months out, and have everyone try on the whole outfit, shoes included, a week before.
The checklist
The outfit
- Suit or tuxedo, jacket and pants.
- Dress shirt. The collar should close without pinching, and the cuffs should show just a little past the jacket sleeve.
- Tie or bow tie, in the agreed color.
- Vest, if it's part of the look.
- Belt or suspenders, never both. Tuxedo pants often have no belt loops, so suspenders it is.
- Dress shoes, in one agreed color, polished.
- Dress socks, in one agreed color. Matching socks are a fun, cheap way to tie the group together.
The details
- Pocket square, folded the same way for everyone.
- Cufflinks or shirt studs, if the shirts need them.
- Tie bar, optional, in the same metal as the cufflinks.
- Boutonniere. Usually from your florist on the morning of the wedding, pinned on the left lapel.
- Undershirt, a v-neck or one close to skin tone, so it doesn't show through or peek out at the collar.
- Collar stays, so the collar stays crisp in photos.
Pick one metal. Gold or silver for cufflinks, tie bars and watches, and tell the bridesmaids too. It's a small detail that makes the whole group look planned.
Buying or renting
Renting is simpler and often cheaper. One rental usually covers the whole outfit: jacket, pants, shirt, vest, tie or bow tie, shoes, socks, suspenders and a pocket square, and it all goes back after the wedding. A full rental often runs about $200 to $300 per person, plus a small damage fee. Reserve about two to three months ahead.
Buying means a suit your groomsmen can wear again, and a better fit, because it can be tailored. Order three to four months ahead to leave time for shipping and a tailor.
How a rental group works
At a store like Men's Wearhouse or Jos. A. Bank, the couple sets up a wedding group and gets a group number. Every groomsman uses that number to join, so the outfits match and the store keeps them together.
- Share the group number with every groomsman, along with the group name, which is usually your last names.
- Each groomsman joins and gets measured, in any store or online, and gets his own reservation number.
- Pick up a few days before the wedding, and try everything on before leaving the store.
- Return the day after the wedding, or by the date on the receipt.
The groom, the fathers or the ring bearer can wear something different and still be in the same group. Online rental companies like The Black Tux and Generation Tux work a little differently: they invite each groomsman by email or text, and the outfit arrives by mail with a return label.
Write the group number down once. It's on your group summary and on every receipt, next to "Group#". Put it somewhere your groomsmen will find it again, not in a text that scrolls away.
Who pays for what
There's no fixed rule. Most often, groomsmen pay for their own suit or rental, and the couple covers the extras that make the group match, like ties, socks or cufflinks, sometimes as a thank-you gift. If you're asking for something they won't wear again, it's kind to cover more of it.
Whatever you decide, say it early and plainly, along with the expected cost. Some shops also give a discount when the whole group orders together.
The timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 4 to 6 months | Choose the style and colors, after the bridesmaid dresses if the colors should match. Decide buying or renting, and who pays. |
| 3 to 4 months | If buying: everyone gets measured and orders. |
| 2 to 3 months | If renting: set up the rental group, then everyone joins with the group number and gets measured. Order the extras: ties, socks, cufflinks, pocket squares. |
| 1 month | Check that everyone has ordered or reserved. Order a backup tie and a spare pair of socks. |
| 2 to 3 weeks | Tailoring and final fittings. Rentals that ship arrive now, with time to swap a size. |
| 1 week | Everyone tries on the whole outfit, shoes and shirt included, and says something now if anything is wrong. |
| 2 to 3 days before | Pick up store rentals and try everything on before leaving the store. |
| The day before | Hang every suit somewhere it won't get creased. |
| The day after | Return the rentals, or send them back with the return label. |
Groomsmen who live far away
A groomsman in another city doesn't need to come in to be measured. Most rental companies let people measure at home or at a local partner store, and any tailor can take measurements for a purchased suit. Give long-distance groomsmen the same deadline as everyone else, plus a week, because shipping takes longer.
Matching the bridesmaids
If the ties, vests or pocket squares should match the bridesmaid dresses, choose them after the dresses are ordered. Colors look different on every screen, so ask the dress shop for a fabric swatch and match to that. Coordinate rather than copy: a tie a shade deeper than the dresses usually looks better in photos than an exact match.
Give everyone the same list
The most common day-of surprise is one groomsman in the wrong shoes or a different tie. It almost always comes from a detail that was mentioned once, in a group chat, months ago. Give every groomsman the full list, with links, colors and an order-by date, somewhere they can find it again.