Ties Or Cravats, Bow Ties & Cummerbunds, Oh My!

When it comes to weddings and wedding wear, much of the focus is on the bride and the bridesmaids. Brides spend months choosing the perfect dress and veil, and grooms are usually left to rent a tuxedo for the big day. While most men don't want to spend a lot of time searching for the perfect tuxedo, the grooms and groomsmen deserve some attention as well. Although the tuxedos are fairly straightforward, there are couple of different options when it comes to neckwear.

You've probably seen the groomsmen who have ties and bowties that match the bridesmaids dresses, and while this is a fun concept, you have to realize that this idea may not translate into real life as well as you would like it to. Keep in mind that depending on the colours of the bridesmaid dresses, you may not want the groomsmen to match them. In addition, depending on the theme and bridesmaid dress colours, this type of pre-planned coordinating can prevent last minute pairing changes because you can't have a bridesmaid with a blue dress walking down the aisle with a groomsman with a yellow tie. Keep in mind that sometimes it is better for the ties to compliment the colour of the dresses as opposed to matching exactly.

Ties are a nice, simple everyday look, and every man looks good in a tie. However, they are not the most popular option for most weddings. Cravats are noticeably dressier, and they are not something most people are accustomed to seeing on a regular basis. If your groomsmen want to add an extra touch of elegance, a cravat does the job. Many men prefer to have the cravats pre-tied, because it is much easier since they don't have to tie them themselves, however, tying a cravat is not much different than tying a regular tie. Since women are the main ones who usually get to dress up for weddings, some men prefer cravats instead of regular ties because if they wear traditional ties on a daily basis, cravats allow them to feel as if they are dressing up for a special occasion.

Another question that arises when it comes to men's wedding fashion is if they should wear ties or cravats or if they should spruce up their look with bow ties and cummerbunds. While cravats add an elegant touch to any wedding day look, bow ties and cummerbunds are traditional wedding garb. If the groomsmen are not accustomed to tying bow ties, it may be a good idea to look into pre-tied bow ties. The last thing any bride wants is a wedding party that looks sloppy and unkempt. While many people get cummerbunds that match their bow ties, it is entirely acceptable to have cummerbunds that compliment the colours of the bridesmaid dresses. Cummerbunds can be found in a variety of colours and patterns that will spruce up any traditional tuxedo.

Remember that all of the men in the wedding party should wear the same type of neckwear, so it is not a good idea to have half of the groomsmen wearing cravats while the other half are wearing bow ties and cummerbunds.