The standard for men's wedding attire is the tuxedo, although for informal weddings the groom and groomsmen could wear business suits. If you choose tuxedos, book them no later than three months before the wedding but start looking for formalwear six months in advance to give you plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the styles. If your wedding is during the prom season, the end of March through June you will want book your tuxedos earlier to ensure availability of the style you want.

Shopping

Look at a variety of wedding publications to get an idea of what your prefer before you even start to look in the stores. This will help you to familiarize yourself with tuxedo with styles and terms.

Your salesperson is a valuable tool during the shopping process. In addition to being knowledgeable about formalwear, he or she should able to provide you with tips to make your choice easier.

Questions to ask the Tuxedo provider

Before you sign a contract with any Tuxedo shop, you should have the answers to the following questions:

• Are they offering any special deals – a free tux for the groom, perhaps -- if you register your party there?

• Are alterations included in price? What about accessories (shoes, vest, cummerbunds, etc.)?

• How will they accommodate you if a last-minute problem should occur?

• Do they have a tailor available for last-minute alterations?

• How do they handle out-of-town attendants?

• What is their pick-up and return policy?

• What are the late or damage fees?

Selecting a tuxedo

Today's formalwear has become more versatile and there are numerous styles, colors and designs to choose from. Here are some hints and tips to help you find the perfect tuxedo:

• Have a certain look and color in mind before going into the tuxedo shop. This will aid in narrowing down your selections

• Your formalwear should compliment the bridesmaids' attire, color scheme, formality and time of day of the wedding.

• Get help from formalwear professionals. If you tell them how formal and when the wedding is, they should be able to help you pick out an appropriate tuxedo for the occasion.

• In addition to style, do not forget comfort. You and the groomsmen will be in your tuxedos for a long time so you should be able to move easily.

• You can use bow ties, vests, and cummerbunds to add color to your formalwear. This is a great way to tie in men’s tuxedos to the wedding’s color scheme.

Something to consider

Set the groom apart from the other men in the wedding party. This can be done in various ways.

Have the groomsmen wear white accessories, while the male attendants wear colored accessories. Another option is to dress the groom in a different color or style tuxedo. For example, the groom can wear a white tuxedo while the groomsmen wear a black one or the groom can wear jacket with tails and everyone else wears dinner jackets.

Fitting your tuxedo

It's a good idea for everyone to try on the formalwear at least two days before the wedding. Arrange for you and your groomsmen to meet at the store for final fittings.

If you buy

Some grooms decide to purchase their tuxedos instead of renting them. This can be a good investment because you can reuse them for other formal events such as other weddings and holiday parties.