Your costume according to etiquette
06/08/2025 09:00 | Etiquette
You already chose a party venue, menu, flowers, and printed materials all in the theme of your wedding. But the groom's look can also fit within your bigger picture. Will you go for a dinner jacket or jacquet, or do you prefer a tailored suit? Read here what etiquette dictates about your wedding suit.
Photo (top, from left to right): Costume: Villa Verdi - Photographer: Studio LW / Costume: Michael & Giso - Photographer: Jeroen Noordzij / Photo & Costume: Van Den Bril | Your Suit
The dinner jacket
A dinner jacket is a classic all-black wedding suit that can consist of either two (trousers and jacket) or three (additional waistcoat) parts. You can recognise a dinner jacket by the shiny band (or piping) on the side of the trousers and the silk front panels of the jacket. For this costume, etiquette traditionally specifies a white shirt, the buttons of which are not visible. The jacket normally has only one button and is usually worn loose so that the trousers are visible. According to the dress code black tie , a black bow tie completes the overall look of the dinner jacket.
The tailcoat
The counterpart to the dinner jacket is the jacquet, a suit you wear exclusively during the day. This is why this look is often described as tenue de ville. The tailcoat can be recognised by its (usually black or grey) coat with a long slit to the knees and buttons on the lower back. In the past, the jacquet was often combined with a hat, black shoes, grey-blue trousers with a fine line, waistcoat, tie and gloves. Tradition dictates that when the groom opts for tenue de ville , the men of the suite also follow this outfit.
The bespoke suit
Unlike the dinner jacket and the tailcoat, whose look has largely become fixed according to tradition, you can fully personalise a bespoke suit. A tailor-made suit allows men to put together their outfit completely from scratch themselves. That is why more and more grooms opt for their own tailor-made design that is finished to their taste, down to the smallest details. Colour, fabric, lining ... you make every decision yourself. This makes the tailor-made suit sensitive to trends such as specific colour palettes and patterns.
The uniform
Men who are part of official services such as the army, navy or police are allowed to marry in uniform. It is best to ask your commander or chief for permission in advance. To enhance the effect of your look , you can ask colleagues from your department to form a guard of honour together when coming out after the civil wedding or after the church service.
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