What Should Fathers Wear at Weddings?
Here at BBespoke we have helped thousands of weddings throughout the years, allowing us to gather a lot of knowledge and experience in all things surrounding the styling of the wedding. One major question we are continuously asked is: “What do dads wear to the wedding?”
We are here to help. There are a few things to keep in mind when deciding what your father will wear for those walking down the aisle and Father of the Bride speech moments:
Keep With the Formality of the Wedding
Keep in mind the formality of your wedding. If you are having a casual affair on the beach or a black-tie wedding this does coordinate with what everyone wears, including the fathers. You do not want your father to upstage the groom in any way.
If the groom is wearing a suit, then the father should wear one as well. If the fathers were to wear tuxedos while the groom is in a suit, then they will look fancier than the rest of the party, drawing attention away from the couple.
If the groom and groomsmen are wearing tuxedos, then it is safe for the fathers to do the same.
Dad Is Not A Groomsman
The father of the bride has a special role in a wedding, but he is not a member of the bridal party and should not dress like one.
Dad’s look needs to stand out — but just a bit. There’s no need for him to wear the same suits as the groomsmen, but his suit should coordinate. This is the case for the groom’s father as well.
It’s kind of like when they do a team challenge on Project Runway. As Nina Garcia always says, the looks don’t need to be matchy-matchy, but they do need to be cohesive.
Here’s what you need to remember:
Dads should dress with the same level of formality as the bridal party.
If you’re having a formal affair, he should wear a black suit, a dark grey suit, or a navy blue suit. If you’re having a laid-back summer wedding on the beach, he can go casual in pants, sandals, and a button-down shirt.
His suit doesn’t need to be the same color as the groomsmen’s suits, but it should be in the same color family. If the bridal party is wearing light-colored suits, dad should too!
Think of the Color Scheme of the Day
Take in the color scheme of the wedding day, you do not want your father in a rouge color that throws off your wedding design.
Keep it Neutral
We typically tell our brides and grooms to keep their fathers more on the neutral side. By using greys, blacks, and navy for their attire. Why do you ask? When the bride is being escorted down the aisle, you do not want anything to bring the eye away from her. If your father is in a pink suit or something bolder, then they tend to draw attention during the big walk-down-the-aisle moment.
Allow For Personal Style to Show
Now we have mentioned a lot about keeping it neutral and not drawing focus away from the bride, but we understand that sometimes dads just have uber cool style! And if they do, then let them show it (within reason of course).
Take in the Moments
Now, this is not a style tip, but more of a personal one from our family to yours…enjoy the moments. Take the time to spend with your fathers on the big day. Couples, remember this is a big day for your fathers as well. They have the responsibility of seeing you join hearts with another, allowing them to still know you are their daughters and sons always.
Finding The Best For Dad
Need father of the bride gift ideas? Check out our ties, accessories, and bags available for purchase and gift Dads with something they can wear after your special day.
We hope we were able to help you today with how to dress the fathers on your special day. And we wish everyone a Happy Father’s Day!