Beach Weddings: What the Groom Should Wear

On the beach, skip the full three-layer tuxedo and choose an ivory dinner jacket without a waistcoat, lighter trousers and shoes that cope with sand. Sun, humidity and salt wind make the suit that is perfect in a ballroom heavy and tiring, and most beach wedding photographs fail not for lack of elegance but because the groom is flushed and damp. Here are the four decisions that matter.

Why a full tuxedo is often too hot

A full tuxedo means a shirt, a waistcoat or cummerbund, a lined jacket and a bow tie: four layers hugging the body. On a beach you add direct sun, damp air and little ventilation. The result is easy to predict: perspiration through the back, a clinging shirt and creases that appear quickly.

That does not mean dressing down. The white dinner jacket was born for warm climates; the modern version just needs the right cloth and fewer layers.

An ivory dinner jacket, no waistcoat

The simplest formula for the beach:

• An ivory dinner jacket in light cloth, half-lined or unlined, with a shawl or peak lapel faced in black satin or grosgrain.
• No waistcoat, no cummerbund if the weather is hot; let the white shirt breathe.
• A black bow tie tied by hand, or, for a more relaxed ceremony, an open collar.
• Black or matching trousers in light cloth, hems without turn-ups so the sand stays out.

Look at TUX-042, an ivory dinner jacket with black lapels, TUX-015, an ivory shawl-lapel tuxedo jacket or TUX-095, ivory two-button with black silk lapels and white trousers. The history and wearing of the dinner jacket are covered in the white tuxedo and white dinner jacket.

Shoes and sand

Thin-soled patent shoes and sand are a poor pairing: sand gets in, soles slide and leather scratches. Three directions:

• Go barefoot for the ceremony on the sand and put shoes on once you reach tiles or boards. Fits an intimate ceremony.
• Soft leather or suede loafers, worn without socks or with thin ones, with a rubber sole, suit the mood of the sea.
• Canvas shoes with a flat sole in white or cream, if the outfit leans relaxed.

Whatever you choose, bring a second pair to change into when the reception moves indoors. A small towel for the feet and a bag for sand are worth packing.

Sea wind and the lapel

Wind flips lapels and blows open fronts, so small details matter more than you would think:

• A shawl lapel is one continuous curve and lies flatter when the jacket is open; a peak lapel needs enough stiffness from the tailor.
• A boutonniere should be pinned firmly, not loosely.
• Button the jacket while standing in the wind, open it when seated.
• The pocket square folded flat and tacked with a few stitches, or omitted altogether if the wind is strong.
• The bow tie: a hand-tied bow has character but shifts easily; a pre-tied bow is steadier.

The ceremony time matters as well. A late-afternoon ceremony is more comfortable than midday and photographs better in golden light.

Salt, damp and care

Salt air and humidity can make cloth feel damp and creases hard to release. Hang the suit somewhere dry and airy as soon as you arrive, carry a breathable garment bag, and never leave the jacket on the sand. If you are also planning an outdoor dinner, read evening dinners outdoors.

Book a fitting at Mon Amie

For a beach wedding tell your consultant the ceremony time, the place and whether the reception moves indoors, so we choose cloth and lining accordingly. Order early before the wedding; making time depends on the style and fitting schedule, and your consultant will confirm it at measurement. See our wedding tuxedo page and book at a Mon Amie showroom.