Minimalist Modern Weddings: A Pared-Back Tuxedo

A minimalist wedding needs a pared-back tuxedo: a single-button jacket, slim lapels, a fly-front shirt and almost no extra accessories. Less does not mean careless. When decoration is stripped away, what remains is cut, cloth and the accuracy of the stitching, so every small error shows. A minimalist tuxedo done right often asks for more craft than one loaded with detail.

One button, slim lapels

The single-button jacket gives a clean closure, a deep V and a longer-looking torso. A slim lapel, around the width of a thumb or a little more, suits a modern cut and avoids heaviness. The lapel can be notch or a small shawl, faced in matte satin or in the body cloth itself to reduce contrast. For choosing lapel width against the shoulder, see the slim-lapel minimalist tuxedo.

Models that come closest: the black peak-lapel tuxedo in a stripped-back line and the black single-button shawl-lapel tuxedo. Both show that one button is enough to give a jacket firm shape.

A fly-front shirt

A fly-front shirt hides the buttons behind a strip of cloth, so the front is completely flat with no buttons or pleats to catch the eye. It is the detail that shows the "less but clean" idea most clearly, especially under photographers' lights. The collar can be a gentle stand collar or an ordinary turndown with a slim bow tie, or you can skip the tie and fasten the collar neatly. More on this shirt in fly-front shirts and concealed buttons.

One note: with a minimalist look, the shoes should be simple black polished leather and the socks plain black. A clean black oxford suits better than velvet slippers or a decorated loafer.

No cummerbund, or a same-colour waistcoat

The cummerbund is traditional but takes up a band of attention at the waist. For a minimalist look you have two routes. Drop it altogether and let the fly-front shirt run straight into trousers with a moderately high rise. Or wear a waistcoat in the same cloth and colour as the jacket, with a low V, so the whole suit reads as one block. A waistcoat in a different colour cuts the body in half and works against the idea. To weigh when a waistcoat beats a cummerbund, read party waistcoats and suit waistcoats.

Without a cummerbund, the waistband must be cut precisely so that no gap shows between shirt and trousers when the jacket opens. That is the tailor's job, and worth raising at your fittings.

Colour: black, charcoal, midnight

Minimalism favours quiet colours:

• True black: never wrong, fine anywhere.
• Charcoal: softer than black, good for daytime or bright rooms, like the plain charcoal tuxedo with satin peak lapels.
• Midnight blue: shows an elegant blue in sunlight and a deep black under dim lighting.

Avoid patterns, raised stripes and metallic sheen. If you want depth, let the cloth speak for itself: a fine worsted, a tight weave, or a small birdseye that only appears up close. Ask your consultant to let you handle the cloth to feel its drape and its matte finish.

A small boutonniere

The groom's boutonniere should be small, a single bloom or a sprig, in the same tone as the bouquet. Small spray roses, white chrysanthemums or an olive branch are typical. A large flower breaks the rhythm of a pared-back suit. If you use a pocket square, make it white, folded flat and showing only a short edge, or leave it out so the jacket stays plain. For choices, see boutonnieres and pocket squares.

Balancing restraint and formality

A minimalist wedding is still a formal one. Keep the foundations of the tuxedo: satin or matte-faced lapels, trousers with a slim stripe, leather shoes. Strip all of them and the outfit slides into a black suit. Add too much and it becomes the usual wedding tuxedo. The balance lies where every remaining detail is clear and deliberate.

Suggestions from the Mon Amie workroom

Show your consultant pictures of the venue and the floral palette, and we will propose a cut and cloth that blend into the space. More groom styles are on our wedding tuxedo page; when you are ready, book a fitting at Mon Amie.