Summer Wedding Season is Coming! Tuxedo Ideas and Tips for Destination and Beach Weddings

There are lots of places that a wedding and a reception can take place - from a country club, to a hotel, to a backyard, a home, or even on the beach. However, where the event takes place does not dictate whether the event will be formal, casual, or somewhere in between.  Just because you are having a wedding reception at an upscale hotel does not automatically mean that it has to be black (or white) tie, and similarly, getting married on a beach doesn't mean you can't have a formal wedding.

Rather, the bride and groom should decide how they want the wedding to look, so they can have an event that they are happy with.  This post provides some ideas for a beach or destination wedding that is formal - but sometimes with a twist.

A solid semi-formal beach look is a beige or khaki tuxedo suit. As you can see from the picture above, you can pair it with a long tie if you want to keep things a little less formal.  And, as long as you're going for the beach vibe, forget about shoes and wear a pair of sandals. 

For a more formal look, wear a vest and bowtie - but keep the colors breezy. A matching pocket square can bring together the whole look. If you want to take the beach theme even further, wear a pair of themed cufflinks - nautical perhaps? Trust us, people will notice.

You can go all the way with the "casual" theme - skip the tie and roll up your pant legs.  You'll look cool, casual, and absolutely appropriate. Notice how in this picture the coat is paired with a ivory vest - this will ensure that even though you want to look casual, you're still giving a nod to the fact that you're the groom.

Another option for beach weddings is a white tuxedo.  Here are two options:

 

This pinstriped tuxedo has a modern touch, and paired with a dark tie and pocket square, is a great look. You could wear this tux with a white tie, but the look would be a little too formal for a beach wedding.

 

An all-white look is clean and fresh.  By adding just a touch of color, the look remains youthful.

A gray tuxedo can set a formal mood but also keeps things light enough for a daytime wedding. This can be paired with any number of color combinations for the vest and tie. The look is very elegant and upscale while reflecting the fact that the wedding is outside or during the day.

Another option is to wear a blue tuxedo suit jacket with a formal vest - it's an unexpected look but every bit as appropriate. This look works especially well is you are going for a formal look without being too uptight or traditional.

Here are some additional tips for your beach wedding:

• Generally, we'd prefer that you not wear sunglasses.  We understand that you're out on the beach and the sun gets in your eyes - BUT - it's just one day, you'll live. Plus, everyone wants to see you looking into your to-be-wife's eyes.
• Wear sunscreen if you're going to be out in the sun for a while. 
• If you have longer hair and are getting married on the beach itself, there's a very good chance that the wind will wreak havoc on your hair if you don't use a little hair product to keep your hair in place. While the windblown look may be in style, you don't want to have to keep moving the hair out of your eyes while reciting your vows.

All tuxedos seen here are available at Metropolitan Formalwear at SEARS Fair Oaks Mall, a Jim's Formal Wear retailer.