Buy or Rent?
If you expect to wear your tuxedo often and in the near future you might want to consider buying rather than renting; wearing a personally tailored tux three or four times will make it worth the money. If you do choose to buy, make sure to pick a classic style that won't go out of fashion.Alternately, you can rent your outfit. The rental of tuxedos today is so common that many men's formal wear companies are designed solely for rentals. There are several reasons why renting a tux might be a good idea:
- Tuxedos require time-consuming maintenance and cleaning.
- If you gain or lose weight, your tux will no longer fit.
- Even classic tuxedos will look dated in ten years.
- Most men won't be invited to a large number of black-tie events in their lifetimes.
What to Look For in a Rental
Tuxedo rental shops abound across North Carolina; a partial list to get you started is included at the end of this section. But above all, you want to choose a vendor you feel comfortable with, not someplace where you're hounded by salesmen or ignored.Some other details to keep in mind when picking a tux:
- Visit to the shop at least three months before the wedding.
- Tell the dealer the time of day you're getting married and how formal your wedding is; there are different styles of tuxedos designed for daytime and evening weddings and different levels of formality.
- Make sure to coordinate with bride's colors (tie, cummerbund, kerchief, boutonnière, etc.)
- Make sure you are comfortable and have a range of motion; you're going to be dancing, shaking hands, and hugging.
- Choose a fabric that's appropriate to the weather. If you sweat a lot, bring another shirt to change into.
- Try on your tux a week before the wedding to make sure it still fits.
Accessory Tips:
- You can either rent or buy your own cuff links, but keep in mind that they're easy to lose; don't break the bank.
- Pick comfortable shoes; you don't want to hobble around on your honeymoon.
- Don't forget underwear! You might want to buy a new, fancy pair, or at least something other than the chili pepper boxers.
North Carolina vendors
VIP Formal Wear (Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Greensboro): Specializes in men's formal wear; offers tuxedos for rent. With large local warehouse, can handle last-minute changes.Savvi Formalwear (Raleigh, Durham, Hickory): Tuxedo sales and rental across North Carolina from a nationwide chain. Offers a satisfaction guaranteed offer.
Cape Fear Formalwear (Wilmington, Raleigh, Fayetteville): Family-owned business on the coast that sells new and used tuxedos as well as offering rentals. Also services the movie and TV industry, so if you pick a used tuxedo you might have seen it onscreen!
Gregory Formal Wear (Asheville): Family-owned business with locations in western North and South Carolina; offers tuxedo rentals.
Alternatives to Tuxedos
If your wedding is going to be informal, a tuxedo is not required; a nice suit is fine. Of course, if you really want to hold a Star Wars wedding and dress as Darth Vader, go for it! Just make sure the bride wants it as much as you do and that all your guests and the members of your party are in on your plan.You have special fashion considerations if you're getting married on a North Carolina beach. A tuxedo will probably look out of place among the dunes. A simple blazer is fine for a beach wedding, or even just a dress shirt.