On your big day, you want your closest friends and family by your side. Life is not as gendered as it once was, so why should you exclude your male friends from standing beside you on your big day?

Traditions are great, but the modern bride tends to have some besties who are not going to want to wear a dress. In 2024 there’s no reason to exclude your male or gender-nonconforming friends from your wedding party just because they don’t feel comfortable wearing a dress.

There are lots of outfit alternatives to choose from that will look beautiful up there next to the bridesmaids’ dresses that the rest of your party will be wearing.

The truth is, it's completely up to you and your male bridesmaid. It depends on their preferences and the relationship that they have with you, your partner, and the other members of your wedding party. While we can’t help you with activity planning, we do have some answers when it comes to picking a killer outfit for your male bridesmaid.

Picking an Outfit for a Male Bridesmaid

When it comes to bridesman outfits, there are a lot of options, so it’s good to have an idea of where you’re heading, aesthetic-wise. Chat with your partner and wedding planner about the look you’ve already established so that you can make sure your male bridesmaid outfit meshes with the overall theme and feel of the day. We find that it’s best to start with you and your partner’s looks, and then to plan your respective parties’ looks around those. Here are some options for a male bridesmaid look that will truly wow your wedding guests:

You have a few choices here:

• A Custom-Made Suit

Let’s say you’ve landed on a gorgeous lavender dress for your bridesmaids. While this color is typical for women’s formalwear, it can be more challenging to find a ready-to-wear suit in this shade. In these situations, you could opt for a custom suit jacket and pants. Custom suits can get expensive, so to avoid having to go down this route, it’s helpful to choose bridesmaid dress colors that are commonly seen in menswear, like navy or indigo blue. If you go with a more common color, your bridesman can use an online rental service…Generation Tux is our top pick.

• A Perfectly Accessorized Look

If you’ve decided to have your bridesman wear a color outside of the bridesmaid palette, we recommend using accessories to tie the party’s look together. If your bridesmaids are in pink and your male bridesmaid is in white, try adding pink socks, a pink pocket square, and pink suspenders to his look. These tiny details go a long way and help create cohesion within your bridal party.

• Groomsmen Suit, Bridesmaid Details

If your wedding includes a team of groomsmen, they’ve likely planned their outfits around the dresses that you’ve chosen for your bridesmaids. This can be helpful for you and your bridesman. You can have your bridesman wear the same outfit that the groomsmen are rocking, and then personalize it by adding some “bridal party details.” For example, if all of your girls are wearing flower crowns, he can rock one too. Or, if the bridesmaids have gold shoes, he can choose shoes in the same color. These details will show that he’s with the bride without creating a distraction by having him stick out in the crowd.

• A Curated Team Look

Another idea? Ditch the dresses altogether and have your bridal party dressed to impress in a fleet of beautifully tailored suits or tuxedos. Suits look elegant on everybody, regardless of their gender, and you’ll look absolutely iconic standing next to them in your wedding dress.

Accessories for Your Male Bridesmaid

When it comes to choosing accessories for a bridesmaid suit or tux, you have endless options. Here are a few of our favorite ways to accessorize a suit to match the women of your wedding:

• Shirts

If your bridesmaids are wearing patterned dresses, a matching shirt on your suit-wearing party member will look fantastic. Just be sure to go with a solid tie or avoid pattern overload! You can also choose a solid shirt that coordinates with the bridesmaid dresses, whether they have patterns or not.

• Pocket Squares

Pocket squares are a classic way to give menswear an extra pop of personality. Pocket Squares are also useful in tying two outfits together. For example, if your girls are all rocking mint gowns, their male counterparts can tuck a perfectly coordinated mint pocket square into their jacket to match.

• Ties

When it comes to matching, a tie is your not-so-secret weapon. Whether you go with something striped or solid, skinny, long, or even a classic bow tie, it’s possible to match a tie to any dress, pair of shoes, or color theme.

• Footwear

When it comes to formalwear, shoes can speak volumes. Footwear is a great way to create cohesion within your bridal party looks. For example, if your bridesmaids are wearing purple slingbacks, their male counterparts could wear purple socks to tie it all together.

• Cufflinks and Tie Bars

If you’re having your bridesmaids wear a special piece of jewelry, give your male bridesmaid cufflinks that match those special pieces. If your bridesmaids are getting pearl bracelets, get your male bridesmaid a pair of pearl cufflinks. This finishing touch will ensure that all of your bridal party members feel special and included and walk away with a memento to remember their special role on your special day.

• Suspenders

Suspenders are like the belt’s fancy older cousin. Suspenders always elevate a look, and like a tie, they can be used to create color cohesion between your male bridesmaid and the rest of your wedding brew. Bridesmaids all wearing yellow? Give your male bridesmaid a pair of yellow suspenders to instantly tie them into the color theme.

How to Choose Complementary Colors for Bridesman

If you’re unsure of how to coordinate your wedding colors, it’s okay. Here are a few suggestions to help get you started.

Matching your wedding party to your overall wedding color scheme is pretty important…and this is where swatches come into play. No two navy blues were made alike. Different fabrics look very different in the light of day than in the dark of night, and that’s why at Generation Tux, we send you color swatches (for free!) so that you can plan your outfits with confidence.

No more ordering a black suit and then freaking out when it looks like royal blue in the 12 pm Sun. Swatches are also ideal because they let you get up close and personal with our fabrics, ensuring that you select a suit that is going to make you feel as good as you look.

Of course, color coordination doesn’t necessarily mean relying on just one particular hue. Plenty of weddings feature a range of colors in their final palate. If your bridesmaids are in eggplant purple dresses, your male bridesmaid still has some flexibility. He can wear purple accessories, choosing from the whole purple family and not just the eggplant clan.

Maybe your bridesman will choose to wear a plum tie or lilac socks. The choice ultimately depends on his personal tastes, style, and the suit he will be wearing.

Your Big Day, Your Way

No matter what outfit you and your male bridesmaid choose, what’s important is that everybody feels comfortable and happy. Listen to each other’s needs and wants, speak up when you have a question or idea, and always reach out to experts when you need help planning your special day.

At Generation Tux, we’re the experts you need, and we’re here to make your wedding day formalwear rentals easy, convenient, and stress-free. Hop over to our site, where you can read up on the latest wedding trends, and then use those ideas to create your own one-of-a-kind menswear look.

We deliver all of our formal wear rentals right to your door 14 days before your big day— plus, grooms also get the added benefit of a free Home Try-On program. This perk gives our grooms 48-hours to test drive their look before committing to the suit or tuxedo, well in advance of their actual formalwear arriving.

Are you shopping for your whole wedding crew? After seven paid rentals, the groom gets to keep his suit or tuxedo rental forever. With over 20 merino wool suits and tuxedos and hundreds of accessories to choose from, you’ll be sure to find the perfect ensemble.