Knowing is half the battle. As you get closer to picking your wedding day look, it’s time to decide between a cummerbund or vest. The choice is yours— what’ll it be?

The big day is getting closer, and you’ve almost nailed down your wedding look. After you have selected your tuxedo, the next step is decid­ing between a cum­mer­bund or a vest. While each garment is great in its own right, know­ing the best times to wear each can some­times be a lit­tle tricky. No need to stress. We’ve got you covered. With years of experience and hundreds of weddings under our belts, we are wedding attire pros. When it comes to the intricacies of tuxedo vest vs cummerbund, we have all of the information you need to help you make the right decision.

Cummerbund vs Vest: Deciphering Two Iconic Wedding Looks

Look. We’re not going to tell you whether to wear a cummerbund or vest. It’s your big day and that choice should live with you. The choice between these two accessories is a tough one since they are both great options and both create a debonair wedding-day look and feel. While we can’t tell you which one to choose, we CAN tell you that you have to pick one; that is, if you will be wearing a tuxedo. After all, it’s your wedding day, and you deserve all the bells and whis­tles.

Let’s break down the differences of cummerbund vs vest.

Vests

Vest fans often cite versatility as a major selling point. We can’t debate that; despite the name “tuxedo vest,” this is a garment that can be worn with a tuxedo or a suit. A three-piece suit looks fantastic with a vest— that’s something a cummerbund shouldn’t be worn with. Vests also tend to work better with long ties than cummerbunds do.

Vests are a great way to bring some personality to a suit or tuxedo. Lots of men choose to pair their suit with a vest that is a different color or shade than the rest of their suit or tuxedo, creating an eye-catching, bold look. There are so many options for giv­ing your suit an upgrade, and vests are a great way to start that process.

Your body type is another deciding factor when it comes to choosing between a cummerbund or vest. Larger men tend to find a vest more flattering than a cummerbund, but this is far from a hard and fast rule.

Cummerbunds

One of our favorite things about cummerbunds is that they look simply dashing when paired with a nice bowtie. This classic, elegant pairing will give you an air of sophistication that will really enhance your wedding day. While you do have the option of wearing a long tie with a cummerbund, a bowtie will always be our top pick for a tuxedo.

PSA: if you’re wear­ing a cum­mer­bund, the pleats go up. It may seem strange, but that’s how these garments were tra­di­tion­al­ly worn, as they were originally designed to catch crumbs during mealtime. If you’re feel­ing ultra-classy, you can use your stylish cummerbund to store your opera or gala auction tick­ets. That’s stylish AND practical — you can’t go wrong.