How to Dress for a Holiday Wedding

The holidays are such a festive time of the year, with plenty of parties and celebrations. So it’s not surprising that a growing number of couples are choosing to say “I do” during the months between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve - the most wonderful time of the year! And whether you’re getting hitched, in the wedding party, or are simply a guest, Generation Tux has the perfect look for you.

Holiday Wedding Trends

When it comes to color, white is always popular for winter weddings. Pair it with some gold and silver accents to add a touch of stylish luxury to a Christmas themed wedding. If you want to go a bit bolder, jewel tones work perfectly for the season. Burgundy, navy blue and emerald green are perfect for creating an opulent feel. Incorporate them into your wedding attire, centerpieces and other details.

Fabric can play a big part in a wedding’s attire and décor. Velvet has become increasingly popular with couples and there are so many ways to incorporate it into your big day, especially for a Christmas wedding! The wedding party can use velvet shawls, clutches, ties, or boutonnieres. The fabric can also be used throughout the event space, including the table linens, chairs, pillows, and more.

Lighting can really make or break an event. For a Christmas themed winter event, create a warm and inviting space through the use of white lights and candlelight. And while it’s fine to incorporate the holidays into your wedding, you don’t want to go overboard. Instead, find subtle or unexpected ways to bring in décor that still works with your personal style. Ty Wilson, co-founder of CustomMade, an online custom jeweler, suggests using vintage ornaments as part of the centerpieces, hanging wreaths from the ceiling instead of the walls, putting up a neon sign, and incorporating some holiday favorites into your menu, like gingerbread cookies or a hot chocolate bar.

What to Wear

Choosing an ensemble for holiday weddings or a holiday party will depend on the dress code of the event.

Black Tie or Formal Dress Code

Black tie or formal affairs call for a holiday tuxedo, and Generation Tux has a variety of options to fit your personal style and preference. You might want to start with figuring out the kind of lapel you want to wear for your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve inspired look. There are three options to choose from:

A shawl lapel is a formal lapel style with a continuous round edge. Generation Tux offers the Black Shawl Lapel Tuxedo and our White Dinner Jacket, both are great options for a New Year's Eve event.

A peak lapel is another formal style of lapel where the tip of the lapel points upward creating an elongated look. Our two tuxes with this style are the Black Peak Lapel Tuxedo and the Midnight Blue Peak Lapel Tuxedo, these looks are great for a Christmas wedding!

The notch lapel is a classic style and an excellent choice for any holiday event, but especially fitting for a Thanksgiving themed wedding or event.

Luckily, you can now get more creative with black tie in terms of colors, so if you want to think beyond basic black, we have you covered. Gray is the new neutral, so take a close look at our Charcoal Gray Notch Lapel Tuxedo, which would be perfect for an evening event. For a daytime wedding, we have our Light Gray Notch Lapel Tuxedo.

If you really want to stand out from the pack, a blue tuxedo is the way to go. Our Midnight Blue Peak Lapel Tuxedo and Mystic Blue Tuxedo pair contemporary color with traditional style.

And of course, if you’re the groom getting married at a winter wedding, you might want to stand out from the pack entirely. With that in mind, our White Dinner Jacket could be the perfect choice around Christmas time, paired with black flat front pants.

Semi-Formal Dress Code

While the formality is lower, you should still wear something sophisticated. A suit and tie work best for a semi-formal event, but don’t forget to take the time of day into consideration. An evening wedding requires a dark suit, while a daytime wedding has a little more flexibility and allows you to choose something a little lighter in color.

Cocktail or Festive

Christmas time is also a great time to have fun with a cocktail or festive dress code. While both give guests more freedom when it comes to choosing what to wear, unless the couple informs you it’s a more casual affair, you should wear a suit with a tie. You can, however, step out-of-the-box with your colors and accessories. In fact, men are experimenting with prints, different textures, and color.

Guys are going beyond the classic black or gray suit and opting for bolder suit colors and accessories. Choose from beautiful blue options like the Postman Blue Notch Lapel Suit, the Slate Blue Notch Lapel Suit, and the Indigo Blue Notch Lapel Suit.

And don’t count out brown, which is becoming an increasingly popular color in the fashion world—especially for people that want to go beyond basic black without going over the top. Our Allure Dark Brown Suit is perfect for a Thanksgiving event because it can be paired with accessories in autumn hues.

No matter which color or style you choose, making sure your tuxedo or suit fits you perfectly is the most important part in looking and feeling your best for a Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, or holiday event.

Accessorize with style

All of the above looks call for a tie, but whether you opt for a bowtie or necktie is up to you. This is the perfect way to incorporate some color into your ensemble, whether it’s the wedding colors or just to show off your own personal style. Don’t be afraid to get a bit adventurous by choosing a bold color or even a fun print, including striped, zig zag, paisley or plaid for your Christmas ensemble.

If you’re not sure which color will work best—or you need to match your accessory colors with bridesmaids’ dresses—simply request some of our free color swatches, which will be delivered right to your home.

You can also customize your look with a pocket square, lapel pin (if you’re not donning a boutonniere), or a coordinating pair of socks. While cufflinks are usually worn for formal events, rules are more flexible with semi formal attire, so do whatever makes you comfortable. Luckily, we offer both gold and silver designs.

And you already know, shoes can make or break an outfit. Unless the couple specifically requests otherwise, you should wear a nice pair of dress shoes to a holiday wedding. Don’t have your own pair? No problem—you can rent them with Generation Tux!

Once you’re ready to start shopping, browse through our selection of suits, shirts, ties and other accessories for a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve holiday ensemble that will have you looking and feeling your best.