THE JOURNAL
What to wear to a ceremony in the colder months.
Why get married in the winter? Well, for starters, there’s the weather. We might be taking the glass-half-empty view here, but instead of crossing your fingers and hoping that some arbitrary Saturday chosen nine months in advance just happens to fall in the middle of a period of glorious sunshine, does it not make better sense to host your nuptials at a time when your expectations of the weather are so low that it’s impossible to be disappointed?
It’s not just pessimists driving the trend for winter weddings, though. There are plenty of other reasons to say “I do” outside of peak season – from knock-down rates on venues to uncluttered social schedules and, let’s face it, the sheer novelty value. A ceremony held in a wintry woodland glade? Roaring fires, mulled wine and shearling throws? How about a Narnia theme? Go on, be adventurous.
Then, of course, there are the clothes. Another downside of planning a wedding in the summer is that it’s often too hot to wear anything more than a lightweight, unlined suit. Why limit yourself to such narrow options? Especially when, come winter, you’re free to choose between heavier wools, experiment with corduroy, tweed and velvet, and even incorporate three-piece suits, overcoats and silk scarves into your look?
With that in mind – plus, of course, the small matter of a couple of weddings of our own to attend in the coming months – the editors at The Daily have put their heads together and come up with three looks that should help you navigate the upcoming winter wedding season in style.
BLACK TIE
There’s something undeniably wintry about black tie, especially when it incorporates a little velvet. This is achieved here by the addition of a waistcoat from Jermyn Street eveningwear specialists Favourbrook. As for the tuxedo itself, that’s made by Canali, a much-respected Italian tailoring house with 84 years of experience. Complete the look with a dress shirt from Hackett, a grosgrain bow tie from Dunhill, and if it looks like it’s going to be a cold one, throw a smart single-breasted Chesterfield overcoat over the top. This one, from Brioni, isn’t actually black, but its midnight-blue shade is so close (and its llama-wool blend so luxuriant), that it still looks very much the part.
THE RURAL WEDDING
Picture a countryside setting just as the frost starts to bite – a farmhouse just before Christmas, wreaths on the door. No dress code as such, other than the unwritten obligation that applies to all wedding guests, which is to show up looking like you made an effort. This blue-tweed blazer from the cult Italian menswear line MP Massimo Piombo should do the trick. Equal parts rustic and refined, it becomes positively elegant when paired with a fine-knit rollneck sweater. Let’s not forget a gesture to the rural location in the form of some Wellington boots from – who else? – Hunter Original, and a smart overcoat from rainwear specialists Mackintosh.
CASUAL CITY WEDDING
A relaxed dress code combined with a cold-weather setting gives you free rein to experiment with rich, wintry fabrics such as velvet corduroy. The family run Spanish outfitter MAN 1924 is a leader in the field of relaxed tailoring, its unstructured suits inhabiting a space somewhere between loungewear and formalwear. This plum corduroy suit is a stellar example. Wear it with a grandad shirt from Massimo Alba and a pair of sturdy Derby shoes from Mr P.