What do groomsmen need on the wedding day? We’ll tell you everything you need to know! Be sure to subscribe now for the latest to your inbox.

Were you asked to be a groomsman and you are wondering what groomsmen need for wedding day or weekend wear?

Or perhaps you’re a bride planning her wedding and you’re wondering, what should I give my groomsmen?

Either way, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll show you exactly what groomsmen should have for the wedding.

These groomsmen essentials are a great guide to inform the groomsmen on what to bring, have, and wear to the wedding; in addition, they make great gift ideas — and the answer to that age-old question of what should I give my groomsmen?

Unique gifts that groomsmen will use are always the best gifts.

This list is also helpful to know what groomsmen should pack for the wedding if it is a long weekend away, or even further for a destination wedding. Your groomsmen will be well-equipped with the attire and “extras” they’ll want and need to have for the wedding day and the days before and after the festivities.

From undershirts to suspenders, dress socks to lapel pins, let’s get down to the basics: here’s exactly what groomsmen need for wedding day festivities.

What groomsmen need is a nice bright white undershirt for the wedding day to wear underneath the suit or tuxedo.

And while he probably has an old trusty shirt lying around, it’s always a great idea to get a fresh bright white shirt for a more formal occasion, like your wedding day. Instead of a pack of bulk white undershirts that always let me down when I shop for Andrew (too thick! too tight! too short! not bright white!), get a comfortable, never-want-to-take-it-off white t-shirt Feel Good™ Tee from Perk. Yup, do it.

What’s so great about a white T-shirt, you ask? Well, this tee is anything but your grandfather’s tee. It’s not made of cotton, it’s made of 100% Peruvian Pima Cotton. That means it’s supremely soft, it fits like a glove, it is non-pilling, and get this: it gets softer over time. A white t-shirt is one thing groomsmen need for the wedding, so you might as well hit it out of the ballpark with this one.

If you’re the couple getting married and you’re buying what groomsmen need, here’s some extra news: you can get 3 for $99 here for a limited time.

In addition to a trusty white t-shirt, groomsmen could also use a nice t-shirt to wear for pre-wedding shenanigans, e.g. getting ready with the groom. On the morning of the wedding while bridesmaids are getting ready, the guys usually head out to a local hot spot in town and play pool, relax at the hotel, go to the beach, grill outdoors, watch a sports game at a local bar, etc. You don’t need to get fancy at any of these locations, but having a nice-cut, soft t-shirt that will pair well with dress pants, jeans, or shorts is another thing that groomsmen need for the wedding weekend. Shop the colors here. I highly recommend the Grey Petrol (Andrew’s fave) or the Arctic Blue as two examples.

See more here.

Shirts? Check. Let’s move on to what goes on top: the suit or the tuxedo.

The most obvious answer to what do groomsmen need for the wedding is… a suit or tuxedo! And while this falls on the responsibility of groomsmen to buy and/or rent, the couple can provide the rentals or suits, if they feel inclined to do so. However, it is customary — and tradition — for groomsmen to buy the suit selected by the engaged couple or rent the tuxedo.

Where to Buy a Suit Online

If you’re looking for places to buy a suit online for weddings, we’ve had very good success with Todd Snyder. Their collection rotates regularly to keep up with what is in season, what is in style, and classic suiting options for all occasions.

If you didn’t think you could buy a groomsmen suit online that REALLY fits, think again: the team at Todd Snyder is awesome at what they do. The quality speaks for itself, and you’ll be wearing your new suit for years to come. This blue suit is a popular choice and is just one example from their collection.

You can see more options here.

Where to Rent a Tuxedo Online

If the groomsmen attire calls for a tuxedo instead, or if everyone is choosing to rent the same suit from the same location, we highly recommend The Blk Tux which works closely with David’s Bridal.

The tuxedo and suit rentals are all well-managed, the styles are on-trend with the seasonal shifts, and the colors are designed to match perfectly with the bridesmaid dresses at David’s Bridal.

• To rent a tuxedo or suit, click here to get started.

They’ll even help you find the perfect fit, give you suggestions on suiting options, answer questions about what groomsmen need for the wedding, and the groom can save money on his rental when the groomsmen all rent together. Honestly, that’s so much win right there.

Informal Groomsmen Attire

If you’re planning a backyard wedding, rustic reception, barn wedding, countryside outdoor party, etc., the groomsmen’s wear may be significantly less formal if selected as such by the couple. If so, a pair of dress pants in a solid color (e.g. grey or khaki) or even a pair of jeans (if this directive is given by the bride) along with a button-down shirt and perhaps a vest or pair of suspenders — paired with a necktie or bow tie — is a pretty informal yet fitting choice for attire.

If, for instance, the bride wants groomsmen to wear suspenders, this would be a great opportunity to provide a pair of suspenders and the tie for each groomsman to wear.

In this way, everyone will look uniform and cohesive, even in a less formal setting.

Leather suspender sets like these by TheBoldBowTie are an instant hit at informal weddings for groomsmen attire.

From the same shop, you can browse all kinds of color combinations of suspenders and pair them with your choice of bow tie for an all-in-one outfit.

They also have kids’ sizes for the ring bearer. Click here to shop!

For an alternate style, these genuine leather suspenders are another option for what groomsmen need for wedding wear in an informal setting. This is another great shop — NickLeatherShop — with high ratings.

You’ll also love these from LondonJaeApparel:

And these personalized suspenders in rich leather from CorsacStore:

Another thing groomsmen need for the wedding day is a necktie or bow tie. If you’re renting a suit, or tuxedo, or buying one, you may still need to get a particular necktie that matches the rest of the wedding party. The couple will select the proper color and may even purchase the ties for the guys as wedding day gifts.

One place to source quality ties available in the latest wedding trends is DAZIusa are exceptionally nice-quality ties and are available in many colors. Love it in dusty blue, shown here:

And your suit tailor or tuxedo rental will also offer neckties or bow ties, which will all coordinate, so that’s another great resource to check out while you’re there, too.

The groomsmen should wear dress shoes with the suit or tuxedo and will need a quality pair to wear all wedding day long. The groomsmen’s shoes should all match in color; they should also complement the suit or tuxedo color you choose.

If groomsmen need to wear brown dress shoes, these are one handsome style that gets high ratings:

And these are a best-selling pair of men’s oxfords that fit in perfectly by Cole Haan:

For black dress shoes, you can’t go wrong with these classics:

Or these best-selling Rockport shoes, another solid pair:

You can shop many styles of men’s oxfords, all appropriate for wedding wear: click here to shop best sellers.

Groomsmen Shoe Tips

If you’re wondering what groomsmen need for the wedding in terms of shoes, here are some helpful tips.

Shoes should be:

• Shiny + clean — the newer, the better!

Shoes will be heavily photographed despite what you may think, so a quality shoe cleaning kit is a necessity here. If you’re wearing a favorite pair of dress shoes, buff ’em up and make sure they’re clean, shiny, and photography-ready before the wedding day.

This shoe kit by Kiwi is a trusted one and works every time:

• So fresh + so clean

Okay, now is not the time to try to hide any kind of shoe odor. If you wear your favorite dress shoes a lot, give them a quick deodorize with these sprays. You’ll thank me later.

• Formal in appearance

The shoes shouldn’t look like they’ve been worn over and over again. Sometimes, you need a new pair; other times, you can shine them up and give ’em another wear.

• Protected in travel

When traveling, keep dress shoes looking their very best by carrying a men’s bag with a shoe compartment, like this by SlowTimeLeatherShop:

What do groomsmen need for the wedding that matches? Dress socks! A simple pair of dress socks is always something he probably already owns, but it’s fun to get matching dress socks for groomsmen to wear. This is one of those gift ideas the couple can give to groomsmen to wear on the wedding day.

As one suggestion, these custom groomsmen socks are personalized with your groomsman’s name on the label; the socks themselves are high-quality and available in many colors and styles. By NoColdFeetCo. See more styles here.

Ah, yes… what groomsmen need for wedding day preparations: proper grooming gear.

Why do you think toiletry bags (e.g. dopp kits) are so popular as groomsmen gifts? Because it’s the gift that keeps giving. One toiletry bag filled with toiletries he can use is one of the most functional gift ideas for groomsmen. Groomsmen probably toss a few things into a travel bag and boom, that’s about it. If you want to give them a nice new toiletry bag for the wedding, now is a great time to do it — and fill it with some essentials.

Dopp Kit

First, get a dopp kit. A dopp kit is a fancy name for a toiletry bag. You can get nice prints and styles from Minted, like this example (designed by Iveta Angelova) for $34 — FREE personalization included on that leather tag as a bonus.

If you prefer a different style, try these by LoveMeetsCraft as another great resource.

And of course, these handsome leather toiletry bags by AddStyleCo — which we also love! They’re on sale here for around $30-ish right now, which is 50% off.

Once you’ve picked out your toiletry bags, it’s time to fill them up.

One place to get toiletry gifts for groomsmen (or to get some for yourself, if you’re wondering what groomsmen need for wedding day preparations and you’re realizing you’re low on all your shave gear, hair gel, shower gel, etc.) is Duke Cannon. Man, do I love Duke Cannon products and I’m not just saying that. I buy them for Andrew (he loves them) and I use some of the hair products on my kids’ hair. It’s amazing stuff. These are fun, rugged, masculine scents, soaps, and products groomsmen will really use and enjoy.

Here are a few things you can add to their dopp kids for a one-of-a-kind gift.

What To Put in Groomsmen Toiletry Bags

Note: these are all travel sizes. Feel free to up your toiletry game on a larger bottle, but these will fit nicely inside the travel kits and are priced right for buying in bulk for your groomsmen gifts. Choose one thing for BEARD, one thing for FACE, one for HAIR, and one for BODY.

– BEARD –

Depending on whether he has a beard or likes to be clean-shaven, choose one of the following:

• Hot Shave Shaving Cream

OR

• Best Damn Beard Oil

Yep, it’s the best.

– FACE –

Next up: this amazing face wash.

• Working Man’s Face Wash

I stole this from Andrew’s bag and tried it on my own skin and loved it.

– HAIR –

Get something to slick his hair back.

• News Anchor Pomade

We go through container after container of this stuff at home. It smells good, too.

– BODY –

• Big Ass Brick of Soap

An essential. Choose from so many scents. This one is a favorite!

• Cooling Towels

And I’d add this in, too. These cooling towel wipes are awesome. They’re what groomsmen need for the wedding to keep cool and refreshed before the festivities begin.

These are just a few suggestions but there are TONS of awesome men’s toiletry products from which to choose on their website here.

Last but not least, what do groomsmen need for the wedding? A tie that stays straight for your photos! A tie clip will get the job done and will look great in your photos. To top it off, they’re personalized with an engraving of his monogram, so they’re about as perfect for groomsmen gifts as you can get. These are one option by JewelMango.

Great gift idea, isn’t it?

And that just about does it! This is exactly what groomsmen need for the wedding and where to find it all. What would you add to our list?

Happy Planning!

xo
Emma