Weddings · Weddings

The father of the bride & father of the groom suit

Updated July 2026 · by Sam Talkar

Weddings — Sam's Menswear

The fathers are in more wedding photos than almost anyone but the couple — walking down the aisle, the first dance, the family portraits. The father of the bride and father of the groom should look dignified, coordinated, and comfortable all day. Here’s how to dress the dads.

Coordinate, don’t match

The fathers shouldn’t wear the identical suit as the groomsmen, and they shouldn’t clash with them either. The move is to coordinate on formality and colour family while letting the fathers wear something slightly more classic and grown-up. If the party is in navy, the fathers in a deep navy or charcoal read as part of the same picture without looking like they joined the groomsmen. How the whole party coordinates →

Match the formality of the day

  • Black tie / formal evening — the fathers wear tuxedos too. The custom tuxedo →
  • Daytime / semi-formal — a well-cut navy or charcoal suit, tie coordinated with the party.
  • Outdoor / relaxed — a softer suit, earthier tone, open to the party’s palette.

When in doubt, the fathers dress one notch classic — never louder than the groom, never more casual than the guests.

Why dads should skip the rental

Fathers are the builds off-the-rack fails most — a fuller chest, a shorter or longer rise, shoulders that have earned their shape. A rental fits none of that; it’s cut to an average nobody actually is. A made-to-measure suit is built to his proportions, so he’s comfortable through a long day and looks his best in the portraits. And he keeps a proper suit for every event after. Why off-the-rack fails certain builds → · Custom vs rental, honestly →

Measure the whole family together

The easiest way to keep the groom, groomsmen and both fathers coordinated is to measure them together. Sam does exactly this — at the Vaughan studio or, for out-of-town or busy dads, on a single house call across the GTA. How the traveling tailor works →

Father of the bride or groom in the GTA? Book a fitting — dignified, comfortable, and coordinated with the party.

Common questions

While we're here.

Straight answers
How should a suit jacket fit?

The shoulder seam should sit on the edge of your shoulder with no divot or overhang; the chest should close without pulling; and about a quarter-inch of shirt cuff should show. Get the shoulders right and everything else follows.

I'm hard to fit — athletic, tall, shorter, or bigger. Can you help?

That's exactly who bespoke is for. A drop from athletic shoulders to a trim waist, a long or short rise, a fuller chest — a pattern drafted to you handles what off-the-rack can't. Hard-to-fit bodies are most of my week.

Can a suit make me look slimmer or taller?

A well-cut suit can, honestly — a clean shoulder line, the right button stance and trouser break lengthen and streamline you. It's tailoring, not a trick, and it only works when the suit is cut to your actual body.

How should trousers fit and break?

Comfortable at the waist without a belt cinching them, and a break at the shoe that's your call — full, half, or none. I'll show you each on you before we finish the hem.

Can you coordinate the whole wedding party?

Yes — up to ten groomsmen, the fathers and the groom, drawn from the same cloth with consistent lapel, button and pocket detail. The aim is cohesion without uniformity: everyone matches, everyone still fits.

Some of my groomsmen live out of town — can they still be measured?

Yes. I set up remote measuring with a guide and a video walkthrough, then fit them when they arrive. It's how most wedding parties with out-of-town members get done.

Tuxedo or suit for my wedding?

A tuxedo for a formal or evening wedding; a three-piece suit for most others, and more wearable afterward. Tell me the venue, season and time of day and I'll steer you — a suit you'll wear again is rarely the wrong answer.

Should I match the bride and bridal party?

Coordinate, don't match exactly. We tie the lining, tie or pocket square to the party's colours so the photographs read as one line without looking like a uniform. Bring a photo of the gown and the palette.

Custom or rent for the wedding?

Rentals fit a crowd, not a person — and it shows in the photos you keep forever. A custom suit costs more but fits only you and stays in your wardrobe. For the most photographed day of your life, it's usually worth it.

Do you make custom tuxedos?

Yes — midnight and black tuxedos with satin peak or shawl lapels, made to your measurements at the Vaughan studio or on a house call across the GTA. A tuxedo is the garment where fit shows most, which is exactly why it's worth having made rather than rented.

Why do rental tuxedos fit so badly?

Because a rental is cut for the average of every man who wore it before you. Satin lapels and a clean black line make a poor fit more visible, not less — the camera catches every pull. A made tuxedo sits clean because it's built to your body alone.

How much does a tuxedo rental cost vs a custom one?

A Toronto tuxedo rental runs a few hundred dollars for one night, keeping nothing. Rent twice and you've paid for a made tuxedo you'd still own and could wear to every black-tie event after. Over a couple of wears, custom is the cheaper choice.

What should the father of the bride or groom wear?

Something coordinated with the party but a notch more classic — never louder than the groom, never more casual than the guests. If it's black tie, the fathers wear tuxedos too. I'll dress the fathers and the groom together so the family photos read as one line.

Can you dress the groom, groomsmen and both fathers together?

Yes — that's the ideal. Measuring everyone against the same notebook keeps colour, lapel and detail consistent, and I can do it at the studio or on one house call. It's the easiest way to keep a whole wedding party coordinated.

What does "black tie" on the invitation actually mean?

A tuxedo: black or midnight dinner jacket with satin peak or shawl lapels, matching trousers, white dress shirt and a black bow tie, with polished black shoes. Not a regular business suit. If it says black tie, wear a tuxedo — you'll never be overdressed.

The next step

Begin with a conversation.

A first fitting is unhurried and costs nothing. Come sit with Sam — or design your suit first.