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; every pull across the chest and gap at the collar shows. 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 nothing in the family photos looks borrowed or out of step.

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

Yes, and that's the ideal. Measuring everyone myself, in one session, keeps colour, lapel and detail consistent, and I do it here at the studio in one sitting. 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.

Weddings · Weddings

The groom's suit: getting the outfit in every frame right

Updated July 2026 · Sam’s Menswear editorial team

A folded length of fine midnight navy suiting on a worn oak workbench in raking daylight, an ivory silk tie coiled beside it and four mother-of-pearl buttons set in a row — Midnight navy photographs deeper than black and does not go green under a reception light.

No outfit you ever wear will be captured from more angles than your wedding suit. Those pictures hang on walls for decades. So the goal isn’t “a suit for the day”; it’s a suit that still looks right in the album in twenty years. Here’s how to get it there.

Suit or tuxedo?

Depends on the wedding. A tuxedo is for formal and evening weddings: black tie, satin lapels, after 6pm. A suit (navy, charcoal, a soft earth tone) suits daytime, outdoor and less formal weddings, and you’ll actually wear it again. If the invitation says black tie, wear a tuxedo. Black tie, decoded → · The custom tuxedo →

The colour that ages well

Navy: the safest brilliant choice; rich in photos, works in any season, wearable forever. Why navy →
Charcoal: formal, classic, flattering on everyone.
Earth tones (sage, tobacco, taupe): beautiful for outdoor and daytime weddings, very now, but they date faster, so weigh that against re-wear.

Trend colours photograph “of their year.” Classic colours photograph timeless. On the one outfit you’ll look back on most, timeless usually wins.

Why the groom should go custom

The groom is the focus of every frame. A rental is cut for the average of everyone who wore it before you. It never quite fits the shoulders, and a shoulder divot survives every crop and filter. A suit made to your measurements sits clean, closes right, and reads as yours. And you keep it. The custom-vs-rental math →

Set yourself apart from the party, subtly

You’re the groom, not a costume. Distinguish yourself with a small, deliberate detail: a richer fabric, a waistcoat where the groomsmen go without, a different tie or boutonnière. Subtle reads intentional. Coordinating the whole party →

The timeline

Start nine to twelve months out. The suit itself takes about eight to twelve weeks; the rest is breathing room to choose fabric, coordinate the party and fit without a clock running. Book late and you’re pushed toward a rental. The full wedding timeline →

Getting married in the GTA? Book a wedding appointment. Sam measures the whole party at the studio, in one block, so nobody is chasing a second appointment.