We are often asked whether a groom and the groomsmen should wear a bow tie or long tie on the wedding day.
This is a great question and Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo has a lot of experience and advice on answering it.
So let’s get right to the answer and then we’ll dive deeper into various things you should consider when deciding which type of tie to choose for yourself and your wedding party.
The general answer that we give is do not do something you are not comfortable with. If you are not a bow tie kind of guy, then do not wear one. If you are not comfortable in a bow tie, either it’s look or feel, then you are probably not going to be comfortable wearing one. You will also not be happy with the look.
However, things are not always that simple so let’s talk about some other things you may want to consider when deciding. We also have a process that we take customers through to help brides and grooms make their choice. You can read all about that process here.
Usually when we meet with brides and grooms during their tuxedo and suit consultation, we can pretty immediately tell if the couple prefers one type of tie over another. Sometimes, though, they aren’t sure which type of tie they want. We’ll go into how we help them determine which type to choose later in this blog if the couple is not sure.
If we see that either the bride or groom is not keen on a bow tie, we highly encourage them to stick with the 500 or so different long ties that we offer.
On the other hand, bow ties are not commonly worn by most people and wearing one on your wedding day is a nice way of switching up your look and creating timeless and classy photos.
Best of Both Worlds
In many cases, if a bride and groom are open to a bow tie, we often introduce the idea of the groom wearing the one, say bow tie, and the groomsmen wearing the other type, in this case a long tie. The first thing that this does is help further distinguish the groom from the rest of the wedding party beyond just having a different color tie. The bride and groom sometimes choose to do the reverse and have the groom wear a long tie and the groomsmen wear a bow tie. While this second option is not as popular as the groom wearing the bow tie, we do see it in approximately 5% of the wedding parties.
Tuxedos, Suits and Ties
Several years ago, it was rare that you would see a groom wearing a tuxedo with a long tie. Today that is completely acceptable. We have many wedding parties and prom goers wearing long ties with their tuxedos and suits. On a few occasions, we will have a groom wear a bow tie with his suit that he purchased or rented from us. So if you want to wear a long tie with your tuxedo that is perfectly acceptable. Again, we advise you doing what is most comfortable for you. Anyone who has worked with us knows that we will tell our customers if their attire choice or combination is not a good idea.
Free Groom Try On
The best way to determine if you prefer a bow or long tie is to try some of each on at your groom try on. We offer all of our grooms the ability to choose up to two different full tuxedos and/or suits with various accessory choices to try on. This is one of our most popular services because the bride and groom get to see what the groom and groomsmen will look like in all attire they choose in the groom’s exact size. During this try on, we will exchange several long and bow ties on the groom so that you can see what they will look like. We even encourage the bride to take pictures of the groom so that you can go home and see what everything looked like and make a decision from there. Read about our full groom try on HERE.
Trends
What are we seeing for tie choices right now? Many grooms are currently choosing bow ties. Why? We think they like the look and it’s a bit different and more formal. Five to seven years ago we saw more long ties for wedding parties but for now, that seems to have changed.
What If I Don’t Know How to Tie a Long or Bow Tie
You are in luck if you do not know how to tie a long or a bow tie. All of ours (almost 500 different colors and styles) are pre-tied and clip ons. They are beautiful and look like someone actually tied the bow tie without you needing to know how to do it! We do sell some bow ties that you can tie yourself if that is what you are looking for. Our long ties come in two different styles: ones that are pre-tied that you do not need to tie and ones that you tie yourself. If you choose a long tie that must be tied, we can tie it for you and leave it in your garment bag so that all you have to do is slip it around your neck and tighten it. We do this all of the time and the guys are very grateful for this free added service.
Bottom Line
So the true answer as to whether you should wear a bow or long tie comes down to 100% personal choice. Both will work and we are sure you’ll know pretty immediately what you prefer once you do your groom try on with Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo.
Comment on this blog and tell us what you prefer, a bow or long tie?
Take a look at the 70 or so suits and tuxedos that we offer for rent and sale. You’ll enjoy seeing all of the styles and coming up with your own look. Do you have out of town wedding guests? Not a problem for Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo. We arrange to have your guys measured for free anywhere in the country and can even ship them the tuxedo or suit. They can submit their measurements on our website and even make payment online. It’s as simple as that! You can even text our store telephone number for questions and help: 215-491-8500. Make your appointment with us online to talk to a formal wear specialist.