The Men in Black (or Grey, or Navy...)

Why is it we very rarely ask the men what they'd like to wear? We spend months clipping pictures of dresses from magazines, trying on hundreds of dresses and spending far too much money on them, but automatically assume that our men will wear a black suit and a tie that matches your bridesmaids? Unless you have an outspoken man who makes it really clear what he'd like (my husband was certain he was going to wear black tails and a pocket watch) or what he wouldn't like (I've known more than a few grooms who made it clear they wouldn't turn up if they had to wear a suit!) we tend to land them with something boring.

Simply getting their opinion can be a great way of saving money. Does your man feel really strongly that he doesn't want to wear a suit? It might be a sign that he would be far more comfortable with a relaxed ceremony where he can wear a new open-neck shirt and nice trousers. He'll be happy and you will have saved money on a suit that would have made him look and feel less than happy on his wedding day. Multiply the savings for the groomsmen as well and you've got a significant saving to put to a use that you can both enjoy!

But what if suits are a must? Here are my top 5 tips for savings on menswear;

1. Shop well ahead of time. My local menswear store has a once a year sale that sees many good quality suits at amazing prices. For less than the cost of hiring, the men have a suit that will be used over and over again.
   
2. Ask the groomsmen and ring bearer to pay for their own suit rental or purchase. Make it clear that helping you out this way can be their gift to you so they don't feel the pressure to spend on a gift as well.
   
3. Go casual. As well as letting the men look comfortable and individual, you will save money by not needing to purchase or rent full suits rather than just the trousers. Shirts can be sourced from any menswear store, making it much easier to find a style and price that work for everyone.
   
4. If renting, negotiate hard! Ask for group discounts or bargain to get the grooms rental free with the groomsmen/father of the bride/ring bearer order.
   
5. Read the itemized rental price lists carefully. Many rental places charge $18 for the hire of a tie – you can find your own and buy them (even have them monogrammed as gifts) for less than that. This applies to almost all of the accessories – shoes, hats etc.
   

Next Page - Page 09: Saving Money for Your Bridesmaids.