HIRING Vs BUYING your wedding outfit
Do you hire or buy your wedding outfit – that is the dilemma ! Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the most special days in your life. It is also a time when you need to look your best. When it comes to your outfit you have two choices to make – do you Hire or Buy?
Hiring – Hiring a wedding outfit can range in cost – there is no average cost for hiring a Suit, Shirt and Tie. It can start from $100 or so but the cost can go a lot higher depending on the hire company and the outfit that is selected. Hiring is a good option for some but not for others.
What you really need to keep in mind is the fact that hire suits are made to fit ‘most’ shapes and to last a long time. What this means is that, they are usually made out of a heavier duty wool and they are a ‘Classic’ fit – NOT a slim fit like today’s fashion suits. Most also come with sleeves that are ‘tube sleeves’. Tube Sleeves do not have a nice cuff. They are a very basic sleeve with buttons sewn on but which can be moved if the sleeves need to be lengthened or shortened.
When shopping around for a hire suit – keep an ear out for the word ‘From’. If you ask what the cost to hire a particular outfit is and the response is – ‘our suits range in price from $xxx’ it usually means that the basic ‘plastic fantastic’ suit is that price, but the one that you like is a lot more. Ensure the assistant is very precise with prices.
Lastly and a point that is really important – find out how long the hire period is. You really don’t want to have to collect the outfits only a day or 2 before the wedding – what happens if you get them home and then discover on the day of the wedding that one of the boys has changed size and the suit no longer fits!! You really should be able to collect the outfits 3 days before the wedding so that you can all have a try on to confirm everything is ok. Also keep in mind that you will most probably have to return the hired items the next business day after your wedding and that if the items are late, you will be charged a fee.
Buying – It doesnt matter if you never wear a suit – every guy should own at least one. There is no better time to buy one than your wedding. You can get a quality suit from as low as $300. You are then guaranteed of having a suit that actually fits you and you will have a suit to wear to the next wedding, job interview or even funeral that you have to attend.
It doesn’t make any sense that a brides dress which usually costs in excess of $1,000 is worn only once, but a groom who can get years of use out of his wedding outfit which cost a lot less than the dress is often expected to hire an outfit that has been worn by countless other guys! . If you think about it, it really is financially beneficial for a male to buy instead of hire.
Today’s suits come in a variety of colours. You don’t have to conform and wear a tuxedo to your wedding. It’s your big day – you should be able to wear a suit that fits your personality and makes you feel like a million bucks. If you do decide to purchase your wedding suit, it is a good idea to get it from a place that has experienced stylists so that they are able to ensure that the suits fits perfectly. Very few men are able to get a suit off the rack and have it fit them perfectly. The majority will require to have the suit custom tailored. Again, you should only purchase your suit from a shop that has their own tailor and can show you what needs to be done to ensure that the suit fits perfectly.
Unlike the brides wedding dress, the groom and groomsmen’s suits will get years of wear.