Apart from personal choice there are a few factors which could determine whether you choose a tie or cravat to add that shot of colour to your wedding suit.
- At our Hertfordshire wedding venue, we will often set the style for your wedding. A barn setting will give a less formal feel for the event than a stately home and may suggest that ties would be more appropriate than cravats but if an outdoor garden wedding venue is your choice then cravats would give a more vintage feel to how you dress.
- Themes for weddings can vary enormously and this too can influence the style of neckwear. Garden party weddings, festival themes, or chic sophisticated style weddings will mean neckwear will need careful consideration to create the perfect look.
- How formal do you want your wedding to be? A cravat is more traditional and gives a stylish touch which suits more formal occasions but a cravat worn inside the neck of a shirt can change the look completely giving a more relaxed air to the occasion.
- Do you wear a shirt and tie for work? If so you don’t want to look like you are wearing one of your business suits and tie for your wedding day. Your style needs to be lifted to create something special so try a cravat.
- Are you choosing a tail coat or a lounge jacket for your wedding suit? Ties and cravats will work for both styles but a cravat will lift the look of a lounge suit from an everyday business look to an outfit more suitable for a wedding. Similarly, a tie will relax the formality of tails.
- The shirt chosen to be worn with your suit may affect the style of neckwear. Edwardian shirts have a large wing collar which shows the band of colour of your tie or cravat around the back of the neck so emphasising a punch of colour giving more of a sense of occasion. Standard collared shirts can look neat and tidy but beware that worn with a tie can look more ordinary. A cravat can then add more panache.
- A combination of ties and cravats can be worn in the same party. The groom should always stand apart from his groomsmen in some aspect of his dress. Wearing a cravat would significantly distinguish him from the rest of the party who could wear ties in the same colour. The look is coordinated but singles out the groom as someone special. This look could be extended to the best man too so long as he is also wearing something different from the groom such as a different style or colour of waistcoat.
- The choice of neckwear is often a personal preference but consideration of the above tips may help you to decide your own personal style.
Of course you could also wear a bow tie instead. Now that’s another thought!!
Most importantly, have fun experimenting and find the style of neckwear which helps you feel special on your wedding day.
