A lot of thought goes into planning a wedding, including what to wear. You’ll want to look nice for your special occasion, but you should also consider cost and long-term useability. We’re here to answer the question: What’s the difference between a tux and a suit?

The Difference Between a Tux and a Suit

When it comes to groom and groomsman attire, many couples immediately think of a tuxedo rental. Yet, suits are a much more realistic (and fashion-forward) option. A wedding tux might have a time and place, but there are some things to consider when choosing between suits or tuxedos for your dress code.

While both tuxedos and suits have a classic, formal appeal, there are also critical differences. Tuxes are generally more embellished and lend themselves to formal black-tie occasions in the evening. If an invitation says “black tie preferred,” that indicates that a tuxedo is appropriate.

On the other hand, suits are typically more streamlined in appearance and can be personalized more with accessories. You can wear a suit for a formal event like a wedding or business-casual events like a company dinner.

Is A Suit or a Tuxedo More Formal?

Color is another difference between a wedding tux and a suit. Tuxedos usually come in black, midnight blue, or white, while suits can be almost any color, such as taupe, gray, and navy. Although, classic black or gray are the most popular choices for our own wedding suits at The Modern Groom.

The tuxedo is considered formalwear worn for evening weddings and very few other settings.  As mentioned before, suits are more versatile and work in many situations, such as a wedding, business conference, special occasions like an anniversary or holiday party, or any event that calls for white-tie dress codes.

If your wedding is a more formal affair but isn’t necessarily black-tie worthy, a black suit with a black bow tie will give you a similar look as a wedding tux at a fraction of the price.

Unless you attend several formal events—like black-tie dinners on a cruise—or you are a concert pianist, you and your groomsmen will find that a well-fitted suit will be much more versatile for your lifestyle. With The Modern Groom, you own the suit!

Characteristics of Tuxedos

As we said, a wedding tux is always black and white (or occasionally navy), while a suit can come in any color or pattern. Satin is the most prominent characteristic throughout the tuxedo: satin lapels, satin pocket trim, satin buttons, and satin stripes down the leg of the suit pants. Satin is a beautiful material but has very low visibility in photos, so you may not even be able to tell it’s there.  

A tuxedo will either be double-breasted or feature a single button, while a suit typically has two buttons. The tuxedo is worn with a white shirt, bow tie, and cummerbund, while you can wear any color or pattern of a dress shirt with your suit.

Classic tuxedos are traditionally paired with bow ties and black patent leather shoes and are considered formal evening attire.

Suits Are Easier to Alter than Tuxedos

You can only slim out tuxedo pants so much because they have to be taken in from the inside. With a suit, you can taper the leg, make it slimmer, and even take it in at the waist because it doesn’t have all of those extra satin details.

A Tuxedo Jacket is Shorter

The wedding tux jacket is purposely made shorter so that when you sit down, the fabric doesn’t pull and tuck under the seat of the tux. A tuxedo jacket is also shorter to display the tuxedo shirt and cummerbund, which are more noticeable than a suit’s dress shirt and tie.

If you’re not used to wearing a suit, a tuxedo can feel very restraining because they are a stiffer fabric and come with many more pieces to wear.

You Can Personalize a Suit Much More than a Tuxedo

The variety of accessories you can have with a suit allows you to show off some flair at your wedding! These small touches display your personality and make a statement on your wedding day. So go ahead and get those crazy socks, dapper pocket square, or a tropical black-tie look for the groomsmen. The sky is the limit!

A Wedding Tux vs. a Suit—Final Thoughts

We carry so many suit styles to choose from that most grooms agree on this: A suit is a much more practical and affordable option for wedding day attire for you and your groomsmen!

You may not know which button you’re supposed to button or which suit to buy, and that’s where we excel. You’ll work with a dedicated, virtual stylist who is there to ensure you look sharp and love the suit you choose

Quality Suits for Your Wedding—Shipped Right to Your Door

The convenience of The Modern Groom is the thing our grooms love. Schedule your virtual appointment, and your virtual stylist will give you style advice and help you find exactly what you need for your wedding. When you are sure you love the look, we’ll ship it right to your door.

Once your suit is complete, we’ll turn our attention to the guys in your wedding party and give them the same excellent customer service!

Bonus: no need to be bothered with returning a rental! Your expertly fitted suit is yours to wear for many years to come—and you’re not going to believe how affordable it is.

Are you ready to find the perfect suit for your wedding day? Your virtual stylist is ready for you!