Many view a wedding as the bride’s big day. While we don’t want to upstage our brides, the groom needs to look just as good standing next to his future wife!
Wedding shoes are one of the details that can make or break your look. It can be tricky to know what color shoes go with a grey suit or what hue of brown to select. As experts in helping grooms look their best, we have a couple of tips to help you look your very best—from head to toe.
Coordinate with Your Suit
One of the most important considerations when choosing wedding shoes is how your shoes will complement the color of your wedding suit. To ensure you and your groomsmen’s colors complement and are consistent, try our full package option which includes the black or cognac shoe with a matching belt and sock that matches the suit. This way, one of your less-than-detail-oriented groomsmen won’t be sticking out (for the wrong reasons) in the wedding photos with a slightly different shade of brown shoe.
Now let’s break down how to match suits with shoes by color.
Black Suit
If you’ve chosen a classic black suit or classy black tux, matching black shoes are essential. There is no other option in our eyes. This look might feel limited with a lack of choices, but black-on-black is a classic wedding style that is sure to impress your guests (and your future self when looking back on wedding photos).
Navy Suit
A navy suit is another classic, traditional choice, but it needs contrast from the shoes. We recommend pairing your blue wedding suit with cognac shoes. In other words, the darker the suit, the darker your shoes should be as well.
Midnight Blue Suit
A midnight blue suit is a modern take and a touch more vibrant than traditional navy. It pairs nicely with cognac shoes. While we are partial to a blue wedding suit with brown shoes, this rich blue suit can also work with classic black shoes.
Charcoal Grey Suit
Because of their dark hue, charcoal grey suits pair well with classic black shoes as well as brown shoes. Charcoal grey suits have similar pairings as dark blue suits.
Light Grey Suit
What color shoes pair with a grey suit that’s lighter? A light grey suit gets the best of all worlds. Because of its light hue, you can pull off a black shoe all the way to a light cognac color. This is the suit that will give you the most versatility. We realize having too many options can sometimes make your job harder, so if you’re unsure of which color, see our next tip to help you narrow down your options.
Tan Suit
A tan suit is a unique yet subtle wedding suit option. It’s sophisticated and versatile and works for any style of wedding—especially in warmer seasons like spring or summer. It will pair best with cognac shoes and a light-colored tie.
Coordinate with Your Setting
Not only should you consider your suit, but you should consider your wedding venue and setting too. The style of your wedding can determine what type of wedding shoe is best for you.
At an informal venue, such as the beach, or anywhere with a laid-back wedding style, a brown—especially a cognac—usually works best. You can also dress cognac shoes up without feeling too formal.
At a black-tie wedding, you will always want to go with a classic Oxford black shoe. If you’re getting married in the winter, black shoes may also be a more appropriate choice to opt for with the season.
Think of Comfort
While your choice of shoe can look as stylish as possible, it may be in vain if your shoes give you blisters by the end of the night. Choose shoes that are high quality, and take some time to break them in before the big day.
Make Sure Your Groomsmen Match
One of the most common wedding mistakes is leaving it up to your groomsmen to get their own shoes. You’ll end up with different styles and shades—even if you tell them to get black shoes! The smallest differences can stand out like a sore thumb, especially in your wedding pictures.
How do you get them to match? Again, cue “The Full Package” option. It includes everything your groomsmen need for the wedding, from the right shoes to matching ties. We’ll take care of matching the shoes with the suit and ensure all the details are perfect. Don’t leave it to the groomsmen; leave it to us!
How The Modern Groom Helps
The Modern Groom wants to make sure every detail in your wedding is perfect, including your shoes! Book an online personal styling session to not only get the best suit for your big day but to get matching accessories and shoes to complete your look too.
Our full package includes your whole suit, shirt, shoes, and coordinating accessories such as your tie, belt, socks, and pocket square. This package is available for the groom and any other members of the bridal party to get a cohesive look. If you or your groomsmen already have suits, we also offer a shoe, belt, and sock package only.
Whether you know what you’re looking for or you need advice on the basics, schedule your styling session for a personalized fit guaranteed to make you look your best on your big day.
