Whether you’re planning a destination wedding or a traditional ceremony, this year’s trends show that 37% of couples add at least one event beyond the ceremony and reception.
That adds more chances to celebrate and spend time with the people you love most, but it also adds more decisions about what to wear. As the groom, you’re one of two people every guest watches all weekend. Each event calls for its own approach, and these are the outfit recommendations for five moments across your wedding weekend.
The Welcome Party
This event welcomes your guests and shares a relaxed moment with them before the big day. A cocktail or casual style is enough. If you’re unsure what to wear, let the venue guide you. Most welcome parties take place at the hotel, which keeps things comfortably informal. Couples who set up hotel blocks for wedding guests early can plan the welcome party well in advance.
For the cocktail look, a button-down shirt under a blazer with dress trousers works well. For a more relaxed option, chinos with an Oxford shirt or a knit polo pair with loafers or clean sneakers instead of dress shoes.
As an extra tip, Room Blocks by Engine makes that hotel decision easier, letting you compare options online and filter by price and amenities to find the one that fits your tastes and budget.
The Rehearsal Dinner
The rehearsal dinner takes place after the ceremony rehearsal and usually includes a more intimate dinner with immediate family and the wedding party. For this event, a dark suit works in almost any setting.
If the wedding is more formal, go monochromatic in taupe, charcoal gray, or off-white. If it’s more casual, a sport coat over tailored trousers with an open collar suits the moment. Matching your partner’s level of formality matters most here, and the same rule holds for every event across the weekend.
The Ceremony
The three-piece suit made a comeback in 2026. When your groomsmen wear the same color as you, the waistcoat lets you stand out while matching their color palette. The current cut sits higher on the chest and repeats the suit’s fabric instead of a contrasting one.
The color palette has changed too. Terracotta, sage, espresso, and warm camel now rival navy for daytime and outdoor ceremonies. Structured tailoring has returned alongside them, so ask your tailor for clean shoulders and a defined waist. For an evening ceremony, velvet on the dinner jacket signals the shift to formal after dark.
The Second Look of the Night
As mentioned earlier, consider what your partner will be wearing before planning your look. Stylists follow one rule here: matching your partner’s number of outfits and never going over it. One dress for the entire evening means one suit for the entire evening, and two outfits on their part allow for two on yours.
A practical option is to build the change into the first outfit. If you take off the jacket, the waistcoat and trousers alone already make up the second look. Another option is a dinner jacket tailored to pair with the same trousers. Switching to loafers or velvet slip-ons and changing the pocket square completes the look.
The Farewell Brunch
This event wraps up the weekend, mirroring the welcome party but with a farewell mood in place of a welcoming one. It’s usually held at the same hotel, and the atmosphere stays casual throughout.
Chinos with an Oxford shirt and an optional blazer fit the moment, especially in this year’s lighter colors and softer fabrics. Keep the silhouette relaxed and the look one notch below the welcome party outfit. The event calls for a pause, time to let the last few days of celebration settle in.
Every outfit here marks a different moment of the weekend, and matching it to the event is worth the extra thought. But the toast, the dance floor, and the people who flew in to watch it happen matter most. More events on the calendar simply mean more of that, spread across three days instead of one.
For more on dressing the rest of the weekend, see our full guide to groom outfits. And if a full weekend is on the cards, get the rooms sorted before the tailoring. Set up your courtesy room block with Room Blocks by Engine and give your guests one easy link, so all you have to worry about is which jacket goes on Friday.
