When preparing for your wedding day, deciding whether to hire or buy your suit is an important choice. The right option depends on your budget, if you’ll wear it again, and whether you value flexibility or ownership.
Can we also add that you need to balance ownership Vs quality – you can hire a much better quality suit than you can buy for the same price – what’s more important owing it or looking amazing in photos. Also a retail suit bought (Circa £400-500 when you buy all the accessories, shirt etc) will 100% require alterations £150-200 which take you to £550 – £700 – for another £500 you could have a custom suit made to your design and measurements.
By looking at the pros and cons of each, along with practical factors, you can make a decision that suits your style and circumstances.
The hire options are:
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Hire a W & W luxury 100% wool suit made to the same standard as a custom suit.
50% of our customers have a bespoke or custom suit made so our hire suits need to be of a higher quality than the average hire suit.
With our hire suit you will then be wearing a suit with a retail value of £1,200, that will be professionally fitted, looks high quality in pictures and makes you feel confident. You can hire our suit for £200-£250 which is the same cost as a high street purchased retail suit.
Pros:
- You will have a 1-2-1 hour appointment with our style advisors to help you try on and choose your wedding look
- We use our bespoke tailoring skills to professionally fit our hire suits to you and your groomsmen. We will also make alterations where necessary
- We can achieve a great fit because we stock a variety of cuts e.g. regular, slim, super slim, plus chest, waist and length sizes which we can mix and match to suit each person’s body shape – grooms parties will have a variety of body shapes across Dads and lads
- We stock up to size 60” and can accommodate extreme sizes and heights.
- We make it an amazing (1-2-1) experience for the groom and groomsmen across 3 hours of appointments
- No guest will be wearing your suit – we make all our suits and they are exclusive to us.
Cons:
- You don’t get to keep your suit but you will be wearing a noticeably far superior quality/fit suit which will be seen in your pictures.
- You can’t gift the suit to your groomsmen
- There will be more variety instore and online
- Hire suits will be modern styles and in classic colours if you’re looking for a specific colour or style it may not be available
2. Hire from a traditional hire or bridal shop.
The hire suit will almost certainly be a man made suit that you could buy online for the same price. The key is to check the labels for its fabric composition, the most common man made materials are Polyester and Viscose. Also do a quick Google check on the branded label to check the price and see if you can buy it online.
Pros
- It’s likely to me in your local town
- Your bride may be purchasing her dress from the store so they will understand your wedding – however they tend to be more experienced in dress rather than suits – they are an add on.
Cons
- Man made fibers mean the fabric won’t drape(follow the contours of your body) as well as a 100% wool suit
- It’s mass produced and cost engineered for maxim profit so its fit and quality will be compromised
- As it is widely available online/in store there is a good chance one of your guests will have bought the same suit.
Purchasing a Wedding Suit – retail off the peg or custom/bespoke
Off the peg retail suits
check the labels for it’s fabric composition, the most common man made materials are Polyester and Viscose.
The pro’s you get to keep it and gift to your groomsmen.
The cons
- How likely are your groomsmen going to wear the suit you chose
- Retail suits often come in standard sizing – Consider body sizes in the wedding party – Dads Vs Lads. Will that suit fit other body shapes.
- Alterations are also likely to be £150 – £200 so it becomes uneconomical vs a custom suit.
- Highly likely to be a large % of man made fibres. Man made fibers mean the fabric won’t drape ( how a fabric hangs, falls and moves) as well as a 100% wool suit. Man made fibres tend to sit stiff and boxy. They will look fine on a hanger but not so great on.
- It’s mass produced and cost engineered for maxim profit so its fit and quality will be compromised
- As it is widely available online/in store there is a good chance one of your guests will have bought the same suit.- Minimal in-store fitting advice/support – Will be like buying a pair of jeans not a 1-2-1 special experience
- It will look like a cheap suit in your wedding pictures
3. Purchase a custom/bespoke suit
Buying your wedding suit is a long-term investment in both quality, fit and sentiment. A high-quality suit tailored to your exact measurements will deliver the comfort and confidence that comes from wearing something made especially for you. For grooms who value personal style, purchasing offers complete control over fabric, fit, and detailing.
It will be made to your unique design – you will have the confidence that you are wearing exactly what you wanted/your vision and none of your guests will wear it.
It will be made to your body measurement so you know it will fit you properly – its not just about the style its also about how it makes you feel.
It will match the quality of your bride’s dress that will have been specifically made for her and cost £2,00 plus.
Wedding suits can hold emotional value and be worn again for anniversaries or other meaningful occasions. Owning your suit also means it’s always ready when needed, without worrying about availability or booking. Permanent alterations are possible, ensuring the fit remains exactly how you like it.
We encourage our customers to design something classic that tehy can wear again and again. Something that will stand the test of time.
Custom and bespoke suits can be altered in/out at a later date as unlike retail suits (cost engineered) they are made with seem allowances
The main drawback is the higher upfront cost. Bespoke tailoring and quality fabrics require a larger investment. if you don’t plan to wear the suit again, the investment may not deliver the best value. However, we can not stress enough how much better you will feel and look in a tailored suit. And that cannot be underestimated when planning what to wear for your big day.
Cost Considerations
From a financial perspective, hiring a wedding suit typically costs between £180 and £250, depending on the brand, style, and package inclusions. This makes hiring an attractive short-term option. Purchasing starts at £1,200 for a custom suit and can go up to £2,500 + for a bespoke tailored suit.
If you plan to wear your wedding suit again, buying can become more cost-effective in the long run. On the other hand, if you only expect to wear it once, hiring remains the more economical choice.
Occasions and Suit Styles
50% of our customers buy bespoke/custom suit and then hire the rest. This means that we can supply a coordinated look for the groomsmen that will complement the grooms bespoke suit.
For weddings, where there is specific need for the groom and groomsmen match, hiring can make coordination easier. We can supply identical suits for a coordinated look in various sizes, ensuring a consistent look across the wedding party.
Purchasing works best for timeless designs you’ll treasure and may wear again for work, events or special occasions. A classic three-piece wedding suit in a neutral tone or a black tuxedo with personal detailing offers elegance that will never date.
Lifestyle and Frequency of Wear
Lifestyle can play a part in the decision. If you rarely attend formal occasions, hiring makes perfect sense, you can enjoy a great-fitting suit without committing to a large purchase. But if you see your wedding suit as something to rewear for meaningful events in future, ownership gives you consistency and control over the fit and finish.
Buying also benefits those who want a unique, personal look on their wedding day. A made-to-measure or bespoke suit ensures your chosen style, cut, and fabric perfectly match your vision.
Making the Decision
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. If you value variety, lower upfront costs, and minimal responsibility, hiring a wedding suit is ideal. If you prefer a perfectly tailored garment, want to wear it again for special occasions, or see it as a keepsake from your wedding day, purchasing is the better choice.
Ultimately, the best decision comes down to your budget, personal style, and how you envision your day.
Hiring certainly makes a lot of logical sense. It’s cheaper, it’s unlikely most grooms will wear their wedding suit again, and you don’t have to worry about storage. But the biggest factor when choosing a wedding suit (in our opinion) is how it makes you feel on the day. And nothing will feel, fit, or look better than a fully tailored bespoke wedding suit.