Morning Suits
The variety of choices available has in no way lessened the popularity of the traditional morning suit. In classic grey or black, the elegant lines of the swallow-tailed coat and pin-striped trousers have hardly altered for many decades, and not without good reason. There is no denying that it fits into the glamour and ceremony of the traditional wedding picture most handsomely, particularly when the bride's gown is white.
There are several other popular options available to the groom, especially if you are planning a somewhat less formal wedding. Don't panic if your hero absolutely refuses to consider the morning suit, despite your dreams of splendour. Some men just would not be comfortable in such formal dress, and it would unfair for the groom to feel so awkward throughout the whole of his wedding day. There are several other options to choose from, however, you must, at all times keep in mind the cut, style and fabric of the bride's dress when deciding on the groom's suit.

Other Options
One ideal possibility is a dark-coloured two or three-piece Lounge Suit, with a plain tie, but without hat or gloves. This will especially suit the groom who is of a somewhat shorter stature.
Waistcoats look great on slimmer and taller men but they do not lend themselves readily to the average Irish male.
If you are purchasing the suit, it has the added advantage of being of further use to you after the wedding.
For a summer wedding, a white or Cream-coloured Suit would be very striking and is most appropriate.

A tall groom would look very smart in a Spencer- Style dinner jacket. These are available in brighter shades which are great for men with more out-going personalities.
A mention should be given to the more traditional lines of the tuxedo style dinner jacket, worn over a wing-collared shirt with black bow tie. This would be worn with black or grey pleated trousers.

Comfort & Fit
Whatever choice you make, comfort and fit should be high on your list of priorities, and the choice must complement the bride's dress. Outside these few confines, the sky is the limit where style for the groom is concerned. He can opt for styles of the forties and fifties, or he can choose to be conservative. His choice of coloured ties or cravats is only limited by the bridal colour scheme and the groom's sense of daring.

Range of Accessories
Most dress-hire firms provide a full range of accessories, either for sale or for hire. These include top hats, gloves, bow ties, pleated shirts, waistcoats, shoes, socks, braces, and ties.

• The groom should be able to co-ordinate his entire wedding outfit in one shop, if he so desires.
• The more traditional the groom's style, the more limited and confining are his accessory options.
• The grey topper and grey suede gloves worn with the morning suit look wonderful in photographs, and certainly add to the splendour of the occasion. However, since the hats and gloves are not generally worn but carried in the left hand, the groom may be quite lumbered by these. Finding a safe place to put them down when necessary may also be troublesome, and it is too easy to leave them behind in all the inevitable bustle and confusion. You will have to decide whether or not they are worth the trouble.
• The choice of tie for the more traditional suit is limited. Grey, black, silver, white or a black and white patterned tie are the most acceptable.
• A nice touch to the groom's attire is a handkerchief which, unless made of silk, should be neatly folded into a point, and placed in the top pocket of the jacket with the point visible.
• The style and colour of the shoes should be co-ordinated carefully with the chosen outfit. Above all, make sure that they are comfortable. If possible, try to break them in before the wedding, or it won't be possible to concentrate on anything but painful feet.

Dress Hire Firms
Make sure that the firm carries only high quality garments. All clothes carried by the company should look fresh, clean and new.

• If the suits have been over-used, they will have been dry-cleaned too often, and the fabric will take on a worn shininess.
• If the clothes do not seem to hang properly on the rack, just imagine how they will look on the groom!
• Over-worn clothing will seem limp and lifeless.
• Try to find someone who seems really interested in finding a perfect fit for you, and in matching up accessories wisely.
• Find a firm with a range and stock obviously kept up to date with current trends.
• Ascertain whether or not alterations will be conducted both accurately and speedily.
• Insist that measurements are not made in haste, and find out at the beginning whether further alterations will be made willingly if you are not completely satisfied.

Final Arrangements
For the groom who is planning to wear a different going-away outfit, perhaps in a more casual style, it is probably more financially feasible to hire the wedding suit. He can also make similar arrangements for his best man, the father of the bride and the ushers. Their wedding apparel should closely follow the groom's lead in style. In previous times, it was common for all the male attendants at a wedding to be dressed in formal wear identical to that of the groom, but trends have changed, leaving a lot more to the imagination and to individual fashion sense.