Planning a wedding can feel overwhelming, but starting as early as you can and following a clear timeline helps ensure your day runs smoothly. From booking your venue to finalising your groomsmen’s accessories, knowing what to do and when to do it can save time, stress, and last-minute surprises. Here’s a practical guide for grooms on when to tackle the key elements of wedding planning.
12+ Months Before the Wedding: Set the Foundations
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Book Your Venue: Popular venues fill up fast, so secure your ceremony and reception locations early. Some will be taking bookings for 18+ months time for the busy season, so get your date sorted and get your venue booked in as soon as you're able!
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Draft Your Guest List: A rough headcount helps with budgeting and catering plans. It's not set in stone at this point, but it should give a rough idea.
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Start Thinking About Your Colour Scheme: Consider the season, venue, and personal style. This will influence your suit choice, groomsmen accessories, and décor. Get your colour scheme sorted and most other choices will be a lot easier!
Beyond booking your venue and drafting your guest list, this is the perfect time to start researching vendors such as florists, photographers, and caterers. Early research lets you compare options, read reviews, and lock in trusted professionals before they get booked up. Additionally, having a clear idea of your overall wedding theme and budget at this stage will make decisions about colour schemes, décor, and attire much easier down the line.
9–10 Months Before: Choose Your Suit
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Pick Your Suit Style and Colour: Decide whether you’ll go classic, modern, or something unique, and ensure it complements your wedding palette.
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Book a Fitting Appointment: If you're buying a more bespoke suit then early fittings give you time to make adjustments, especially if you plan a tailored look.
When selecting your suit, consider accessories and styling from the start. This includes the type of tie or bow tie, cufflinks, and shoes you might pair with your outfit. Thinking about the overall look now ensures a cohesive style across the wedding party. Also, starting fittings early allows time to explore tailoring options, make minor alterations, and even experiment with different colours or fabrics to find the perfect combination.
6–8 Months Before: Plan Groomsmen Looks
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Coordinate Groomsmen Attire: Decide whether they’ll wear the same suit, complementary colours, or slightly different styles to create visual interest.
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Discuss Accessories: Ties, bow ties, pocket squares, and cufflinks are all key details that tie your wedding colour scheme together.
This is the ideal time to ensure your groomsmen feel involved and look cohesive on the big day. Share your colour scheme and suit ideas with them, and decide whether each groomsman will wear the same suit or complementary styles. Encourage them to get measured early, and consider coordinating small details like ties, pocket squares, or cufflinks to match your wedding palette. Planning ahead ensures everyone looks polished, avoids last-minute stress, and helps create beautiful, coordinated wedding photos.
2–3 Months Before: Order Your Accessories
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Finalise and Order Accessories: Once your suits are confirmed, order ties, bow ties, pocket squares, and cufflinks. At Swagger & Swoon, our custom colour matching service ensures your accessories perfectly complement your wedding palette.
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Plan for Delivery: Production can take anywhere from approx 1 week for standard items, up to 2 months for bespoke items - plus shipping - so allow at least 2 weeks to receive your items in plenty of time for fittings. If you're expecting to want something bespoke and specific - leave as much time as you can to keep your options open!
Ordering accessories early gives you plenty of time to coordinate colours and styles with your wedding palette. This is especially important if your groomsmen will have different accessories to create a cohesive yet individualised look. At Swagger & Swoon, our colour matching service helps you select ties, bow ties, and pocket squares that perfectly complement bridesmaids’ dresses and floral arrangements. Placing your order early also allows for any unexpected delays or last-minute adjustments, giving you peace of mind before the big day.
Starting wedding planning early and following a clear timeline ensures your big day runs smoothly. By prioritizing key tasks—setting your colour scheme, choosing suits, coordinating groomsmen attire, and ordering accessories—you’ll create a cohesive, stylish, and stress-free celebration.
Remember, your accessories are the finishing touch that elevate your wedding day look, and ordering from Swagger & Swoon ensures your ties, pocket squares, and bow ties perfectly match your chosen colours, arriving in time for the wedding day.
