Hey Long Island Grooms, Let’s Rent a Wedding Tuxedo!
Groom and his sister wearing matching wedding rental tuxedos. © Dan Wagner 2023
Before renting your wedding tuxedo, you need to know when to rent, how much to pay, how to make sure it fits, and where to rent a tux on Long Island. Even if you’ve helped friends and family rent tuxedos, it can still seem overwhelming when you’re renting your own. Worse yet, suppose your dad tries to pressure you into wearing his old wedding tuxedo!
After all, you’re not just renting a tuxedo, you’re renting a dream. Your wedding tuxedo has to live up to the expectations you’ve had since childhood. More than that—you want everyone to love it as much as you do. From the first time your future wife see’s you waiting for her at the end of the aisle, to the first and last dances, you want to have zero regrets about the wedding tuxedo you’ve rented.
But guess what? The most important thing you’ll be wearing on your wedding day is your joy—that’s what matters! So what if your best man is elbowing you in the ribs and your groomsmen are trying to crack you up in the middle of your wedding ceremony? Confession—please don’t blame me for repurposing the copy I wrote for shopping for a wedding gown. I figure it’s the 2020’s, so why not. Plus it made me laugh!
Back to biz, hopefully, this blog article about what you need to know before renting a wedding tuxedo on Long Island will provide some useful information. Please view my other helpful tuxedo rental article, 10 Best Tuxedo Rentals on Long Island.
Groom and groomsmen in their rented tuxedos. © Dan Wagner 2023
10 Best Long Island Wedding Tuxedo Rental FAQs
What happens if I damage my wedding tuxedo rental? In many cases, depending on your rental agreement, easy-to-repair damages are included. However, tuxedo damages that can’t be repaired will incur replacement fees.
What happens if I fail to return the rental tuxedo, or any of the included rental items? Naturally, the renter would be required to pay replacement fees.
How much will I be charged for returning the rental tuxedo late? This too depends upon your rental agreement. Generally the late fees run about $20 per day.
When is it okay to wear a white dinner jacket? Generally it’s from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
When can I wear a tailcoat? Tailcoats, or 'tails,' are are only worn for evening events. They generally require a white pique shirt, a white pique vest and a matching bow tie. Invitations that call for tailcoats may read 'Black Tie No Option' or 'White Tie.'
What is a cutaway? A cutaway is a black or gray coat without satin lapels—also known as a 'morning coat' because it should not be worn after sundown. The gray coat is worn with gray striped slacks, and is the traditional attire for morning weddings. The black coat goes with black tuxedo slacks and is acceptable for any part of the day.
What is a black tie wedding? A black tie wedding invitation is a more forceful request than 'Black Tie Optional.' It means you should wear formal attire such as a tuxedo and accessories.
Should the groom and groomsmen wear matching tuxedos? That’s up to you. Personally, I think they should. However, it’s fun for the groom and groomsmen to show their individuality by wearing a unique vest, tie, pocket square, jewelry, and / or socks.
Are cummerbunds and vests important? Currently, they’re very popular. The nice thing about cummerbunds and vests is that they help maintain the well-dressed look when the jacket is removed. Cummerbunds and vests will help make your wedding dancing photos extra special!
Should I wear my rented wedding tuxedo to the bachelor party my groomsmen are throwing for me in Las Vegas? Wow, that’s up to you! That’s one question I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot stripper pole! Now I’ve heard everything!
Groom, groomsmen jumping for joy in their rented seersucker suits. © Dan Wagner 2023
What Do I Need to Know Before Choosing a Long Island Tuxedo Rental?
Great Question! From my point of view, it’s not just about whether a wedding tuxedo rental place has the style and size tuxedo you’re interested in, but what the quality and experience of renting from them will be like.
Wedding tuxedo rental reviews are extremely important! When reading reviews for a Long Island tuxedo rental place I look for repeating patterns such as bogus reasons why a tuxedo rental wasn’t ready on time, and other issues such as bad fittings.
Are their tuxedo rentals in good condition? Or do they look worn and tired? Do their tuxedos have any shiny areas?
Does the tuxedo rental place you’re considering have good rental terms? Will you have enough time to return the tuxedos. Do they offer damage insurance?
Is your wedding tuxedo rental place friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to deal with? How long will you have to wait for alterations?
Does the tuxedo rental place have tuxedos for your boy ring bearers? Having one tuxedo rental place that offers adult and children tuxedo rentals makes it easier than working with multiple vendors.
Groom and groomsmen looking great in their wedding tuxes. © Dan Wagner 2023
How Much Will My Wedding Tuxedo Rental Cost?
According to Men’s Warehouse, tuxedo rental costs range from $99 to over $200 depending upon the tuxedo package and style. Like the saying goes, “You get what you pay for, and you pay for what you get.”
In addition to renting wedding tuxedos, your groomsmen may also require dress shoes, cufflinks, and vests.
How Can I Save Money on My Long Island Wedding Tuxedo Rental Cost?
Order as early as possible to save money on rush fees.
See if your tuxedo rental place offers group discounts.
Consider renting suits instead of tuxedos. This is a good option for less formal weddings. And for beach weddings, anything goes!
If you frequently attend formal events, or have a lot friends who want you to be a groomsman at their wedding, then you might be able to save can save a lot of money by simply buying a tuxedo, dress shoes, and cufflinks. Unfortunately, this approach will only work if the groomsmen at the wedding are wearing a similar style tuxedo. If you’re lucky, you might only need to rend a vest and bow tie to match the other groomsmen.
Long Island ring bearers in their rented tuxes. © Dan Wagner 2023
What Should I Look for and Do When Renting a Wedding Tuxedo?
Do they have a good website? Why? Because wedding tuxedo rental places and other wedding vendors shouldn’t have a disorganized website—that’s just good common sense. Tuxedo rental websites with online fit evaluation are especially useful.
Make sure to button the jacket of your tuxedo after alterations. You want to make sure it’s comfortable.
Wear the same tee shirt you plan on wearing at the wedding. Also wear a pair of shoes with the same heel height so your pant legs will be the correct length.
It’s a good idea to bring the bride and a good friend with you when you look at wedding rental tuxedos. This way, you can make sure the bride is happy, and also have someone to take photos so you can see how you look.
4 Simple Tips for Long Island Wedding Tuxedo Photography
As a Long Island wedding photographer, I was told by my mentor, the late great Bart Stevens, that I should always ask the men to put the hand closest to camera in their pants pocket. This is accomplished by placing the hand under the jacket.
When buttoning a single breasted jacket, you should only button the middle button.
Attaching a boutonniere is best accomplished with the jacket off. It’s funny how many people struggle to attach their boutonniere while wearing their jacket.
This tip is for wedding photographers. In Photoshop, selecting a plus 1, 2, or 3 in the shadow adjustment setting will help bring out the details in a black tuxedo. Similar adjustments can be made during Raw file processing. Sometimes you’ll want to do a feather selection to avoid changing the shadows in other areas of the photo.
Stay tuned for more Long Island wedding photography blog articles!
Every Bride and Groom Deserve Beautiful Wedding Photos!
Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences about the renting a tuxedo on Long Island in the comment box below. Have a wonderful wedding, and many thanks for visiting my Long Island wedding photographer blog!