What’s the Difference Between a Tuxedo and a Wedding Suit and How To Determine Which One to Wear at My Wedding?

Confused about how to know whether you should wear a tuxedo or a suit? You’re not alone. While both a tuxedo vs suit consists of trousers, a jacket, a dress shirt and typically a tie, you’ll want to make sure you know which to wear when (hint: it’s all based on formality). Whether you’re tying the knot or you’ve been invited to attend a wedding, we break down when to wear a tuxedo vs. suit below.

Tuxedo vs Suit: What’s the Difference? 

Now that we’ve got your attention, let’s dive into exactly what constitutes a tuxedo vs suit.

What is a Tuxedo? 

Put simply: a tuxedo is type of suit worn with formalwear. A tuxedo is considered the second-to-most formal type of suit in traditional menswear and is mostly worn at black-tie events. Satin lapels, a satin side stripe on the pant and cuff links, along with a bow tie, are common.

Just so you know, there are many different types of tuxedos to choose from should you decide that’s the route you want to go. Also worth noting: While traditionally associated with men’s formalwear, there are tuxedos for women and nonbinary individuals as well.

What is a Suit? 

A suit should be familiar. It’s basically a jacket and matching trousers made from the same fabric. While suits are versatile and can be dressed up or down, they’re typically used for many formal occasions as well as professional settings. There are countless suit styles, but our favorite types of suits are single-breasted suits, double-breasted suits and three-piece suits.

Suit vs Tux: The Differences 

Okay, now it’s time to break down exactly what makes a tux different from a suit. We’re looking at formality levels, style, accessories and price.

Formality 

When thinking about whether to wear a tuxedo vs suit, formality is king. A tuxedo is worn for black-tie events. A suit, on the other hand, can handle many different levels of formal occasions including business and daytime events. With that in mind, you can typically dress down a suit for a semi-formal wedding or something along the lines of dressy-casual. But you can’t wear a tuxedo in that type of setting. With all that in mind, your best bet when determining whether to wear a tuxedo vs suit is to pay close attention to the dress code for the wedding or event you’re attending. If it’s a white-tie or black-tie event, you must wear a tuxedo. If it’s a black-tie optional affair, then you’re not required to wear a tux, but you should still dress up with a suit style more formally. If you’re dressing for an event with a dress code of cocktail attire or lower on the formality scale (think casual attire), you cannot wear a tuxedo. You can wear a suit though, depending on the aesthetic you’re going for.

One bit of fashion we want to address are men who wonder if they can wear a black suit vs black tux. If you’ve been invited to a wedding or celebration that’s black-tie or fish tie optional, then yes you can wear a black suit. However, if you’re attending a white-tie or black-tie event, it’s a tuxedo or nothing.

Style 

We already pointed out that tuxedos and suits have distinct formal attire requirements, but let’s break down the actual style of each. A suit consists of a jacket and pants, sometimes with the addition of a vest. Fabrics vary depending on what you’re looking for, but suit materials can range from linen to cotton to flannel. As we mentioned above, a tux has satin lapels and a satin side stripe down the pant. Other than that, a tuxedo’s look is similar to that of a traditional suit jacket and trousers.

Accessories 

The biggest difference between a suit and tuxedo is the required accessories that must be worn with each. A tuxedo should always be worn with a tuxedo shirt, bow tie, and patent leather or highly polished dress shoes. With suits, you have more flexibility. They can be worn with a traditional dress shirt, necktie and classic leather dress shoes.

Since shirts for tuxedos have special attachments for cufflinks and replace buttons with decorative studs, you’ll want to make sure you’re wearing cufflinks with your tuxes as well as a matching bow tie. Just keep in mind that traditionally, men who wear tuxedos wear them with a cummerbund as well.

Price 

When it comes to price, you’re going to spend more money on a new tuxedo vs suit. On average, you can buy a new suit for about $200, where a tux starts at around $300. Instead of buying you can always go in a rental suit or tux if you want to save money. The best store to rent suits and tuxedos in Albuquerque, NM is Suits Unlimited. They have tuxedo rentals starting at under $150 for the complete package. You also can grab a high-quality suit for $199.

If you’re trying to decide between buying a suit vs tuxedo, keep these things in mind:

• Will you wear it again? Before deciding, think about how often you attend formal and ultra-formal events. “While both should be fitted properly, a suit can be worn multiple times for work and events, making it a worthwhile investment. While you can certainly wear a tuxedo more than once, they are typically worn less frequently and need specific accessories,” Jackson explains.

• Is it worth the investment? Consider your budget to determine if spending more on a tuxedo or less on a suit makes more sense for you and your wallet. Keep in mind that tuxedos are an investment piece. Sure, you may not wear your tuxedo often, but if you purchase a good one that fits well, you’ll have one less thing to worry about when you need to attend a black-tie event.

• Consider a rental?  If you don’t want to make the investment, you don’t have to! Renting a tuxedo is a great way to pull together a look without breaking the bank. Most places will allow you to rent a tux with all accoutrements for around $150. If you think you’ll wear your new tuxedo at least two times, then it’s worth buying it.

When to Wear a Suit vs Tuxedo to a Wedding

If you ask us, the dress code will always determine whether you should wear a tuxedo or suit for a wedding. We recommend checking the wedding invitation or wedding website for dress code details first. However, if you want more detail than that, read on for our breakdown of when to wear a tux vs suit.

Tuxedos for Wedding Guests and Suit for Wedding Guests

If You’re Wearing a Suit or Tux as the Groom

Typically, if you’re the groom, you’ll wear whatever suit or tuxedo makes you feel great! Don’t be afraid to wow the crowd (literally everyone will be looking at you) in a tuxedo at a wedding that doesn’t require formalwear, because let’s face it: wedding tuxes are cool. Say you found the suit you’ve been dreaming of, and it happens to tie in with one of the current wedding suit trends? Buy it. The point is to wear a suit or tuxedo that makes you feel fabulous on your wedding day.

There is only really one instance like the groom where you’ll have to wear a tuxedo vs suit: if the wedding you’re getting married at specifies a formal dress code, such as white-tie or black tie. Then yes, you should wear a tuxedo. After all, if you’re asking guests to dress to the nines, you should too.

Shop: Make sure everyone is staring at you when you strut down the aisle in one of these white tuxedo jackets or suit jackets.

You are a Member of the Wedding Party 

The bride and groom typically decide the dress code for themselves and their wedding party. If they want the wedding party to don tuxedos, then that’s what you’ll wear. It’s also not uncommon for couples to ask the wedding party to wear suits while they wear a tuxedo for a semi formal wedding. Rule of thumb: If you are a member of the wedding party, check with the couple on what they want you to wear.

You’re a Wedding Guest 

If you’re simply a guest at a wedding, you follow the same guidelines as mentioned above. White-tie or black-tie wedding = tuxedo is required. For black tie optional events, it’s always safer to wear a tuxedo to a wedding than to dress too casually. When in doubt, reach for a suit. Remember, unless you’re the bride or groom, overdressing is a fashion don’t at weddings.