The coordination principles — what to share and what to vary
The groom should be visually distinguished from the wedding party — but connected to it. The most effective approach is for the groom to wear a garment in a slightly richer colour, a different cloth, or a more embellished version of the general party theme. If the groomsmen are in navy bandhgalas, the groom might be in a navy sherwani with gold embroidery. If the groomsmen are in charcoal suits, the groom might be in a matching-quality ivory or champagne suit. The distinction should be clear but not jarring — the groom belongs to the group while standing above it.
For Indian weddings, a very effective approach is for the groom to wear the sherwani and for the brothers and groomsmen to wear matching or coordinating bandhgalas in the same cloth family. The sherwani's length and embellishment naturally marks the groom as the principal; the bandhgalas keep the party connected to him without competing.
The practical approach — commissioning the whole party
Commissioning a wedding party at The Black Lapel begins with the groom's consultation. Once the groom's outfit is decided — cloth, colour, cut and level of embellishment — we establish the party palette and take measurements for all groomsmen in a single session. All garments are made simultaneously to the same quality standard and finished together so alterations can be done in group sessions rather than individual appointments scattered over weeks.
The groomsmen's outfits are typically in a complementary cloth and colour at a slightly lower degree of embellishment. They are made bespoke from individual measurements — which is the only way to ensure that all members of a wedding party of different sizes and shapes look equally well-dressed. A groomsmen suit that fits four out of six people will look wrong in every photograph that includes the other two.