Father of the bride, and the guest who is not the groom

Questions people ask

What should the father of the bride wear?

A suit that sits beside the wedding party rather than among it: a related tone at a different depth, charcoal beside a navy party or navy beside a grey one. Correct in the formal photographs, comfortable through the speeches, and nothing louder than the groom is wearing. In Bangkok that usually means a mid-grey or navy suit. You are also on your feet for most of the day and seated through the speeches, so comfort matters more here than at almost any other wedding role.

Should I match the groomsmen?

No. Matching the party’s cloth reads as an oversight in the photographs rather than as a decision, because you are standing in a different place in every group shot. Choose a related colour at a different depth. It looks deliberate, and it keeps the party reading as a party. Charcoal beside a navy party, or navy beside a grey one.

Can I wear the suit I already own?

If it has been tried on recently and still fits, yes. A suit that has not been worn in two years is a risk rather than a saving, and the day it fails is the day you cannot do anything about it. Bring it in and try it on rather than judging it on the hanger. If it can be altered you will be told, and an alteration is two to three days rather than the three weeks a new suit needs.

What colour works best in the heat?

Mid-greys and navies. They photograph honestly under both daylight and ballroom lighting, and they hide what a hot afternoon does to a shirt. Very dark cloth loses its detail indoors and very light cloth shows every crease from the car. The weight matters more than the colour, and it is a decision to make with the cloth in your hands. A lighter cloth in an unlined or half-lined jacket is noticeably cooler for an outdoor ceremony.

What should a male guest wear to a Thai wedding?

Read the invitation first and the hour second. Nothing stated and a daytime ceremony means a suit. Black tie on the card means a dinner jacket. Beyond that the two rules are: do not wear the wedding party’s cloth, and do not outdress the groom. Guests consistently underestimate how often they appear in the photographs. For the morning ceremony, if there is one, dress modestly and wear shoes that come off easily, because you will be seated on the floor for parts of it.

Should I wear a waistcoat?

Only if the groom is not, or if the party has settled on it and included you. A three-piece is more formal and considerably warmer, which matters at an outdoor ceremony in Bangkok. If you want the formality without the heat, the answer is usually a better-cut two-piece rather than a third layer. If you do want one, a back cut in lining rather than suit cloth is standard practice and roughly halves the weight of the garment.

How far ahead should I start?

Three weeks before the wedding, on the same countdown as the party: measurements and cloth three weeks out, a first fitting at about two weeks, a second about a week before. If you are being fitted alongside the groomsmen, come in on the same visit; it is one trip rather than two and the fittings can be booked as a block. Coming in with the party also means you are measured in the same light and against the same cloth books, which is the easiest way to end up a deliberate step apart rather than an accidental one.

Do you make women’s outfits for the wedding too?

Yes. Jackets, trousers, shirts and dresses are made on the same method and the same timetable as the men’s tailoring. Mother of the bride and the women in the party are often fitted in the same visit as everyone else, which is the easiest way to keep one family on one schedule. If it matters to anyone in the party whether a woman on the team takes the measurements, ask on WhatsApp before travelling.