Groomsmen attire cost debate

We decide to make it so it cost BM and gm about the same which meant we subsidized the BM more than the GM. I would have your FH talk you guys, present the rental and purchase options and see what they all think is best?

What about finding a less expensive place for him to purchase the same type/color suit?

We are planning to do the same thing. My fiancé let his guys know pretty much as soon as we got engaged that was the plan. We haven't priced them out yet but he has been in multiple weddings where he rented a tux- $200 for 24 hours. He hates the waste of money and figures you may as well at least get to keep what you're wearing (like BM do). Do the GM have to buy shoes? We're just asking ours to wear black dress shoes.

Perhaps you guys should ask your GM what price point is comfortable for them and then pick a suit in that price range.

It could just be that he feels like he wont wear the suit again and would rather rent it. i feel like at $275 that is quite a bit of $ to spend on some thing that will just sit in the closet, and i am aware that happens all the time with bridesmaid dresses but its also a different mind set between women and men. My FH wouldn't want to buy a suite that would just go to waste

Go to the suit sale at Macys or Nordstroms... You should be able to fund suits for $100.

Why not let them wear their own black dress shoes? Honestly, no one except you is ever going to notice that they are different.

I can appreciate you trying to get them a good deal by having them buy instead of rent but it should be their own choice if they would rather save the extra $75 and rent instead of buy. Also, depending on the suit style and color it could be something that they know they won't ever want to wear again.

Men's Warehouse was one of the more expensive places we looked at for the quality. Check out JC Penny, Macy's and Nordstoms. They have custom tailored italian suits on sale a lot of the time.

Thanks for all the comments. He did notify them that he was planning to do this shortly after asking them to be in the wedding. So the whole purchasing instead of buying was made clear well in advance. But it's a classic gray suit; which I feel is much easier to use again than even the simplist bridesmaid dress. I brought the idea of them just wearing their own black shoe, but my fh has something else in mind. I don't know, we may end up paying for the shoes but selecting something thrifty. I'm just hoping that they get on board to just buy the suit.

I think my fh was just a bit let down by the bm because my fh didn't and wouldn't have made a fuss over cost at the bm wedding.

You all can't find a more affordable suit. $275 is a bit expensive imho. Especially when they still have to buy shoes.

I know its contradictory to what bridesmaids go through, but just because you think that they will wear the grey suit again doesn't mean that they will. i feel like its not very considerate to force them to buy something if they don't want to own it

I think that is a lot of money to ask them to spend. Did you ask them for a budget before you started looking at suits? For my bridesmaids we picked a dress they all said they would wear again and only spent $150. I'm buying jewelry. Hair is optional and the can wear shoes they already have. Even if they do both they probably won't spend $275 total.

Talk with you groomsmen and see what they are comfortable spending, just because you would spend more doesn't mean they can or will. Maybe they don't see buying as a bargain, if they already have suits or won't wear it again they could prefer to rent.

Thanks again for the comments. It's definitely giving us another way to think about this. One thing I didn't ask Men's Warehouse was if they can rent these particular suits. Maybe we can rent some and buy some.

For our wedding both Groomsmen outfit cost and distance to alterations/fittings was an issue. I just knew it wouldn't all come together unless I made it simple. So I just asked the groomsmen to wear black pants, black shoes, black belt, a blue shirt (of any shade) and I provided them with a herringbone tie (I had also bought them jackets but again..issues with getting them all together for fittings just left me to toss them aside). It made it a lot more stress free than the other options. Which I totally get caring and making this a priority but I just wasn't up to that sorta task.

We are planning to do the exact same. We know there won't be an issue with my two brothers but we're a little concerned about FH's brother being able to afford it. We're just going give him enough notice and tell him to start saving. Really, I have too much on my plate to worry about it. If he can't afford it or doesn't want to, he doesn't have to be in the wedding.

We are having our guys purchase from Men's Wearhouse, but only the pants and vest for $150. They can buy the jacket if they want to get the full suit for $275. Any chance pants and vest would go with your look?

Also, we had a groomsman drop out last minute because of cost (not just attire but travel as well).

I'm having a similar issue. Our braidal party was originally 3 groomsmen and 5 bridesmaids. two of the bridesmaid's husbands have became closer to my FH since we originally picked groomsmen. Bridesmaid 1 mentioned a couple of times her husband being a groomsman and how great it would be so they could walk in together and we could have even numbers if BM2's husband was also a groomsman. So we thought great idea and asked both husbands. Now BM1's husband is saying the $200 rental is too steep of a price for him to pay but he would do it if we paid. I paid for the BM dresses and they are free to do whatever they want with hair,makeup,nails,shoes,jewelry,etc. I felt like I was being very accomodating to the couples involved so they don't have to double spend on the wedding. But now I'm not sure what to do with the rental being too expensive for the husband of the BM who thought of the idea.