Q Do all of the broomsmen* need to wear the same suit?? Is it OK to tell them to just pick a black pants suit and white button up or do we need to specify type, style, and brand? Two of them will wear women’s and one would wear men’s, so how would we coordinate that? I worry about our pictures if we let them all choose their own! Help!!
A You’re right to worry. Take control (they’ll appreciate your guidance)! Sending them off in their own direction for selecting the same shade of black from umpteen different stores will absolutely result in a gradient of tones for your photos.
It might not matter as much what they wear if you were having them don suits in say, blue or green, where different shades would be OK. But the black suits should match.
Find a style you and your partner like for each set (the ones who are wearing women’s suits and the one who is wearing a man’s), and write down the brand, style number and price, snap a couple of photos on your phone, and e-mail the info and photo to the appropriate broomsmen.
The other option that I like even better is your partner takes her broomsmen shopping for the day. You can pre-select styles for her, if you’re not exactly sure what she’d pick out on her own. The bonding experience for them will be fun, and it’s just another celebration of the wedding to come.
Where to shop? We’ve had excellent luck with the gay-friendly stores of Macy’s and Neiman Marcus (with women shopping in the men’s department, etc.), so you don’t necessarily need to send them to a specialty suit shop if you don’t want to. For gay-friendly clothing stores in your area, check out our Local Resources marketplace.
* A broom is Equally Wed’s term for a masculine bride.
Kirsten Ott Palladino is the editor-in-chief and cofounder of Equally Wed, the nation’s premier online magazine for gay and lesbian weddings and honeymoons. Follow her @kirs10palladino and subscribe to her newsfeed on Facebook.
