Black and white elegance and a touch of color on the tie, the man in the tuxedo can be very pleasing to look at. My fiance doesn’t get dressed up that often so I am looking forward to seeing him in the tuxedo of his choice on our wedding day. I want him to be comfortable, look sharp, and not feel like he broke the bank by wearing the tuxedo. These are the qualities that we will look for when selecting the tuxedo.

              I started to research the tuxedo industry to see what my fiance, Colby, had in store for himself.  I discovered that the tuxedo isn’t as simple as I thought it would be. There are numerous styles, designers, and ways to add color by adding bow ties, cumberbunds, and vests. There are also special touches to spice the tuxedo up such as adding a top hat, suspenders, or handkerchief to the breast pocket.

                My fiance is more interested in renting than buying because he doesn’t like to get dressed up often enough to buy one. This of course is the more inexpensive option for the wedding day which is appealing to him too. There are numerous places to rent tuxedos from ma and pop shops to stores that are part of a more corporate industry. I decided to research the latter.

                      I checked out the websites for two larger vendors, Mr. Tux and Men’s Warehouse. I also checked out numerous reviews of these vendors on websites like Yelp, Shared Reviews, and Citysearch. All three of these sites give people the opportunity to share their opinions and experiences of a store so that others can decide whether or not to shop there. I did keep in mind that more often, the people that write on these sites are frustrated and want to vent than express their gratitude. 

                   Both places require you to come in to their store and have a consultation which would include selecting the style of your choice and getting measured for the proper fit. Once you have the right tuxedo you are given a date to come and pick the tuxedo up. After reading the reviews I highly recommend picking the tux up a few days prior to the wedding and trying the tuxedo on when you pick it up. If there are any problems then you have some time for the store to fix the problem. The last part of the procedure for rentals is to make sure you return it. I also recommend that you look into this part of the procedure because most places will charge you if you don’t return it on time. Beware of the hours of the store and the time you will have to get there to return it!

         Mr. Tux and Men’s Warehouse both have multiple locations to rent from in the United States. This makes it easier for out of town groomsmen to rent and recieve the same tux and special deals. They both also have a wide selection of tuxes and have experience because they have been in the business for numerous years (Men’s Warehouse 30 years, Mr. Tux 65 years). I believe that both offer a special deal if five groomsmen rent their tuxes than the groom gets to rent his for free.

              Based on the reviews that I read it seems that Men’s Warehouse is great at quick service and helping people out that are in a bind. They have a reputation of being the market leader in tuxedo rentals nationwide. Mr. Tux is great at fitting all sizes and is more accommodating to a later return date. People were also pleased with the drop box that is available for returns if the store is closed. In both locations the quality of service depended upon who you spoke to. Some people were very happy with it and others were not.

           All this research has given me a better idea of what Colby will look like on our wedding day. I can picture Colby standing at the end of the aisle on our wedding day. Before the tears erupt I can see him standing there in a three button notch lapel, a blue vest that matches the bridesmaids dresses, rose pinned to his jacket, clean shaven, and a big grin on his face as he sees me walking toward him.

                I can’t wait for that day and most of all I can’t wait for that moment. The tux is a piece of that moment. A piece of the memory that I hope to remember for the rest of my life.