How To Nail Your Beach Wedding Groom Attire

When it comes to beach weddings, groom attire is the Wild West. It's the setting in which a groom has the most freedom of choice, fashion-wise. Grooms can prioritize comfort over formality, experiment with fabrics, and even eschew a proper wedding suit entirely for something unconventional. With such a wealth of choices, though, it's easy to get overwhelmed when it comes time to select a wedding day 'fit. Should one go the beach formal route with linen suiting or take a hard left and try to find a way to make Bermuda shorts work at the altar? Whatever your destination, we've got you covered with some of the best beach wedding attire for grooms.

In this article:

• How to Choose Beach Wedding Groom Attire
• Where to Buy Beach Wedding Attire for the Groom
• Editor's Picks: Beach Wedding Groom Outfit Ideas

How to Choose Beach Wedding Groom Attire

Grooms looking to dress for a beach wedding have myriad options. Bride and groom beach wedding attire is the rare wedding dress code where it's hard to be underdressed. The main factors a groom needs to consider are the dress code for the wedding guests (you do you but I'm going to assume you don't want them showing up in Speedps) and the weather (things can get breezy so consider the chill factor). You can mix suit separates, go for a less formal fit, and even experiment with footwear (or lack of) that you could never get away with at a more traditional wedding.

Beach Wedding Suits for Grooms

Just because a beach wedding offers the opportunity to dress down doesn't mean a groom must do so. Suits (and even tuxedos) at beach weddings aren't uncommon—you just need to make sure the suit or tux is beach-friendly. For a suit, this can mean going with lightweight four-season wools or something more seasonal like a linen or seersucker number. This is also a situation in which you can dress a suit up or down as much as you'd like - if you want to leave the tie in the hotel room, it's totally cool. Tuxes don't traditionally come in materials like linen, so stick with a lightweight wool blend.

Beach Casual Groom Separates

Mixing suiting separates is a pro move for grooms celebrating on the beach. Suiting skews on the dressy-casual side of wedding dress codes and gives a groom a chance to play around with colors, fabrics, and textures. If you're going the casual separates route, reach for a reliable blazer or jacket over a dress shirt and pair it with chinos. Linen pants are also an excellent option.

Sand-Friendly Shoes (Or No Shoes!)

Shoes may be the single hardest call to make when dressing for a beach wedding. Getting married on the sand and near the water means that for reasons related to both comfort and cleanliness, your nicest lace-up dress shoes might not be the choice. If you're saying your vows on the sand, wear something you don't mind getting dirty (or at least something that can easily be cleaned). The good news is that beach weddings are the perfect time to ditch the socks. As such, loafers are a great alternative to lace-ups. You're also free to go with far more casual footwear. Canvas sneakers like Vans are always a good look (and stylish as hell) while a nice pair of sandals or slip-ons can also complete the look.

Beach Wedding Groom Accessories

Accessories are quietly the key to leveling up a great beach wedding groom outfit. Because of the setting and the lax dress code, there's a whole world of extras grooms can experiment with. Silk scarves and bandanas can serve equal parts function and fashion while bohemian jewelry or wide-brim hats can also look right at home at a beach wedding. You can even incorporate the setting into more traditional groom accessories, such as with a nautical-print tie or anchor cufflinks.

Where to Buy Beach Wedding Attire for the Groom

There are plenty of traditional menswear retailers who stock great pieces for beach weddings. However, if you're looking to go straight to the source, there are a few suit brands and other menswear destinations that specialize in beach-ready fashion that's sure to have grooms looking killer for waterfront weddings.

Tombolo Co.

Grooms looking to skip the suit and go for something altogether more singular should check out Tombolo Co. The brand has been reviving cabana style over the last few years with selections of luxe toweling shirts, shorts, and breezy polos. A groom's party could look killer in matching shirt/shorts sets, while their wider selection features tons of flashy pieces that would look great incorporated into more traditional outfits (a zip-up toweling polo with chinos and slip-ons would be sharp, just saying). You can also put together a full look from their site for just a little bit more than it costs to rent a tuxedo.

Sabah

Sabah specializes in their signature leather slip-ons, a sort of upscaled version of the TOMS shoes everyone was wearing in the late 2000s–in other words, the perfect shoe for grooms who don't want to go barefoot for their wedding but feel strange wearing dress shoes on the beach. They're available in a wide array of colors and materials which makes them easy to incorporate into just about any outfit. You can pair them with a suit or with a Cuban shirt and shorts. Sabahs' shoes are also the sort of piece grooms can get a lot of wear out of after their weddings (and they only look better with creasing, patina, and wear). There's nothing stopping anyone from wearing these on a grocery run a few weeks after the big day.

Todd Snyder

I'll stop recommending that grooms shop at Todd Snyder when Todd Snyder stops making weddingwear perfect for pretty much every occasion, including beach weddings. Whichever route a groom is going on their wedding day, Todd Snyder has them covered. From beach-friendly linen suits to luxe knit polos for a more casual look, they remain a one-stop shop for grooms looking to show up to their wedding looking their best. The brand is on the slightly pricier side compared to the J. Crews and Banana Republics of large-scale retail, but the quality is worth it for grooms who fall in love with any of the brand's pieces.

Banana Republic

Speaking of which, if you're suiting up for a beach wedding there are few mall brands better to turn to than Banana Republic. Their suiting is everything a groom could want for a destination beachfront ceremony. We're talking flowy linen pants, double-breasted beauties, and colors that think outside the box and fit the scene of a beach wedding perfectly.

Abercrombie

Believe it or not, Abercrombie's reinvention over the last few years has made it a reliable hub for dependable menswear staples. They tend to stay on the cutting edge of trends and provide quality menswear at affordable prices. Their place in the beach weddingwear world comes in their knit polos. These are incredibly popular pieces, in general, these days and fit right in with beach wedding wardrobes. You can pick them up at Abercrombie for well under a hundred bucks and lock in the perfect beach wedding groom outfit.

Dandy Del Mar

The modern king of beachy resortwear, Dandy Del Mar has everything you need to dress for a beach wedding. Swanky linen suiting? Check. Knit polos that scream old money? Got 'em. Trendy swim trunks for hopping in the ocean after the ceremony? Their specialty. Be careful–while browsing their website you may find yourself adding an entire new wardrobe to your cart.

Editor's Picks: Beach Wedding Groom Outfit Ideas

Beach weddings remain one of the most fun dress codes to shop for given the number of options grooms have when it comes time to get dressed. Whether you're suiting up or dressing down, here are some of my favorite beach wedding outfit ideas for grooms.

The Essential Linen Suit: Bonobos Jetsetter Linen Suit

Photo: Bonobos

If you're going to rock a suit for a beach wedding, linen is the move. It's lightweight and breathable, perfect for making sure you stay cool without sacrificing a formal look. Bonobos's Italian linen suit is the perfect beachfront wedding fit. It's perfectly proportioned from a breezy linen and comes in an array of lovely neutral shades.

A Double-Breasted Linen Suit: Suitsupply Light Brown Havana Suit

Photo: Suitsupply

Suitsupply's double-breasted Havana suit is the best cut in their arsenal. This edition, made from pure linen, is the perfect beach wedding suit for grooms looking to go the double-breasted route–the wide lapels are right in line with our 2024 suiting trends.

A Great Linen Dress Shirt: J. Crew Baird McNutt Irish Linen Shirt

Photo: J. Crew

A linen shirt is the right call for grooms getting married on the beach. J. Crew's is as good and affordable an option as you're going to find, with plenty of customization options in terms of fit and style and just about any color or pattern you can imagine. You can pair these with suits, shorts, and everything in between.

The Best Beach Wedding Pants: Percival Casual Linen Everyday Trousers

Photo: Percival

You can throw on Percival's lowkey linen trousers with your wedding fit (a knit polo, a dress shirt, whatever you've selected) and trust that it'll look the part. But these are also one of those pieces of weddingwear that you can get a ton of wear out of after the ceremony–they'll look just as good with a tee shirt and sandals at the hotel pool the next day.

Baltic Blue Suede Sabah

Photo: Sabah

Sabah's signature shoe is available in a ton of different colors and materials, but for a beach wedding, the move is to slip on a suede pair. This "something blue" colorway is perfect for walking down a sandy aisle.

The Casual Cuban Shirt of Your Dreams: Cubavera Linen Guayabera Shirt

Photo: Cubavera

The Guayabera is the proper name for a traditional Cuban shirt. They're a staple of beach weddings and Cubavera makes them as well as anyone in the game these days. Their classic Guayabera is available in a wide swatch of colors and sizing, making it an easy pick for grooms looking for a classic beach wedding outfit.

A Cozy Knit Polo: Abercrombie Striped Stitched Johnny Collar Sweater

Photo: Abercrombie

You can't go wrong with a knit polo in any environment these days, especially a beach wedding. If you're going to go for the look, try Abercrombie's take on it with this chunky knitted sweater polo. You'll look great while wearing something that's basically on par with a hoodie in terms of how comfy and cozy it is (don't worry, we won't snitch).

The Boldest Beach Fit Possible: Tombolo Co. Crouching Tiger Set

Photo: Tombolo Co.

The kings of cabanawear at Tombolo Co. have never looked better than this number paying homage to a king of the jungle. The Crouching Tiger set is the brand at its best: kitschy, leisurely, and stylish as hell. Grooms looking to make the impression of a lifetime can do so easily by walking down the aisle in this matching set.

A Suave Silk Scarf: Dandy Del Mar Moorea Silk Scarf

Photo: Dandy Del Mar

If you're trying to lean into the old-school leisure vibes a beach wedding provides the setting for, you've gotta ditch the conventional tie and go with a silk scarf instead. Get one with a cool geometric pattern like this number from leisurewear kings Dandy Del Mar and tie it up like an ascot. I promise you'll look more like Mick Jagger than Fred from Scooby-Doo.

Don't Forget the Shades: Ray Ban Classic Aviator Sunglasses

Photo: Ray Ban

One thing about the beach: it's bright out there. Protect your peepers in classic fashion with Ray Ban's legendary aviator sunglasses. They go great with any outfit–just make sure to take them off when you're delivering your vows, okay?

The Secret Weapon Tank Top: Dandy Del Mar Milan Rib Tank

Photo: Dandy Del Mar

I'd never suggest you wear this by itself to a beach wedding, but a quality ribbed tank (emphasis on quality–leave the 6-pack variety you've worn to threads over the last few years at home) is an essential piece that can be utilized countless ways. Wear this under a terry-cloth zip-up, a linen dress shirt, a knit polo, or even under a linen suit if you're going for a rock-star vibe on the waterfront. It's the perfect layering piece and my pick for your beach wedding wardrobe's secret weapon.