How to Steal Harry & Meghan’s Royal Wedding Style

All royal wedding images issue by The Royal Family via Facebook & Instagram

It’s official! Harry and Meghan (aka the Duke and Duchess of Sussex) are married! And with a guest list that meshed Hollywood royalty with actual royalty, the Royal Wedding 2018 is certain to go down as the wedding of the year. I’ve seen lots of mixed opinions about Meghan Markle’s wedding dress and big day style in general but I personally LOVED it – I think the gown was incredibly chic and looked stunnning on her, and that she accessorised it to perfection. I have a feeling it’ll go down as being just as iconic as the gown Princess Catherine wore a few years ago, and I have no doubt that many brides-to-be will be influenced by Meghan’s minimalist elegance, both at the wedding ceremony itself, and at the evening reception, where she wore a halter neck gown and aquamarine cocktail ring. Want to get a bit of Markle sparkle for your big day? Or get your groom kitted out like Harry (minus the military uniform, unless he’s actual in the forces, obvs)? We’ve got you covered! From jewellery to dresses to a classic black tux, here are ten ways you can steal a bit of Harry and Meghan’s wedding style for yourself. *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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Well Groomed: The Beach Wedding

Happy Saturday y’all! It’s been a week of hectic jetlag and post-travel lurgy for me, but before I move on to next week’s loveliness (and some exciting reveals!) I wanted to share a bit of beachy inspiration with you all- and this one’s for the boys. The fact is, beach weddings can be a difficult dress code to crack, both for grooms and their parties (and even for male guests).  A suit too smart for sand? Shorts too casual for an important occasion? It’s hard to find the right balance, but fortunately there are lots of stylish grooms both in our own archives and across the web to give the lads some inspiration. I’ve noticed that it really comes down to personal taste – for example, some grooms go all out and take their black tie to the beach, while others jump at the opportunity to wear shorts and sandals. As with all the best groomswear, I think it comes down to personal taste – a little tweak on a favourite summer look – but with a bowtie here and a well-cut open shirt there, just about any combination can be made to work handsomely. And when in doubt, a light linen trouser and white shirt will never serve you wrong. Here are 20 groom’s parties who rocked their tropical look.

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Best of 2015: Groomswear

Afternoon, lovelies! This morning was all about the ladies, as we rounded up our favourite wedding dresses, but now it’s the boys’ turn – and what a stylish lot the boys have been this year! From formal to casual and everything in between, and from matching parties to cleverly mismatched groom & groomsmen, it seems like the guys are really getting into their wedding day look these days. Long may it last! While men’s fashion changes a bit more slowly than its female counterpart, coloured suits continue to be strong, and bowties are definitely (finally!) having their day here in South Africa. I’ve seen a lot fewer tuxes, but beautiful formal suits have taken their place, for the most part, and braces are always a favourite, especially with the groomsmen. And finally, look out for plenty of non-flower boutonniere creativity, where lasercut especially has made it possible to express wedding theme or personality by what’s on your lapel.

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Well Groomed: Tweed Suits

This afternoon, we’re off to the English countryside. Tally ho! Or at least, that’s what it feels like, with this particular trend in groomswear that just happens to be perfect for an autumn wedding. The look is all British heritage – tweed, herringbone, waistcoats, blazers – even cravats. I think of it as ‘country pursuits’, as in “I’m jolly well going clay pigeon shooting after this wedding chaps, or possibly for a stroll on the estate”. The good news is, you don’t actually have to be a lord of the manor to pull it off – it’s all about those warm, heavy fabrics, and pairing them the right way to suit the overall style and level of formality for your wedding. Whether just the groom goes for a tweed suit, or whether the look is extended to the whole set of groomsmen, here are a few ways to make it work.

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Best of 2014: Groom & Groomsmen’s Style

Happy Friday, lovelies! And happy last-day-of-work for so many of you. Today we’re focusing on the boys, and you guys, this has DEFINITELY been the year when grooms have started to really hold their own in the fashion stakes. From coloured suits (in a good way!) to smart casual and casual looks for less formal weddings, and of course, original boutonnieres. And it’s also been the year of the bowtie in South Africa – a few years back I predicted these would be a huge trend and then noted it hadn’t happened, but apparently it just took our boys a little longer to fall in love with a look that many American grooms were already rocking. This year I have seen loads of bowties, and I love them! Another key look this year is the ‘country gentleman’ as I think of it – tweeds, flatcaps, and winter textures. All of these are included below, so let’s take a gander at our most stylish grooms!

Formal & Fabulous

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Well Groomed: Smart Casual

Today’s trend roundup is all about the boys (hello, boys!). And one of the biggest trends in groomswear (and even more so for groomsmen) is smart casual wedding gear. Obviously this isn’t going to suit all weddings (you want your levels of formality to match, for example) or all grooms (this is his chance to dress up in a beautifully tailored suit, just as much as it’s yours to wear a fairytale dress) but if you’re planning a less formal occasion or if he’s the kind of guy who just isn’t going to feel like himself all stuffed up into a jacket and tie, then there are some other stylish options to consider. Debrett’s defines ‘formal’ smart casual as “a jacket or blazer, flannels, needlecord trousers, or chinos (not jeans), a shirt with a collar, not a t-shirt, and smart shoes, not necessarily lace-ups, but not trainers or sandals”. Where the look leans towards informal, Debrett’s allows for “jeans, but smart, clean, dark-coloured jeans… a shirt and tie can be worn but an open collar is also acceptable.” With these guidelines in mind, here’s a roundup of some of our favourite smart casual looks from real weddings. (Oh, and PS, one of them happens to be a sneak peek from tomorrow’s wedding, so be sure to stop in for more of the groom’s laid back jeans-wearing style!)Read More

Well Groomed: The Pastel Wedding

So here on SBB, we are often all about the girls (well, it is SouthBound bride, after all). But we really do want to make sure that we’re offering inspiration for the boys as well. And the biggest question I get when it comes to the groom and his merry men is: “What colour should the groom wear if our colour scheme is x”. Ah for the days when this was an easy answer, and all you had to do was match your blush and bashful to his shiny cummerband, right? (I’m kidding, obvs. NObody misses the cummerband.) In fact, the first questions to ask when choosing your groomswear aren’t about the colour scheme at all, but rather about the formality of your wedding, the time of day it will be held, and what will make him (and his budget) comfortable. So taking thes factors into account, I’ve put some options together for ice-cream pastel weddings (one of the more challenging of the groomswear dilemmas). Simple answer? Don’t make him wear a pink suit.

Brunch & Daytime Weddings

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Navy Suits for Stylish Grooms

So. Since most of the time we’re all about the wedding dresses and what to do for your bridesmaids, I thought it would be nice to do our fashion report today on a trend for the boys. And also, you know, Ryan Gosling. Hang on, I hear you wonder, did you write a whole article just so you could put a picture of Ryan Gosling in a svelte blue suit on your blog? Um… maybe. And YOU’RE WELCOME. Because hey girl, doesn’t he look awesome in that very suit? (When we get married, I am totally going to make Ryan wear it again.) The good news is, navy blue suits for grooms are popping up in weddings everywhere, and they are extremely handsome-making even if your groom isn’t a Hollywood superstar. And here is the evidence. *Links in bold denote affiliate links. The cost to you remains the same, but SBB may receive a commission for any sales made.

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SouthBound’s Best 2013: Groom’s Style

You didn’t think we’d forget the boys, did you? This morning we rounded up our favourite bridal style from 2013, and this afternoon we’re passing the spotlight on to the guys, celebrating those stylish men who made your hearts leap as they stood at the end of the aisle. This is one area of wedding styling that can get overlooked (or can be gotten wrong), but your man deserves to look every bit as amazing as you do on the big day, so be sure to spare some time to help him and his boys pick out the perfect outfit and accessories. We had some super studly looks on SBB this year, reflecting some of the wider trends for dressing groomsmen, and I’ve collected my favourites here for you.

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25 Unique Boutonnieres

Here on SBB we focus a lot on the bride and bridesmaids (sorry boys!) but of course our grooms are just as important to us, and we want them to be every bit as stylish as the ladies. And apart from a sharp suit, one great way to do this is through a fun boutonniere. Of course, I still LOVE floral bouts, but let’s be honest, not all guys are keen on them. And not just that, they can become an easy way to inject some comedy and personality into your groomsmen’s outfits, or continue a theme or motif. A couple of years ago, when bout alternatives became a thing, I did a roundup here on SBB which has been one of our most popular, and I thought it was high time that I did a little bit of a follow up. So here, for your viewing pleasure, are 25 fun and unique buttonhole ideas!Read More