Today’s etiquette question MIGHT just be the one we receive most often, if you can believe it!
This query is actually SO popular that we answered it more than two years ago, but since we still get emails about it all the time, we thought we’d take another stab! Our latest black + navy query comes from Lauren:
Hi SW ladies! I am getting married this September, and would love for my bridesmaids to wear navy dresses (haven’t decided short or long yet). We’re going for a more formal feel, so tuxedos for the men is the obvious choice, but I don’t know if navy blue and black will clash when everyone is lined up together?? It’s definitely a smaller detail, but I’ve been going back and forth for the past few weeks and would love an outside opinion. What do y’all think — is the navy + black combo acceptable? Thank you!!
Haley Sheffield
Let’s set the record straight once and for all: navy and black do NOT clash, and a tuxedo looks smashing with almost everything. Your bridal party will look fabulous together! However, we would recommend sticking with as classic a tux as possible to keep the look clean-lined: no vest, a black bow tie, and a black cummerbund.
Amanda Joy Photography
If you’re worried about the bridal party looking like a dark blob in photos, perhaps have the guys take their jackets off for a few group portraits — the white shirts will help brighten the overall look.
Leslie Hollingsworth
Of course, a tuxedo isn’t the only option — black suits, gray suits, the fabulous navy blazer + khaki pant combo, or seersucker suits can all be dapper choices, depending on the time of year you’re getting married and the formality of the celebration.
Josh McCullock and Gibson Events
Each option will definitely create a feel of its own, so think hard about what sort of mood you want to set. Rest assured, however, that whatever you choose, the gents will look exceedingly handsome.
Robyn Van Dyke
Readers, weigh in: Are your girls wearing navy dresses? If so, what will the men be wearing? Would you pair navy and black? Have another option we haven’t thought of? Leave it in the comments below!
Gibson Events, Haley Sheffield, Josh McCullock, Leslie Hollingsworth, and Robyn Van Dyke are delightful members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!
We did it! I chose Lula Kate dresses for the girls in their Navy. It is a true navy, very blue, no where close to midnight blue. My husband wanted custom silk bowties and cummerbunds in wide navy & grey stripe (our “colors” which I shutter to say – it was very subtly done). I fought him and fought him thinking it would look strange with black tuxes. I was fuming when I picked up the custom-made items days before the wedding knowing I couldn’t change it. And you know what – I ended up loving the way it all worked together.
Here’s a link to our portraits on my personal blog: http://belleintheburgh.blogspot.com/2011/09/our-wedding-portraits.html
I agree with you, you can’t go wrong mixing two tried-and-true classics!
I love the images you provided for examples! This is something I’ve always kind of wondered about in the back of my mind, since as a kid I was taught that black and blue was only a combo for a bruise! But I think the combo is absolutely lovely, classic and formal.
Navy + black is one of my favorite looks! I love long navy dresses + the men in tuxes with navy subtle polka dot bow ties!
I absolutely ADORE navy and black together. I find it to be so classy and timeless!! Love the images you picked too :)
I adore navy and black together – it’s such a classic, elegant, and timeless combination! Great job on choosing excellent photos as inspiration! I especially love the last one!!
We had navy bridesmaids dresses and tuxes – perfect for a formal December wedding! They looked amazing in pictures. My husband hates cummerbunds, so we had bow ties and suspenders.
Of course you can mix black and navy. You can mix black and anything!
[…] Jessica & Grant? Their stylish and elegant navy and black tie wedding was featured for proving that color-combo etiquette rule […]
I am getting married on September 7, 2013. I decided to go with gray suits & navy ties for the men since I wasn’t sure what black & navy would look like either. Wish I’d seen this post. :-) My bridesmaids are wearing short navy dresses by Wtoo. I am trying to decide now to go with either nude shoes or silver shoes for the ladies. Any suggestions?
Hey Lindsay! I don’t think you can go wrong either way! I’m personally leaning toward nude shoes, but if you have other metallic accents, then silver might be gorgeous!
Hi! I’m getting married this may and just chose to do Black and Navy! I think it’s beautiful and really makes the Bride stand out in all the photos!
Hi SW! I’m also getting married in September! Yay! My bridesmaids will be dressed in long chiffon midnight blue dresses and the groomsmen will wear traditional tuxedos… very simple and elegant. So excited to see that other weddings have used the same colors and style! It’s making me even more excited for my own wedding in just a couple months! Thanks y’all! Can’t wait to read the next newsletter!
I have been invited to a Southern Wedding (Virginia) next April 2014. Will it be okay to wear a short white dress to this Formal Wedding?
Hi Jennifer! Thanks so much for your question! :) Even though I doubt anyone would mistake you for the bride, I would still never risk wearing a white dress!
I am facing a similar, though slightly different conundrum. Our wedding is classic and preppy-chic – it is a formal evening wedding. Our colors are navy, blush, cream and gold. My groom wants to wear a midnight blue tuxedo with the groomsmen in black tuxedos. Our girls are wearing long navy dresses.
Will that look odd, to have him in navy and the girls in navy with the men in black? Or should the groom wear a white dinner jacket with the groomsmen in black tuxedos?
This is so helpful! I’m thinking of doing cobalt/sapphire bridesmaids dresses (long) with black tuxes on the groomsmen/black dress on the best woman (same as the bridesmaids dress, but black) and my fiancee in a navy tux. @Emily do you think that looks cohesive?