When planning a wedding, it’s common for most of the attention to be directed at what the bride and bridesmaids are wearing. Understandable, but you shouldn’t neglect the appearance of your groom and groomsman. There’s arguably a little less to think about – after all, you’ll generally be stuck with certain cuts of suits and colours of waistcoats. That said, there is one important question to ask yourself: neck tie or bowtie?

There are strong arguments on either side – here’s a quick rundown to help you make the right decision to fit around your special day.

Why Go for the Bowtie?

The bowtie simply isn’t seen as much as the neck tie, and that’s something plenty of people view as a positive. Neck ties are the norm during everyday life, while bowties are seen as a little kookier. For your wedding, that sense of novelty comes in handy – it helps separate your groomsman from other wedding guests, and it helps mark out your wedding as something special. Of course, novelty doesn’t necessarily mean silly. In fact, bowties are generally seen as more formal than neck ties.

They’re also eminently practical. Eating can be tricky while wearing a neck tie since it can trail into your dish, but that’s not something you’ll need to worry about when you wear a bowtie. And if you know how to tie one, there’s less that can go wrong throughout the day.

Why Go for the Neck Tie?                  

Okay, there are plenty of advantages that come with choosing bowties, and compelling ones at that. However, neck ties have advantages of their own. Probably the most important is practicality – nearly every man knows how to tie a necktie, but sorting a bowtie can be much tougher. It’s easy to get things too small, large, or tight, which could ruin the smart appearance of your wedding party.

Beyond being easier for most people to put on, neck ties present more room for colour. If you’re keeping to a certain colour scheme by using custom clothing, it makes sense to show off that style by opting for neck ties instead of bow ties.