Suit Hire - how best to organise

Some suit companies have branches across the country so the men can go into their local one, get measured up then just collect all the suits from your local one, so no need for everyone to be responsible for their own.

suits plus, formal affair, moss bros spring to mind but I'm sure there's loads more.

hth

x

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My OHs best man, my dad, OHs dad and the ushers are dotted all over the south of the country. OH has chosen a company that has branches all over the place. He will go in with his best man and try a load of suits on to chose the style. Once chosen, the rest can go into their local branch and say it is for our 'account' and they can get measured and pick up/return the suits to their own local branch. Hopefully this will work well!

using a national company is fine. But you may find that a local independent shop with its own stock will have contacts over the country who will help with sizing etc and the suits can then be collected locally to you. That way if you have a problem they will have stock in store or the ability to alter something there and then. If you go to a national supplier and there is a problem you can be a little stuck.

I have done many weddings where people have been sized in shops that i know round the country and the suits collected from us in one go.

I have also helped out many of the larger stores with problems when the have no stock to rectify it. independent stores are generally better than the multiples

iain

We have the same problem. OHs BM lives 250 miles north of wedding venue and OHs family live 120 miles south of our wedding venue.

We tried Moss Bros who said we'd need to go in, book the suits and leave a deposit and the details would then go on their system and the men could walk into any Moss Bro's and get measured.

In the end, we found a cheaper option locally so will be dragging said members of the bridal party to the shop before the weeking, and using it as a good excuse for a good drink / introducing everyone to my family.

Thanks guys - things to think about

I suppose what I'm really worried about is certain members of the bridal party is (a) remembering to pick up their suits (b) remembering to bring them to the wedding (c) remembering to return them rather than leaving them in the "to do" pile/their cars for months running up late charges on my account.

Scenario (c) probably bothers me the most - if they forget the suit, well they're the one that look stupid, and it won't cost me anything.

Trying to decide if the day before a 2.30 Saturday wedding is too late to know if there are any suit issues - the control freak part of me quite likes the concept of me/OH handing out the suits the day before/day of the wedding, to people who are now at the location they're starting from the next morning.

I suppose my major worry is the best man who is busy, burns the candle at both ends and in the middle and not the most reliable of people (and I don't really like him, but really not my choice). I can just see his suit in his hallway for weeks, if he even remembers to pick it up! But as he's my OH's best friend, I can't exactly single him out.

Hi,

This is a fairly common problem, virtually every wedding party that I book at the moment seem to be spread out across the U.K. and soemtimes the world.

I guess you have two options, pick a national chain (and they can be measured and collect suits locally) or an independant and you can collect the suits for them.

Now most national chains do not keep stock in all sizes on the premises so you are relying on a number of shops to measure and order the correct thing. With an independant you can get the guys to try-on the suit prior to wearing (but this will mean visiting a shop for a fitting, or sending measurements) and then you can collect the suits for them.

It really does come down to what suits you actually want, the large nationals will only have standard products, where as the likes of my company, Anthonys or Hugh Harris will have something a bit different and therefor are worth the logistical problems (if they have the right product for you).

Your problem is not unusual most hire shops have their own ways of dealing with it. I would suggest going through some of the websites with your OH and find out what sort of thing you need and then call up those companies and find out what they would suggest is the best waay to fit out all the guys.

I did write a guide to wedding suits on here and in it there is a chapter on Hire, have a look it may be helpful. https://www.hitched.co.uk/Chat/forums/t/144847.aspx

I can personally recommend (apart from my own company? ) Anthonys and Hugh Harris.

I hope this helps a little,

Marc

P.S. go with the braces, they are essential !

We've got people dotted about the country. We've gone with Austin Reed and they've been fabulous! They've even agreed to give us extended hire for a big fat £0 for several of our party as they can't make fittings over the weekend of the Royal wedding.

Do shop around and make sure you have a decent contact wherever you chose though, those people are worth their weight in gold!