Most people love a wedding, but the thought of sitting through a long outdoor ceremony in the humidity is enough to make you sweat just reading the invite. Choosing the best fabrics for men’s summer wedding suits ensures you look the part without fainting into the row in front of you. Selecting lightweight suit fabrics is essential for hot-weather formalwear, whether you’re the groom, groomsman, or guest. This guide will break down the most breathable suit materials and highlight the best dress shirt fabrics for summer weddings to complete your look. If you know your wedding is black tie and you need a refresher on tuxedo styles, you can read our full guide.
Why Fabric Choice Matters for Summer Weddings
TL;DR – Your summing wedding suit needs to breathe. Not all fabrics are the same.
Summer weddings mean high temperatures, outdoor venues, and increased humidity. That giant fan will mess your hair up long before it provides any relief, so the right suit choice is essential. Opting for breathable suit fabrics for summer weddings ensures your attire is stylish and practical. The right material can prevent overheating, wick away moisture, and drape elegantly.
When considering how to choose a summer wedding suit, fabric is just as important as fit and color. A lightweight, breathable suit can make all the difference at beach weddings, garden ceremonies, or destination nuptials. For a full write-up on what to wear to summer weddings this year, check out our full guide.
The Best Fabrics for Men’s Summer Wedding Suits
Linen – The Ultimate Hot-Weather Suit Fabric
If feeling cool is more important than looking pressed, linen is best for a beach wedding or an outdoor summer ceremony. It is exceptionally breathable and lightweight. The wrinkles give it a relaxed and effortless look. To match the season, lighter tones like beige, tan, or light blue are perfect, but tobacco makes for a memorable, bold look. Proper Cloth’s Irish Linen Bedford Suit is made from pure Irish linen from the iconic Baird McNutt mill.
Cotton – A Versatile, Lightweight Option
While not as breathable as linen, cotton suits balance a lightweight feel with structure, reducing the amount of wrinkles from humidity. As the name implies, the High Twist Cotton Sullivan Suit is made from a tightly twist material that enhances breathability and durability.
Seersucker – Classic & Textured for a Southern Touch
A go-to fabric for hot climates, seersucker is known for its signature puckered texture, which allows airflow. This fabric is naturally wrinkle-resistant and moisture-wicking, making it the perfect wedding attire for a tropical or southern destination. The Seersucker Stretch Waverly Suit comes in a classic blue and white stripe, as well as chocolate and fatigue green for a relaxed yet polished summer look.
Lightweight Wool – A Surprising Year-Round Option
We suggested warm-weather wool in our vacation wardrobe blog post, and we will here, too. Wool, especially tropical wool, is an excellent summer wedding fabric. When it comes to the temperature, It is known for its breathability. But wool also holds its shape and resists wrinkles if you’re going for that crip, summer wedding suit look. The Drago S130s Tropical Wool Allen Suit is made of 100% merino wool and has a range of eye-catching and wedding-friendly colors.
Best Dress Shirt Fabrics for Summer Weddings
You can beat the heat with a carefully chosen summer suit fabric, but if you throw on a polyester shirt, you’ve won the battle and lost the war.
Linen
We covered how breathable linen is. Double down by pairing a linen shirt with a linen suit, or create visual intrigue by mixing textures with a cotton suit.
Cotton-Linen Blend
A cotton-linen blend will have more structure to it. Because it will look crisper, it’s a good shirt to pair with a tropical wool suit, but it works with seersucker, linen, and cotton.
Cotton Broadcloth
Broadcloth can be woven to be very lightweight. It will be more transparent than other fabrics but gives a luxurious and relaxed feel, making it another good option for a tropical wool suit.
Nailing the right suit and shirt will provide relief, and make sure you look the part for the setting. If you have more questions on general wedding attire etiquette, we recommend checking out a full write-up from Emily Post. For additional heatproof dressing tips, check out our friends’ write-up at Real Men Real Style.
Proper Cloth offers a lot of customization, so you can select patterns and fabrics and tailor them to your needs, tastes, and circumstances. If you’re unsure where to get started, you can always contact customer service, which allows you to chat about style and measurements over the phone, email, or via chat.