Tales from a tuxedo shop: The 5 things you should know about tuxedo rental and fittings

You have decided you want the guys or gals all done up in tuxedos. Yay! That's awesome. However, you might be not sure where to start.

There are two places in the wedding world where I shine: one is budgeting, because I find comfort in calculating out all the costs and working them into a budget that will work. The second is tuxedo rental and fittings, because that is my job. I am the store manager at a family owned tuxedo rental shop in Indiana, and I love my job.

I will be the first to say you do not need to rent tuxes if you don't want to, but today I am going to go over what you should know if you do.

Shop around

I always suggest shopping around to everyone that walks in to my shop. Most tuxedo places will do a best-price guarantee or price match if you find the same thing some place more affordable.

When you are checking out prices, GET A PRICE BREAKDOWN! Some places charge for every accessory added. Others, like that shop I work at, have a lot of things complementary or worked into a package price. Ask the associate helping you to give you a price breakdown so you know what will be the best price for you.

Have a price point or budget it mind

Tux rentals can range from $50-$300 per tux, depending on where you go and what accessories you wish to add. Good associates will tell you the highest and lowest range they offer. However, if they don't offer up this info, ask. Once you have this information, set a price range per tux that you feel comfortable with. If you don't, there are a lot of associates who will direct you to the higher end because they get commission on these rentals. So please have what you want to spend in mind. No one likes to be surprised by the cost or by an upset wedding party member.

See what deals the company might have

This can range by area. I know our store offers free groom rental with five paid-for tuxes. We also offer $40 off to each attendant needing a tux.

Then there are the random side things that tuxedo places sell. This could be groomsmen gifts, wedding accessories, or many other things. Our store does an invitation rebate program for five paid-for tuxes. So don't hesitate to ask what else they can do to help you save money. They may to try up-sell you some things because of again, commission, but that does not mean you have to take those items.

Always bring in color swatches

Unless you are me, you probably have your colors and wedding style picked out before the tuxes. That is good! If you do what I did, then you will be rushing around to find a fabric that matches the ice blue vest you picked out months before getting engaged. However, for the sake of normalcy, let's say you have the colors picked but not the tuxes. ALWAYS bring in color swatches so the associate can best match your colors to what they have. The vests we have come in all different shades, but sometimes the same or similar name. Like sunbeam or sunshine. One of those is a lot brighter than the other, but I cannot tell you what will match best without seeing a color swatch. So bring some in. We can always find something to work, we just need to see what we are working with.

Find out the procedures that are policy for the store you choose

These are good questions to have ready for when you book:

• Do you need to put down some money to book with them?
• Do you need a certain amount of money put down when they come in for their fitting?
• Does the company have stores around the country that your out-of-town guests can get fitted at? If not, are they a part of a group like SAVVI (which has fitting standards that are shared among stores in the group) or can recommend a company where your people can go?
• When does everyone need to be fitted?
• How about kids — do they have to be fitted at a certain time?
• How does pick-up work? Can one person pick all the tuxes up?
• Does each person need to come in and try the final product on?
• How does it work if something doesn't fit? Can that be fixed that day, or by the next?

I hope this is helpful for everyone looking to rent some tuxes. I know that it would be so helpful to me if the brides I worked with knew this information. Hopefully this post will also help you feel a lot more prepared before making the decision to go with tux renting. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. Like I said, I love tuxes. I am even saving up to buy one for myself. So I would love to help anyone else!