Mrs. Cream Puff, San Francisco Bay Area
Age and Occupation: 25, Illustrator
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Merchandise Planner
Engagement Date: May 27, 2007
Wedding Date: August, 2008
Blogging Since: February 7, 2008
Venue: Ceremony at Crissy Field and Reception at the Green Room
About Me: I never dreamed about my wedding as a little girl because I was too busy playing in the mud or pretending to be Martha Stewart–but now that it's here, I'm having a fabulous time DIYing everything in sight! We’re planning a very fun multicultural wedding (I'm Jewish and Mr. Cream Puff is Chinese), filled with as many personal details as I can muster.
Men. Men. Men. Oh, Men.
April 17th, 2008 @ 5:18 pm by Mrs. Cream Puff
So the men in our bridal party are giving me quite a bit of crap.
Actually, it’s not the men that are the problem, it’s their ties. I am trying to find ties, and it is really hard. Every time I walk into a Men’s Macy’s, I kinda feel like throwing myself on the floor and having a tantrum. I kid, I kid.
But seriously now. As you might recall, my bridesmaids chose the following dresses:
They will be beautiful! In my head, I visualized that the groomsmen would have matching, fabulous ties. Now, if I were Alfred Angelo (creator of the bridesmaid dresses), I would make ties to match all of the dress colors. Seems to me that there would be a market for such a thing. Alfred Angelo, however, doesn’t seem to agree, so I am on my own.
When Momma Puff was in town, we actually managed to find four ties that matched the dresses PERFECTLY:
I had Alfred Angelo’s swatch book, and trust me, they are a perfect match. The problem, of course, is that we are one tie short. The tie in question is Cobalt. When I first started this tie search, I thought cobalt and red would be the easiest to find. After all, who makes ties in persimmon, lime and turquoise? Well, apparently Countess Mara does. But they do not make one in a deep blue.
When Mr. Cream Puff and I went back to Macy’s to get him a tux (more on that later), he thought we should just buy another shade of blue and call it a day. I was doubtful, but I said to myself, “maybe this is one of those things I should just let go.” After all, not everything is going to be perfect, and that’s fine. So we bought it. But in the back of my mind, I’m still thinking that we should return it and start over. I’ve looked for a cobalt tie in a different style/brand and can’t find any that don’t stick out like a sore thumb. I can’t decide which would be more obvious–a tie that doesn’t match all the other ties, or a tie that doesn’t match a dress. What do you guys think?
Here we have the black sheep of the family. Or shall I say, the “light blue” sheep of the family:
And just to show you, all together, the ties and the dresses:
In retrospect, it would have been far better to arrange the ties in the same order as the dresses, but oh well. The tie on the far left is supposed to match the dress on the far right. What do you guys think? Let it go, or start from scratch?
54 Responses to “Men. Men. Men. Oh, Men.”
Honestly? I’d let it go. But I’m also a person who is fairly relaxed about color matching.
Let it go. Since the ties have some light and dark tones, I think it’s fine that the shade/tint is a little off… as long as it’s the same basic color.
Well, I don’t think anyone but you will really notice. I think it’s perfectly fine to let it go. Having said that, it it’s seriously driving you nuts or something, have you thought about getting one of those ties in white and having it dyed to match the 5th dress?
I think the light blue matches the cobalt dress perfectly! It’s just a lighter shade of of the same color. Everyone will look fabulous, and now you can spend some on the million other things left to do!
It’s not terrible, but if it really bothers you, I was going to suggest the “having it dyed” route, too.
Seeing them in person is different than online, but I honestly think they look really good together, even if they’re not the exact same color.
I’d probably let it go. But I’d also probably just keep my eye open for another option. Nothing too streneous, just if I happened to be in Macys or another department store I might walk by. I kept the swatches of my bridesmaid dresses in my wallet for months before the wedding. Made the impulse gee I think that matches buy a little easier to deal with, cause I could say yes it does or no it doesn’t and move on.
I think they look great, and it’s time to let it go. Look at the positive - now you can check that task off your list!
If it was just a case of ties not matching dresses, I’d say leave it, but I’m guessing this whole rainbow effect is important to you. Think about how you imagine your photos … will you want to match up the pairs, and will it bug you for years if this one sticks out?
Maybe try looking for a darker blue, like navy for example, to distinguish it more from the other blue dress. Does it have to be a Countess Mara tie? There must be other ties out there with similar stripes.
(or, if it really bugs you, I agree with the dyeing idea)
I think the ties look great. The fabric seems to match the dresses well, too. I think its more important for all of the ties to have the same look. Your blue tie will still look great walking next to the blue dress.
I wouldn’t be able to let it go. I would keep looking–but the good news is that they really look fine and are a perfectly acceptable backup.
let it go! the design matches and i think thats pretty darn spiffy enough 
what a happy looking wedding party!
Let it go cream puff, let it go…
The tie will look good with the dress. Like Stephanie said, it is basically the same color, just a varied shade (which in my opinion adds a little depth and character). A tie that doesn’t match all of the other ties would be far more obvious than going with the tie that is lighter than the dress. I know it’s important right now because you want everything just so, but on the day of your wedding - you won’t even give it that much attention, and I doubt if anyone else would either.
Let it go! It’s so close and having a non-matching tie in terms of design would stand out more than this color does.
I think it will be just fine. If you are still looking though, perhaps this might help? They seem to have any color of blue you can imagine!
http://www.neckties.com/?wicket:interface=:5::::
The only problem might be that it wouldn’t be the same stripe now as the others?!
Another option might be a Men’s Wearhouse type store where they have a variety of shades to match BMs dresses….
I found the ties for my groomsmen at this store:
http://www.royalsilk.us. They have a lot of colors and it was the only place I found the perfect fuschia handkerchiefs for the boys. Great service too. The stuff came in like 2 days.
I think even though they don’t “match” they look GREAT AND having the same stripe pattern in all the ties I think will lend itself much better to the cohesive look you’re going for than finding a different tie in a darker color
I think everyone will be too happy to see you two get married to care that one tie does not match one dress. Really, if it bothers you that badly, I agree with the #3 poster. Get it dyed to match!
Oh my…. you’re soooo close! I personally would have the tie died a darker blue. OR You could just photoshop your images so that they tie matches.
CreamPuff - I cannot wait to see your wedding photos. I love your vibrant color scheme, in my head it will be so refreshing, lively, and fun. Also, Miss Toucan’s ‘POP’ of color - love it!
Having said that - LET IT GO. Move on.
I wouldn’t be able to let it go! I would a) buy a slew of black ties to have as back up, b) keep searching for that cobalt blue, AND c) search for 1 colorful patterned tie that either incorporates all the colors or works well with all the colors. I don’t know about the quality but this site seems to have quite a range of tie colors: http://www.2002ties.com/ties/indexfiles/solid.html
Good luck Miss CP!!!
OH! Prom rentals is right! At Classic Tuxedo, look under luxury solid satin–they have: persimmon, lime, tropic (aka turquoise), apple red, AND ROYAL BLUE!
http://www.classicproms.com/styles/vests/ss.php
I feel your pain, I looked all over for ties too. I think that the tie you have looks great, but I also understand the need to have exactly what you want!
Have you tried tuxedo rental stores? They literally have every color under the sun, and you can often buy them instead of just renting.
I just wanted to say that I seriously LOVE all those colors put together. I can totally understand you not wanting to let it go though, because I’d definitely want it to match as much as possible.
I would say to let it go partially, but still be on a look out for one that may potentially match (the hardest part will probably be getting something with those darn stripes).
And if you do end up with the lighter blue, maybe you should switch up the guys and the girls. I’m thinkin the following dress-tie combinations…red-lt blue, turquoise-red, persimmon-turquoise, lime-persimmon, cobalt-lime. =)
I would DEFINATLY let it go…. they all look great together!
Let it go!!
Since the other 4 are the same style… Even if you find one that is the right color it wouldn’t be the right style. So I love that this one is the same style (which I think is the more important of the two) and I actually think the color looks great with cobalt… So I’d let it go and not worry about it. Seriously, everything looks great together!
I would let it go (I think they look great), but another option might be to just get ties made in the colors of the dresses.
it’s perfect! (I’m not going to say “let it go” b/c seriously, those ties & those dresses will look spot-on together even if one technically doesn’t match the swatch… I’m totally impressed!)
I think it looks nice together even if it’s not a perfect match - the tones are the same and that way all of the ties are the same. I say keep it!
Let it go, they look great! And, I think you should mix up the colors, the way you did in the photo. Blue Tie/Red Dress; Lime Dress/Persimmon Tie, etc. I guarentee know one will notice, and you will be too focused on your groom to care!
I think it looks great, but if you really want to keep looking, I ordered pocket squares from this company in several different (hard to find) colors. They came VERY quickly.
ties@solidcolorneckties.com
They may have something that works.
I’m sorry! the site is SolidColorNeckTies.com
Well… I think it looks fine. My question is… did you save your receipts so you can send them in for the $10 per tie rebate?
http://www.savethegentleman.com/pdf/countess_rebate.pdf
I’m all about saving every extra penny these days. (and it says that as long as the receipt was dated before March 30th, no matter when you send it in, your eligible!)
Let it go! It’ll bother you when you do find the perfect color, and then the pattern isn’t the same as the rest. Besides, your “theme” is having everyone in jewel-tone colors, not having a one-to-one dress/tie match.
I agree with Ashley and Cara - having a differently-patterned tie would be way more noticeable than a slightly lighter blue. If you are losing sleep over it, then maybe try dying the light blue one (or maybe they make the same pattern in white or light gray, and you could do a trial dye run on that?)…but personally, my eye would be drawn more to a different sheen amongst the groomsmen’s ties than to matching blues across the aisle to a bridesmaid!
I think they look great — plus since your main aim with color is to make it pop and be colorful and fun (if i remember right), this will totally go with that and none of the colors clash with one another at all. I think it will look striking and awesome.
honestly, i think it matches. however, try express men and mervyns!!
I love those colors together! I’d say keep the ties you have (they are absolutely handsome) and make sure each bridesmaid walks with a groomsman of a different color tie. This way, hardly anyone will notice the shade of one of the ties is different than a bridesmaids’ dress.
I’d say keep ‘em. It doesn’t match exactly, but it has the same pattern as the rest. I dont think you’ll find a cobalt blue tie with the exact same pattern … so just stick with the one you found. It will look FINE!
When viewing photos in retrospect, keep in mind of modern marvels such as photoshop that would color coordinate all the gradients of ties-to-dresses to your liking.
Btw, what a wonderful and fresh idea for your bridesmaids and groomsmen. Keep us updated soon to be Mrs. Puff.
I am attaching a website for your to go to
http://www.bobbiandmike.com/blog/?p=2575
and check out the bridal party pics. The mens ties don’t match the ladies in their beautiful coppers, reds and burgandys, but I still love the effect. I think although it is off, I wouldn’t necessary try to pair the two color together, in fact I think having the blue with the orange or the green would look even more fantastic as the colors of both would pop rather than look so matchy. I love the idea you have and regardless of what you do, it will be fabulous!!
I am a matchy matchy person, but I think you will be okay with that color. I say better to have all the same ties than to be off one weird tie. Now if the girl in blue and the guy in blue happen to be the maid of honor and the best man….then I’d say you give the maid of honor something else to go with her dress- special piece of jewlery or sash or something, and then you get a tie that completly matches the dress for the best man. This way the something different will just look like the thing you did to, make them special. By the way, very cool with the different colors. I like that. Good luck! I feel your pain, i am in the process of matching a pinkish Watermelon color…not baby pink, not fuschia, but watermelon…yeah. i need good luck too!
The tie looks great. It would look worse if you got another brand with another pattern just to match the color to the dress. The light blue is fine … and you never know, a cobalt tie might turn up at Macy’s in another month when you least expect to spot one. You should put people on the alert if the color is that important to you.
I would dye it! I had to do it for a friends wedding and it was a snap…
And if you don’t trust yourself - a shoe person would be able to do it for very reasonable…
Crisis averted!
Thanks for all the great feedback, you guys! Here’s what I’m going to do:
I have made the decision that it doesn’t really matter. I think you guys are right about having people with different colors walk together, which will make it even less noticeable. I don’t think anyone will care.
That being said, I think I’ll still check out the websites you guys offered (thank you!), keep my eye out for a new Countess Mara tie at Macy’s, and maybe talk to a shoe guy (good call, susanloveschris) to see how much dyeing it would cost.
THANK YOU GUYS!
Honestly, as a guest I wouldn’t notice, but as a bride? I’m sure I would. My opinion is “let it go, but if you’re in a store that sells ties you might as well check to see if they have one that matches”. I wouldn’t go out of my way, but if I happened past the ties, I’d look.
I love the shade of blue though! I don’t think anyone would notice and if they do so what?! They’d probably think the groomsman picked it out himself.
I think it makes it all look that little bit more relaxed and fun and stops the bridal party feeling like they’re paired off, but if it bothers you, keep looking… unless perhaps the dying thing is a real option? That *would* be great. Good luck!
I really think it looks fine! The light blue color is just a lighter shade of the cobalt. Same color family!
I’m impressed that you were able to find ties in the same pattern that matched the dresses!
OK-I have admittedly not read through this entire thread so I apologize if this has been suggested…but…
Do the girls dresses need to be altered? If so, and if that BM is hopefully short, could you use the cut-off from the hem and have someone make it into a tie?
Just a thought…
#43 Marisa has a great suggestion! I am pretty matchy matchy myself but having already gotten married I advise you to let it go. Marisa’s suggestion is to mix it up and I think that will be your saving grace and will definitely make it less obvious that there’s an odd tie out. I feel like I’m like you…and that would make me feel way better.
I agree - check out Classic Tuxedo’s selections of color….they have over 150 colors
I love your color choices for your wedding. I am also doing several colors for the wedding party. My wedding is in Oct so I am using all of the fall colors. I am having trouble finding cognac and persimmon ties for my guys. I read your blog and got excited when you said that you found some. Could you please tell me where I can find the Countess Mara ties online.
Thanks and good luck!!
