A Question For The Hive
June 19th, 2007 @ 6:55 pm by Mrs. Corn
Hey guys…I have something I need help with.
My dress is light champagne with darker champagne accents. Mr. Corn and the male attendants already have their tuxes because they purchased them for his brother’s wedding. Their shirts are white.
My mother has suggested that they should rent shirts in candlelight because if the shirts are white and my dress is champagne, my dress will potentially look dirty.
Has anyone ever heard of this? Is it really THAT big of a deal? It seems silly for them to have to rent shirts since they all already own the tuxes, but I also don’t want to be wishing I had once the photos come back. Your comments and feedback on this are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Miss Corn
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34 Responses to “A Question For The Hive”
If your dress was ever so slightly off white, I might see the logic in trying to match it to the shirts, but champagne will still look like champagne against white, not dirt. I agree with Iris- there’s a reason it’s the standard. You never regret a classic.
They’re guys, for pete’s sake! Who’s gonna be looking at them? I say the white shirts are fine, plus I like the sharp black and white contrast. If you really want to match, I would keep the white shirts and rent champagne colored vests instead. And no one would really look at your dress and think it looks dirty…..
Meh, I think it’ll be fine with white shirts. As if anyone’ll be looking at the boys’ shirts anyway, with you standing there in all your bridal glory 
I think another bee had the same question a few months ago… Miss Kiwi was it you? Anyway you might want to browse through the archives and see what everyone said in the comments. I believe the consensus was that white shirts would be fine, if my memory serves me correctly. Not that my memory doesn’t wander off at times…
Oh also… I think ivory coloured shirts under a tux can sometimes look a little off in pictures…
White shirts are totally fine! In fact, with champagne, you dress will look rich in comparison (not that their white shirts will be all up in your dress’s space).
I was recently a bridesmaid in a wedding, and we (the bridesmaids) wore light champagne dresses, the groomsmen wore white shirts, and we all looked wonderful.
Don’t worry about it Plus you run a chance of their shirts looking dirty and your dress looking champagne.
I’ve read that ivory shirts look dirty in pictures and that white is always a better choice! So you are in luck!
i wouldn’t worry too much. if it bothers you that much get a champaign like vest
Our guys are wearing white shirts and my dress is champagne. I’m not worried about it at all - especially since the groom is wearing an ivory vest and bowtie. I’ve seen pictures and it looks fine!
In only six months of wedding planning, I heard this SO many times. It’s not true. I was married in an ivory gown, my husband wore a lovely crisp white Brooks Brothers shirt. In the photos, my gown looks ivory, his shirt looks white. I think it would be more likely that their shirts would look dirty! Besides, any decent photographer will make sure that the colors are true.
Hmmm….I would never have even thought of that. Have you thought about just buying a ivory and one white shirt and having them tested next to your dress? I personally dont think its that big of a deal but now that you mention it…I would want to make sure.
I agree with Miss Butterscotch; for pictures you are spending out the wazoo for, I wouldn’t chance it. Get a white shirt and put it against your dress and photograph it. I have seen it before, and there is a chance that one of the colors could look off. But I think depending on the time of day and the location of the wedding you, could be in the clear. However, it’s always better safe than sorry
trust me, the ivory shirts will look dingy and dirty. i’ve been to many weddings where the bride’s dress is off-white or ivory and the men all wore white shirts and everything looked fine. especially if your dress is satin, that sheen is enough for your dress to definitely not look dingy. you’ll be fine (and by the way, your dress is amazing! and yay for the boston bee!!!)
What color are the guys vests going to be? I think champagne is dark enough that it won’t be confused as white especially when next to a white shirt. White shirts and an ivory dress might be a different story, but I don’t know what i’m talking about.
Laura, it wasn’t me (I don’t think!), but I recall my photographer telling me that ivory shirts are a bad idea, as they never match the ivory dress. I’m sure it would be the same with champagne and candlelight. There are no for sure color matches, and I think I’d rather have bright white to make your dress POP, ya know?
Good luck!
White, definitely. Like Miss Kiwi said, their shirts will never match your dress and it will drive you insane.
I wouldn’t worry about it. Wait I am not worrying about it. My dress is also champagne and FI may be in white (he has not decided on his attire yet). I photographed my dress with his jacket and a white shirt outside at sunset to get an idea of what the sun and colors would do with each other and I think it looks great.
You will ROCK your dress and I don’t think you need to worry about these attire issues. The white will be crisp and your dress will be gorgeous.
Definitely stick with white. I think just the opposite will happen…the tux shirts will look dirty in off white, rather than your dress.
A classic tux goes with anything. And, if your reception is in the evening, no one will even give it a second thought with the dim lights
Another vote for the white shirt. My dress is ivory as well and the guys will have white shirts.
It’s a Mom thing–they want us all to be in a pure white dress, and anything that might seem to detract from the angelic (and virginal) look must be discouraged! white shirts will totally look fine–and this way you can tell that your dress is champagne in the pics!
WOW the white shirt is totally winning out, we are doing the candlelight shirts with my ivory dress and i’m really excited about it. The crisp white made my dress look off with the photos we took with my fabric swatch in the suit store. candle light is an off white shade with a very slight warm undertone… I do understand the not wanting to make the boys buy new shirts, but… it might tie in a little bit better, but I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about
they are guys and no one will look at them..the fous is on you and as long as you look comfortable and you love what youa re wearing, i think it is absoulutely fine…
remember no one look at girls..only girls at such grand occasion
so nothing to worry about
Yeah, we are having ivory shirts as well. The vests and ties are also ivory and I think it will be really pretty. But I will say, that he also tried the ivory shirt with a darker vest and that did not look good at all. So, it depends on more than just the dress. Good luck!
Wow, y’all are rock stars! Thanks for the advice…looks like white it is.
Oh…and so you aren’t left hanging…Mr Corn isn’t wearing a vest, just bowtie and suspenders.
And I am pretty sure my mom could care less about the virginal representation of white 
but thanks for the interesting theory
Don’t fret the small things… white shirts will look sharp and you will look beautiful!
When we went to rent tuxes, the guy at the store told us that he always recommends white shirts because even when renting off-white shirts, they are never the exact same color - there’s usually variance in shades & dyelots. you made the right choice Miss Corn!
if your photographer is good, you can alert him/her to the situation. if there is a big difference in the pictures, s/he should be able to balance the colors in photoshop.
Well I had a similar issue.. My dress is candle light white and is being made here in OKC by a very well known dress shop in the area. I will also rent the tuxes from this same shop. My colors are chocolate brown and blue. Last week we picked out tuxes and they recomended the candlelight white shirt for the guys 1) because my wedding colors are brown and blue (even though they will have a black jacket and a brown vest and tie) 2) because my dress is candlelight white. I belive you would be much better off going with a candle light white shirt for the guys that will compliment your dress much better. Just my opinion…its your wedding
k - I’m with you — I’ve got an ivory dress, and FI is wearing an ivory vest (with ivory shirt) —
But after reading all these posts, I’m now second guessing myself! When we went to go get FI measured, they recommended the ivory shirt because of my ivory dress… Not to mention a white shirt with an ivory vest might look funny. I don’t know what to do now!
My dress was champagne, and my husband wore a white shirt, vest, and tie. Everything was perfect.
My dress is ivory and I am therefore having all things ivory at my wedding…including the tuxedo shirts. I think it will look awesome. Although, I went with chocolate brown tuxedoes so if you are having black tuxedoes, white might look better….
My FI was in a wedding last year and had ivory-colored shirts. I thought the *shirts* looked dirty, and it kind of did weird things to the guys’ skin tones. Never noticed any weird clashing with the shirts and the bride’s dress.
my dress is ivory and my groom is wearing a black tux,white shirt and ivory tie & vest. It doesnt sound great but when he tried it was stunning. very chic.
Mrs. Corn, Newport, RI
Age and Occupation in '07: 31, HR for public accounting firm
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Consultant for public accounting firm
Engagement Date: October 7, 2006
Wedding Date: September, 2007
Blogging Since: June 1, 2007
Venue: North Lawn of Fort Adams State Park
About Me: I am a lazy scrapbooker who loves the instant gratification of making cards and I am very easily distracted by all things shiny. In honor of my childhood nights spent hibachi BBQing on the beach with my family, we are hosting a traditional New England Clambake for our reception.
There’s a reason the crisp white dress shirt is classic. And rented shirts are not so nice.