The jacket is the essential piece of the groom and groomsmen's formal wear ensemble. Like suit jackets, they come in a range of styles, from hideous to GQ.

A typical tux jacket will be single breasted and button in the middle (as opposed to double breasted, which wraps across your chest.)

There is really no difference between a tuxedo jacket and a suit jacket, with the exception of the face of the lapel, which is made of satin, and gives it a distinct satin-y sheen. All of the regular sizes you're used to are available. 42 regular in a suit? The same goes for your tuxedo jacket.

Long and short jackets are available, with two to five buttons. If you are under six feet tall, proceed with caution. Long jackets may make you look shorter. (Probably why they're a favorite suit jacket of overpaid NBA stars.) Tuxedos with five buttons belong on tall people. Between 5'8" and 6'? You can handle four buttons. Deviate from these guidelines at your own peril. You'll watch your wedding video for years after your wedding (often against your will); trust us - it's not as much fun if in retrospect you realize look like a runt.

Lapel styles

Frankly, lapel styles should not matter much to the groom. As you can tell from the image on the screen, the differences are minute. Of the three styles, a peak lapel remains the most popular. Know that your wedding isn't going to go down in flames because you picked a notch versus peak lapel.

Peak lapel

The name "peak lapel" doesn't really tell you very much about what this lapel is all about. That said, the peak lapel is the most common lapel style. It forms a "V".

Notch lapel

A notch lapel is just as the name suggests - a notch is "cut out" of the lapel.

Shawl lapel

The shawl lapel is a rounded, smooth lapel running from the collar down the front of the lapel.

How many buttons to leave open?

Never button all the buttons on your jacket. As a rule, button one less than you have, and always leave the bottom button open.

Read more about wedding attire from GroomGroove.com:

• How to get the groomsmen outfitted in tuxedos, painlessly
• An intro to formal wear for the groom:
  • Tuxedo Jacket
  • Pants
  • Shirts
  • Ties
  • Cufflinks
  • Shoes (and socks)
  • What the hell is a cummerbund and do you need one?
  • Boutonnieres (aka the only flowers a groom needs to think about)
• Morning coats
• Wearing a suit instead of a tuxedo
• Whether to buy or rent a tux
• If you're buying a tux, whether to get it custom-made or off the rack tuxedo
• Beach wedding attire (you lucky bastard!)

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