It's an age old dilemma - should a man rent or buy a tuxedo? If you trust GQ magazine, you'll already have a tuxedo in your closet collecting dust! GroomGroove.com isn't so sure. Here's why.

Says Michael Mantegna of Michael Andrews Bespoke, GroomGroove.com's formal wear expert, "While there is nothing wrong with renting, the tuxedo is a fundamental part of a man's wardrobe, and there's probably no better time to buy one than in preparation for your wedding day."   If you find yourself needing a tux more than once or twice a year, buying simply makes more sense. However, for most guys, there simply are not enough black tie events to go around to make the purchase worthwhile.

While the groom may want to be outfitted in a brand new tuxedo, it might be tough to force the tuxedo purchase on his groomsmen. But if it's not important to the bride and groom that the wedding party wear matching attire, this is not a factor. Otherwise, it'll be odd to have a grab bag of formal wear for the groom and groomsmen. Buying four sets of tuxedos is not practical, especially if you're planning on forcing the groomsmen to buy the tuxes.

An alternative to buying an excellent tux - buying a tuxedo on the cheap

"We can put together an affordable and quality tuxedo that will last beyond your wedding day, and make it look as modern as a slim-fit Hugo Boss tuxedo. The truth is that nobody will know the difference," says Harris Reinhardt, of Cheap Tux, an internet purveyor of inexpensive tuxedos.

If you can convince your best man and other groomsmen to shell out for similar tuxedos, the entire party can get outfitted with a tuxedo to keep. It's not a bad idea, especially with rentals costing upwards of $150.

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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