Should you just pop into the first tux shop you come across in the mall? Probably not. Though tux shops might all appear to be exactly the same, they aren't. They may differ in price, quality, and — most importantly — service. If you run into a problem with the tuxedos the night before the wedding, you want to feel comfortable in the knowledge that your tux shop will take care of it. It's not worth saving $20 on the rentals if it means all of your men will be wearing different suits at the altar.

References

Your best bet for finding a good tux shop is a good reference. Ask friends or family members about their experiences with a certain shop. Were they given the correct tuxes — and all the accessories — at the time they were promised? Did the shop offer the entire group any discounts? Did the store seem up-to-date, or were there some questionable-looking threads hanging around?

See for Yourself

Don't take someone else's word for it entirely, though. Go into the shop and browse around. Check out the quality of the tuxes on display; note the helpfulness of the staff, too. (If they aren't any help to you now, they sure won't be any help if you have any last-minute problems.) Take a tux for a test drive in the dressing room. (Try out some of your dance moves, if space permits.)

If you can't find any obvious flaws with this shop, and you've come here on the recommendations of a friend or two, you may have found your place.

Get Measured

You should really start looking for your own tux three or four months before the wedding. This will not only give you plenty of time to choose the ensemble, it will give your groomsmen plenty of time to get measured for their tuxes.

You'll be measured in the shop by someone who knows what they're doing. He or she will measure your inseam, your waist, your jacket size. Ideally, your groomsmen will be measured in the same shop, but life isn't always cooperative. Still, your groomsmen should also be measured by professional tailors — even if they live out of the area. The worst thing that can happen is that your best man will send his measurements — which he took himself — and the tuxedo shop will order him a tux that will never, ever fit him. He won't know this until he arrives in town the day before your wedding and tries on this tux. Maybe the shop can find him another tux; maybe they can alter this one; and then again, maybe they can't. Maybe he'll just end up wearing something completely different from the rest of the wedding party. Yep, he'll stand out, all right — for all the wrong reasons.

You should really rent the shoes from the tux shop. Their dress shoes are very different from the dress shoes you and your buddies wear when you're out on the town or in a business meeting. The wrong shoes will ruin your entire look.

Cost

While some etiquette and wedding books will steer you toward paying for the entire wedding party's tuxedo bill, this one won't. Realistically, most attendants will expect to pick up the tab for their tuxes. That's not to say that they will be happy about paying for all the extras — the top hat, the spats, the cane (no one could talk you out of those, huh?).

If you're going the whole nine yards, you might want to consider picking up part of the bill. Otherwise you may find yourself at the altar wondering why no one else is wearing spats.