One of the easiest wedding styling decisions to overthink is whether the groom should wear exactly the same tie as the groomsmen. There is no rule saying he has to.
The best choice depends on how much you want the groom to stand out, how many colours are already in the wedding palette and whether the suit itself is doing enough to separate him from the rest of the party.
Quick answer: should the groom and groomsmen wear the same tie?
They can, but they do not need to. Matching ties give the wedding party a clean, uniform look. A different colour, shade or pattern gives the groom more separation while keeping the group coordinated.
Across real Broni&Bo weddings we see both approaches work well. The important part is keeping at least one element consistent — colour family, knitted texture, pocket square, suit, shirt or overall wedding palette.
Option 1: everyone wears the same tie
This is the simplest approach and works especially well when the groom already stands apart through his suit, waistcoat, boutonnière or other details.
In our Coral and taupe real wedding, the groom and five groomsmen all wear the same Coral Fusion knitted tie and pocket square sets. The consistent accessories make a large group feel deliberate and polished rather than busy.
The Copper countryside wedding takes a similar idea across different tailoring. Olive, brown and navy suits are all connected by the same Copper knitted accessories. It shows that the ties can be the element that unifies the party even when the suits are not identical.
Option 2: give the groom a different tie colour
A different tie is a subtle way to make the groom immediately identifiable in group photographs without changing the whole outfit.
Our Ink Blue groom and Champagne groomsmen wedding is a strong example. Everyone wears navy tailoring, but the groom wears Ink Blue while the groomsmen wear Champagne. The groom's colour also connects with the bridesmaid dresses, so the change has a reason rather than feeling random.
This works particularly well if there are two important shades in the wedding palette. Give one to the groom and the other to the groomsmen.
Option 3: keep the same colour family but change the shade
If a completely different colour feels like too much contrast, use a darker or lighter shade from the same family. For example, a groom could wear Ink Blue while the groomsmen wear Navy, or Dark Olive while the rest of the party uses Sage or Moss.
This creates hierarchy without losing the colour story. It is also useful when bridesmaid dresses use several shades of the same colour.
If you are trying to coordinate both sides of the wedding party, our guide to matching groomsmen ties to bridesmaid dresses explains exact, tonal and complementary approaches.
Option 4: keep the colour but change the pattern or style
The groom can stand apart without changing colour at all. Keep the same palette but use a patterned tie, bow tie, different accessory style or another texture.
In our Teal and grey real wedding, the groomsmen wear matching Teal knitted tie and pocket square sets while the groom uses a floral tie that still picks up the same greens and blues. The colour connection stays intact, but the groom has his own look.
What if the groom wears a different suit?
If the groom's suit is already clearly different, matching ties can actually help pull the group back together. You do not need to make every element different.
The same principle works in reverse: if everyone wears identical suits, changing the groom's tie is one of the easiest ways to create separation.
Think of the outfit as a set of layers:
- Suit: same or different?
- Tie colour: same, tonal or contrasting?
- Pocket square: matching the tie or another wedding colour?
- Boutonnière: can this identify the groom?
- Accessory style: tie vs bow tie, plain vs pattern?
You normally only need one or two of those layers to change.
How to choose the right approach for your wedding
Choose matching ties if…
- you want a clean, formal and consistent group look;
- the groom already has a different suit or waistcoat;
- you have one strong wedding accent colour;
- you are dressing a large wedding party and want to keep the styling simple.
Choose a different groom tie if…
- everyone is wearing the same suit;
- you want the groom to stand out subtly in photographs;
- your wedding palette contains two or more coordinated colours;
- you want the groom to link directly to the bridesmaid dresses or another key detail.
Use real wedding photos before deciding
It is much easier to judge the effect when you see complete wedding parties rather than individual product shots. Our Real Weddings & Wedding Style Inspiration hub lets you filter genuine customer weddings by both tie/accessory colour and suit colour.
If you already know the suit, you can also start with the Navy, Green, Grey or Brown suit guides.
Compare the colours before buying for the full party
Once you know whether the groom will match or differ, compare the actual shades beside the suit and any bridesmaid fabric. Broni&Bo has 36 coordinated wedding colours, and 50p colour swatches let you test the combinations before ordering several ties or sets.
A useful approach is to order the groom's preferred colour plus one or two alternatives for the groomsmen. Put them together with the suit in daylight and choose the combination that feels deliberate rather than simply different.
Frequently asked questions
Does the best man need the same tie as the groomsmen?
No. The best man can match the groomsmen, match the groom or have a small variation of his own. For larger parties, keeping the best man with the groomsmen is usually the simplest visual choice.
Can the groom wear a bow tie while the groomsmen wear ties?
Yes. Changing the accessory style is an easy way to distinguish the groom while keeping the same colour palette.
Should the pocket squares all match?
They can. Matching tie and pocket square sets create the most consistent look, but the groom can also use a different square or floral detail if you want another point of difference.
Start with the colour. Browse all 36 wedding shades or order 50p swatches before choosing for the whole party.
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