The Best Watches for Wedding Season: From Groom to Guest

Wedding season is upon us! And with it comes a host of exciting opportunities to see friends, indulge in food and drink, and, most importantly, get dressed and watched up. The watch you wear to a wedding says as much about you as the rest of your outfit. Whether you’re the groom looking for a future sentimental piece, a bride choosing the perfect complement to your dress, or a guest debating between flash and subtlety, read on!

For the Groom

If you’re a watch collector and the groom, you may have been thinking about what to wear for years. But if you’re at a loss, here are some general guidelines. Andrea Rios, style aficionado and fashion consultant at Esquire, believes that simpler is better for a groom. “A white dial with a black leather strap feels especially groom-appropriate,” she said. “I love options from Cartier and Omega.” Timeless and classy, she felt they matched the mood of a more formal wedding perfectly.

Our very own Watch Specialist Robert Reustle offered another perspective on the watch selection process. “I have a good customer who wore a Rolex GMT when he got married, even though he has many, much nicer watches,” he said. “Turns out that the GMT was a gift from his dad, who had passed away, and it was engraved on the back.” Wedding watches often become sentimental, and a connection to a previous generation can deepen the meaning.

If you have a sentimental piece, that may be the ideal choice. But if you’re buying something new, Rios’s advice is a great place to start: classy, elegant timepieces always match the importance of the day.

For the Bride

“While you don’t typically see ladies wearing a watch with a wedding dress, I think it could make for an interesting accessory,” Reustle said. Whether favoring a sentimental heirloom or choosing a future keepsake, a tasteful, meaningful piece can work beautifully.

Rios suggests a more symbolic idea for brides who choose to wear a watch: matching timepieces. “I once met a couple who wore matching Vacheron Constantins for their wedding, which felt both stylish and symbolic,” she said. For couples who collect together, this could be a meaningful and memorable gesture. Matching sets from brands like Lange or Patek can become treasured reminders of the day.

For the Guest

Guests often have the trickiest decision to make. Should you go dressy, or is it okay to wear a sport watch? Can you play with color, or is subtlety safer? Reustle encourages guests not to overthink the dress vs. sport debate. “As a guest, you should be considerate of the overall style and tone of the wedding, but you should always strive to be true to yourself,” he said. “To wear a sport watch with a suit is fine, in the same way that I would wear a small classic dress watch even to a casual beach wedding.”

To avoid drawing too much attention, Rios typically advises collectors to steer away from overly flashy pieces. “Elegance is key,” she said. “Let the statement come through in the metal tone. White gold looks great with a navy suit, while yellow or champagne gold really pop against black.” Subtle contrast can elevate your outfit without clashing with the formality of the event.

“A watch is an excellent place to express your own personal style and I’m always interested to see not only what someone wears, but how they wear it,” Reustle added.

No matter your role, both Reustle and Rios recommend simpler timepieces that complement your overall outfit rather than take center stage. They emphasize the importance of respecting the culture and mood of the event. For a foolproof approach, Rios summed it up best: “Whether the wedding is black tie or semi-formal, you can’t go wrong with a simple design. It’s elegant, understated, and always appropriate.”