The Right Pocket Square for Weddings
Yes – a pocket square belongs to any and all weddings where there are suitable pockets to carry one. For the groom and groomsmen at a formal one it's practically expected. The safest choice is a square that complements, never exactly matches, the tie or the wedding's colour scheme, worn in a simple fold. When choosing your outfit keep in mind that a wedding is a long, warm, emotional day of photos, toasts and the occasional tears. That's why a square you can actually use beats one that only looks the part.
Add some flare to the party
Allow Vincent to walk you through the concept of weddings from the pocket square's perspective — whether you're the groom, standing beside him, or simply a guest who intends to look the part. The square in the picture above is FatCloth x Mucha Painting.
Do you even need one?
Unless you're the priest, the short answer at a formal wedding is yes. A pocket square is the small detail that finishes a suit. At a wedding where everyone has made an effort, going without one leaves the outfit feeling unfinished.
For the groom, it's all but essential. It's the one day the photographs will be looked at for decades, and the breast pocket is exactly where the eye lands after the face. For the groomsmen and best man, a square is expected at anything formal, usually coordinated with the groom's look to tie the party together. For a guest, it's optional but never wrong — a square is one of the easiest ways to look considered rather than thrown-together. You can bring out a bit of your personality to the outfit too, like the chap in the picture wearing a FatCloth for Moomin Party for the occasion.
The only real exceptions are a genuinely casual or jacketless wedding – or a wedding rooted in an indigenous tradition Vincent has yet to attend. No jacket, no breast pocket, no need. Beyond that, if you're wearing a jacket, wear a square.
Born at a wedding
Here's a small confession that makes FatCloth uniquely qualified to write this particular guide: the whole idea of a functional pocket square was born at a wedding.
It was a hot summer ceremony, wool suits, good company and rising temperatures. The traditional silk squares in everyone's pockets looked handsome and did absolutely nothing when the sweating started. Somewhere between the vows and the first dance it became clear that what a gentleman actually needs on a day like that is a square that looks the part and earns its keep. That was the seed of the original multipurpose FatCloth.
Which is why a wedding, of all occasions, is where a FatCloth belongs most. It's a long day. There will be heat, there will be photographs, there may well be tears — and a square you can quietly press into service for a brow, a pair of glasses or a friend having a moment is worth rather more than one you're afraid to touch.
Choosing the colour(s)
The golden rule of wedding pocket squares is the same as any other: complement, don't match. A square that is an exact copy of the tie looks like it came as a set. A set is fine for towels, but then again – you would not wear them. Instead, pick up a secondary colour from your tie, your suit, or the wedding's palette, and let the square echo it.
A few reliable starting points: with a navy suit, a white square is timeless, while burnt orange or soft burgundy adds warmth. With a grey suit, a pastel blue or a gentle pink lifts the whole look. For black tie, a crisp white square in a flat fold is the classic and correct answer. For a summer or beach wedding, lean into lighter tones and a relaxed fold.
Colour coordination is a deep enough subject that Vincent has written a whole piece on it — see Matching Pocket Square Colors for the full theory. And if you'd rather see than guess, our Pocket Square Preview Tool lets you drop any FatCloth into a navy, grey or tweed jacket and judge the combination before you commit. The colourful square in the image is FatCloth Nelson.
Formality & fabric
Match the square to the dress code. And do let your spouse know what you've decided before the big day. Black tie calls for restraint — white, simple fold, nothing loud. Formal daytime weddings allow a little colour and pattern. Semi-formal and casual weddings are where you can have some fun with bolder designs and relaxed folds. Remember: don't try to outshine the groom, especially if you're the best man!
Fabrics expand your choices beyond mere colors. Classic silk drapes beautifully but is useless for anything practical. Wool, linen, cotton and mixed materials all have their own pros and cons. FatCloth's high-grade microfibre (185 g/m²) looks great, shrugs off a warm day's creasing, and — as its origin story insists — can actually be put to work when the moment calls for it. It also survives a 40°C machine wash afterwards unlike silk and many other decorative materials.
None of this means silk has no place at a wedding. It means that for the length and heat and emotion of the day itself, a square that is both handsome and useful has the edge. Vincent's pro tip: If silk gets the top pocket, make sure you've got something more useful tucked away in a different pocket!
Folds for a wedding
You don't need a repertoire of fourteen folds. Three will carry you through any wedding.
The puff fold is the easiest and most versatile — a soft, rounded shape that suits almost any suit and any level of formality. The one-point (triangle) fold is a touch sharper and neater, ideal when you want a little more structure. The presidential (flat) fold is the most formal and understated of all — a clean straight line, perfect for black tie and for a classic white square. If you're having problems keeping it up, then Vincent suggests you try out our Pocket Square Holder.
As a rule of thumb: the more formal the wedding, the flatter and simpler the fold. Full step-by-step guides for each live on our How to Fold a Pocket Square page.
Matching the wedding party
The goal with a wedding party is to look coordinated, not identical. A whole row of men in exactly the same square can look like a uniform; the same colour family in slightly varied designs looks intentional and relaxed. A common approach is for the groom to wear a slightly distinct square while the groomsmen share a common one — related, but with the groom a half-step apart. Like the guys in the picture, the groom wearing FatCloth Aziz and the groomsmen all black.
This is also where a wedding pocket square becomes a gift. A custom FatCloth — printed in the wedding's colours, with a date, a monogram or a small in-joke inside the sleeve — unifies the whole party and doubles as a keepsake the groomsmen will actually use, precisely because it's useful and washable rather than a silk square destined for a drawer. If you're outfitting a whole party, take a look at Custom Squares — it's one of the more popular things we're asked to make. And should you need only a couple of our stock options for you and the groomsmen, you can always try your luck haggling with Vincent for a special deal. He has a soft spot for weddings after all.
Wedding pocket square FAQ
For a formal wedding, yes — a pocket square finishes the groomsmen's look and ties the wedding party together visually. For a very casual or jacketless wedding it's optional. As a rule, if the groom wears one, the groomsmen should too.
Choose a colour that complements the wedding's palette or your tie, rather than matching it exactly. White is the timeless, foolproof choice with any suit or tuxedo. For a little personality, pick up a secondary colour from your tie or the theme.
Traditionally they're two different things — one for show, one for use. The exception is a multipurpose square like a FatCloth, which is presentable enough for the breast pocket and useful enough to wipe your glasses, your brow, or a tear on the day itself.
Coordinated, not identical. The same colour family across the party looks intentional; exact matches can look like a uniform. Custom squares are a popular way to unify the group and double as a keepsake gift.
Silk looks and feels light & luxurious but can't be used for anything practical. Microfibre looks like silk but resists wrinkles, and can actually be put to work — a real advantage across a long wedding day.
Both work. With a tie it completes a formal look; without a tie — at a blazer or smart-casual wedding — a square arguably matters more, since it becomes the outfit's main accent.
In closing
A wedding is exactly the kind of day the pocket square was made for — and, in FatCloth's case, quite literally the day it was invented. Whether you're the one saying "I do" or simply there to raise a glass, the right square is the small detail that says you thought about it. Like the happy gent in the picture donning the classic FatCloth Salvatore Red.
Browse the full range in All Pocket Squares, outfit the whole party with Custom Squares, or try a few combinations in the Preview Tool before the big day. Whatever you choose, Vincent's got your back.