Here’s a good rule of thumb: if there are hay bales involved, it’s a country-themed wedding. These rustic, barn-style weddings have become more popular in recent years, and most local wineries have jumped on the trend, converting warehouses into function rooms that look like something out of Charlotte’s Web. Now, the pressing question for guests: what to wear? Bid farewell to clichéd cowboy hats and flannel, as AQUILA guides you towards a more refined yet relaxed wedding attire.

The good news is that country-themed weddings are just like regular weddings, only slightly more relaxed. As a guy, this means you can have a bit more fun with suit colour, dress shoes and accessories. In fact, it’s a good excuse to leave your navy suit in the wardrobe and experiment with more earthy tones: khaki, caramel, forest green, salmon pink.

Here are some tips on what to wear to a country-themed wedding.

The Giacomo Dark Brown Loafers

We’ve covered winter wedding attire before, but the short version is: dress boots. A sharp pair of dress boots looks great under a suit, and they’ll keep your toes from freezing off in an open-air barn in July. Win win, right? Some OSBOURNE 2.0 T.D Moro Chelsea boots are a great choice here, with their sharp toe keeping things relatively formal. Try these under a light grey two-piece suit, with some matching leather accessories. Something like the MANNING chukka boots are also great for country-themed weddings. It’s a little less fancy, but when you’re dancing among hay bales, that’s kind of a good thing.

Country-themed weddings are an excuse to bust out of traditional wedding attire. Leave the 9-5 Oxfords on the shoe rack and and venture into the realm of monk straps instead. The buckle detailing on our BALMORAL brown monk straps, perfectly capture the rustic, equestrian essence of a country theme, and they look fantastic under a navy or petrol blue suit (just throw in a white dress shirt and matching brown tie). For the same reason, embrace the barn-wedding vibe with the timeless charm of brogues. That patterned leather look really fits the barn-wedding vibe. We recommend some TOMMASI Bordeaux Oxfords for a touch of sophistication

Unlock the key to barn weddings with Aquila's style guide: steer clear of corporate and embrace the rustic charm. This rule holds true for all weddings, but especially those with tractors in the backdrop. If you lean towards a traditional men’s dress shoe, consider the Derby – a formal yet relaxed choice that pairs seamlessly with tonal, textured suiting.

Our CRIPPS tan lace-ups or the BATEMAN in brown leather are the best play here. All they need is a light brown suit – maybe with a subtle windowpane check – sky blue shirt and tonal tie. You kind of want to channel the colours of the barn: tan hay, brown earth, blue sky, autumn foliage. Play around with these shades and you can’t go wrong.

The Cripps Chocolate Dress Shoes

Step away from the cowboy hat. We’re talking sharp, modern accessories. A nice dress watch is always welcome at a wedding, wherever it is, and with all these earth tones flying around, it’s a good idea to bust out your gold. Gold watch, gold tie pin, gold belt buckle. Whichever way you go, just make sure to keep the metallics consistent. A good quality leather belt, like the BANE, is also a must: pick one that matches the general shade of your shoes. Lastly, hats. As we’ve said, cowboy hats are out, but if it’s looking really sunny, and you know the ceremony is outdoors, a dressy summer hat is never out of place.