The Complete Guide to Wedding Cufflinks: What Every Groom and Groomsman Should Know

Why Cufflinks Still Matter on Your Wedding Day

There is a reason the cufflink has outlasted every passing trend in menswear. In an age of increasingly casual dress codes, the wedding remains one of the few occasions where a man is expected — invited, really — to dress with genuine intention. And no detail signals that intention quite like a well-chosen pair of cufflinks.

They are small. They are quiet. And they are one of the only accessories a groom wears that he will keep for the rest of his life. Photographs fade in resolution, but a pair of cufflinks sits in a drawer and feels exactly the same twenty years later as it did on the morning you first fastened them.

For the 2026 wedding season, cufflinks are experiencing a quiet renaissance. The broader menswear shift toward personalization, artisanal craftsmanship, and meaningful accessories has brought renewed attention to this most classic of details. If you are planning a spring or summer wedding — or standing beside someone who is — this guide will help you get it right.

Choosing Wedding Cufflinks for the Groom

The groom's cufflinks carry a different weight than anyone else's in the wedding party. This is not merely an accessory decision. It is, in its own understated way, a statement about who you are on one of the most significant days of your life.

Match the Metal to Your Ring

The simplest and most reliable rule: your cufflinks should echo the tone of your wedding band. Yellow gold ring, warm-toned cufflinks. White gold or platinum band, silver or rhodium-finished cufflinks. This creates a visual coherence that most guests will never consciously notice — but would notice if it were absent.

Consider the Formality

A black-tie wedding calls for restraint. Think polished silver, mother of pearl, or onyx. A less formal celebration opens the door to texture, colour, and personality — enamel details, lapis lazuli inlays, or cufflinks with a subtle nod to a shared interest or inside joke.

Think Beyond the Day

The most thoughtful groom's cufflinks are ones that will be worn again. A pair so specific to the wedding theme that it cannot exist outside that context is a beautiful gesture — but a pair that becomes part of your permanent rotation is a better one. Look for designs that are distinctive enough to feel special but versatile enough to accompany a navy suit to dinner on an ordinary Tuesday.

Cufflinks for Groomsmen: The Art of Cohesion Without Uniformity

Here is where many wedding parties go wrong. The instinct is to buy identical cufflinks for every groomsman — matching sets, usually engraved with initials, ordered in bulk. It is efficient. It is also forgettable.

A more considered approach is to select cufflinks that share a common thread — the same metal tone, a similar scale, a compatible aesthetic — while allowing each pair to be distinct. This accomplishes two things. It preserves the visual harmony of the wedding party in photographs. And it gives each groomsman something that feels chosen for him, not assigned to him.

What to Look For

Quality over quantity. A single pair of handmade cufflinks in sterling silver will be kept and worn. A set of mass-produced accessories in a branded gift box will end up in a drawer and stay there.

Materials that age well. Sterling silver develops a patina that improves with time. Enamel work retains its colour for decades. These are the materials that reward the long view.

A story behind the design. The 2026 trend toward narrative-driven accessories is not accidental. Men increasingly want objects with provenance — pieces made by hand, designed with intention, carrying some meaning beyond the decorative. A pair of cufflinks inspired by a particular craft tradition, or made from an unusual material with its own history, is more than a gift. It is a conversation.

Wedding Cufflink Etiquette: Who Buys What

This question appears on wedding forums with remarkable frequency, and the answer is straightforward.

Traditionally, the groom purchases cufflinks for his groomsmen as part of the groomsmen gift. This is a gesture of thanks — a tangible acknowledgement that these men showed up, suited up, and stood beside you. The groom's own cufflinks are typically his personal choice, though they are sometimes gifted by a parent, partner, or best man.

There are no rigid rules. What matters is the thought behind the choice, not the protocol surrounding it.

Materials Guide: What Works for Weddings

Not all cufflinks are created equal, and the material matters more than most grooms realize — particularly when the cufflinks are meant to last.

Sterling Silver

The standard bearer for a reason. Sterling silver is durable, elegant, and appropriate for virtually any level of formality. It pairs effortlessly with both charcoal and navy suits and develops a beautiful patina over time. For wedding cufflinks that will become everyday favourites, silver is the safest and most rewarding choice.

Gold and Gold-Plated

Solid gold cufflinks are a luxury reserved for those who want the very best. Gold-plated options offer a similar warmth at a more accessible price point. Either way, gold cufflinks are best suited to warm-toned wedding palettes and pair beautifully with tan, cream, or champagne-coloured suits.

Enamel and Semi-Precious Stone

For grooms who want colour without compromising on sophistication, enamel work and semi-precious stone inlays — lapis lazuli, malachite, tiger's eye — offer a controlled burst of personality. These materials photograph beautifully and add depth to an otherwise monochrome ensemble.

The Case for Handmade

Mass-produced cufflinks serve a purpose. But for a wedding — an event defined by its singularity — there is something fitting about choosing cufflinks that were made by hand. The slight imperfections, the evidence of the maker's touch, the knowledge that no other pair is quite the same. These are qualities that align with what a wedding is supposed to represent.

How to Wear Cufflinks with a Wedding Suit

A brief practical note, because the mechanics matter.

You will need a shirt with French cuffs — the double-folded cuff with buttonholes on both sides. This is non-negotiable. Standard barrel-cuff shirts do not accommodate cufflinks.

To fasten: fold the cuff back so the buttonholes align, then insert the cufflink through both layers. The decorative face should be visible when your arms are at your sides. Toggle-style and whale-back cufflinks are the easiest to fasten solo; bullet-back closures offer a sleeker profile but can require a second pair of hands on a nervous morning.

Ensure your cufflinks sit flush and do not catch on your jacket sleeve. The goal is a clean line from shoulder to wrist, with just a half-inch of cuff visible beyond the jacket.

Spring and Summer 2026: What Is Trending

This season's wedding cufflinks reflect the broader menswear movement toward quiet luxury and artisanal quality. The key trends:

• **Matte finishes** over high polish — a subtler, more modern look
• **Mixed materials** — combining metal with wood, stone, or enamel
• **Personalized details** — engraved coordinates, dates, or symbols with private meaning
• **Vintage-inspired designs** — art deco geometry, mid-century motifs, and heritage craftsmanship
• **Sustainability** — couples increasingly favour accessories made by independent artisans using responsible materials

Frequently Asked Questions

Do groomsmen have to wear cufflinks at a wedding?

Groomsmen only need cufflinks if they are wearing shirts with French cuffs. If the wedding party is wearing barrel-cuff shirts, cufflinks are not necessary. However, opting for French cuffs and cufflinks is an easy way to elevate the formality and visual cohesion of the wedding party.

What colour cufflinks should the groom wear?

Match the metal tone of your cufflinks to your wedding band. Silver or white gold rings pair with silver-toned cufflinks; yellow gold rings pair with gold-toned cufflinks. For colour accents, choose stones or enamel that complement your wedding palette without competing with it.

Are cufflinks a good groomsmen gift?

Cufflinks are one of the most enduring groomsmen gifts because they are both functional and sentimental. Unlike novelty items that lose their charm after the wedding, a quality pair of cufflinks becomes part of a man's permanent wardrobe. Choose handmade or personalised options for maximum impact.

How much should you spend on wedding cufflinks?

For the groom, invest in the best pair you can comfortably afford — these will be worn for decades. For groomsmen gifts, a range of £40 to £150 per pair is typical, with the emphasis on quality and craftsmanship rather than price. One well-made pair is always preferable to a set of inexpensive accessories.

Can you wear cufflinks with a regular suit?

Absolutely. Cufflinks are not reserved for black-tie events. Any suit worn with a French-cuff shirt can be elevated with cufflinks. For weddings with a smart-casual dress code, cufflinks add a layer of polish that signals respect for the occasion without overdressing.

Finding the Right Pair

The best wedding cufflinks are not the most expensive, the most ornate, or the most on-trend. They are the ones that feel right — that suit the man, the moment, and the marriage they are celebrating.

At Fils Unique, every pair of cufflinks is handmade and designed to be genuinely one of a kind. Browse the full cufflinks collection to find something that speaks to the occasion — or explore options that would make a memorable groomsmen gift with real staying power.

Because on a day when every detail matters, the smallest ones matter most.