How Tuxedo Rentals Work: A Simple Guide from Start to Finish

If you've never rented a tuxedo or suit before, the process can feel unclear. What measurements do they take? What happens at pickup? What if something doesn't fit? This guide walks through every step so you know exactly what to expect — and how to make the process as smooth as possible.

Step 1: Choose Your Look

The first step is deciding what you want to wear and what style fits your event. For most customers, this means:

• Suit or tuxedo? Tuxedos are appropriate for black tie events, formal evening weddings, and galas. Suits are the right call for semi-formal events, daytime weddings, outdoor venues, or any event where you want color options beyond black.
• Color: We carry suits and tuxedos in black, navy, charcoal, gray, tan, burgundy, and more. For wedding parties, color is usually decided by the groom or couple.
• Package: Our rental packages start at $170 for a complete look (jacket, trousers, shirt, vest, neckwear, pocket square, and cufflinks). We offer three tiers based on which accessories are included. Shoes can be added for $20.

You can browse styles on our website or — better yet — come into the store. Seeing garments in person and trying on a jacket takes five minutes and makes the decision obvious. Walk-ins are always welcome, no appointment needed.

Step 2: Come In for a Fitting

This is the most important step, and it's faster than most people expect. A complete in-store fitting at Boise Tuxedo & Suit Shop takes under 30 minutes.

What We Measure

Our staff will take the following measurements:

• Chest — the fullest part of your chest, measured under the arms
• Overarm — around the fullest part of your arms when held at your sides
• Mid section — around the widest part of your torso between chest and waist
• Waist — your natural waist, not where you wear your pants
• Outseam — from your waist to the floor along the outside of your leg
• Neck — the circumference of your neck for shirt sizing
• Shirt sleeve — from the center of your back, over your shoulder, to your wrist
• Height and weight — these help us anticipate proportions and pull the right starting sizes
• Shoe size and width — if you're renting shoes

We keep your measurements on file. If you've been measured with us before, we can pull your record and update any measurements that may have changed.

What to Wear to a Fitting

Wear normal, well-fitting clothes — not baggy or oversized. A fitted t-shirt or dress shirt works well. Bring the shoes you're planning to wear (or plan to rent), because the break of your trousers depends on heel height. This is one detail that gets overlooked and affects how the pants fit.

Out-of-Town and Out-of-State Customers

If you or members of your wedding party are traveling from out of state or out of the area, you don't need to come in for measurements in advance. You have two options:

1. Submit measurements online through our Submit Measurements page at boisetuxedoshop.com. Use measurements taken within the last few months, or have someone help you take them at home using a flexible tape measure.
2. Call us in advance at (208) 375-9616 to discuss your rental. We'll pull your look based on submitted measurements and have everything ready when you arrive.

Out-of-town customers do a quick try-on at pickup. If anything needs adjustment, we handle it on the spot before they leave — same as any local customer.

Step 3: Pickup and Fitting

Most rentals are available for pickup on Thursday or Friday before your event. This gives you the full weekend and means we can make any final adjustments without rushing.

What Happens at Pickup

Pickup is not just grabbing a bag off the counter. We do a complete in-store fitting with the actual garments you'll be wearing:

• You try on the full look — jacket, shirt, trousers, vest, neckwear, and shoes if renting
• Our staff checks every detail: shoulder seam position, jacket length, sleeve length, trouser break, collar fit, vest length
• If anything is off — a sleeve is too long, the jacket pulls at the back, the trousers need adjusting — we fix it immediately. This means swapping to the correct size or making on-the-spot alterations
• You do not leave the store until everything fits correctly

This in-store fitting at pickup is what separates renting locally from ordering online. Mail-order rental services ship you a garment in a size estimate. We put you in the actual clothes and fix anything that needs fixing before your event.

Try It On Before the Day Of

We strongly recommend trying on everything at home the night of pickup — not the morning of your event. If you discover something was missed or doesn't feel right, you have time to call us and come back in before we close. Discovering a problem at 7 AM on your wedding day with no time to fix it is a situation we can almost always prevent with an evening try-on.

Step 4: Enjoy Your Event

Your standard rental period covers Thursday or Friday pickup through Sunday or Monday return — giving you the full weekend for your event. If you need the rental for longer than one week, extended rental periods are available and will be discussed at booking so there are no surprises.

The full rental balance is due at pickup. We accept all major credit cards and cash. Online payment is not currently available for rentals — all payments are made in store or over the phone.

Step 5: Return

Returns are due Sunday or Monday after your event. The return process is simple:

• Do not clean or launder anything. Professional dry cleaning is included in your rental price. Attempting to wash or dry the garments yourself can damage them and may result in additional charges.
• Return all items: jacket, trousers, shirt, vest, neckwear, pocket square, cufflinks, and shoes if rented. Check pockets.
• Return the items as-is. Stains, wrinkles, and normal event wear are expected and handled by our professional cleaning process.
• Late returns carry a minimum fee of $20 per day. During peak wedding and prom season, late fees may be higher because garments are needed for other customers within days of your return date.

Coordinating a Wedding Party

If you're coordinating rentals for a wedding party, here's what makes the process smooth:

• Book early. For spring and summer weddings, we recommend starting the rental process 3–6 months out. Popular styles and sizes get reserved quickly during prom and wedding season, which overlap in April and May.
• Come in as a group when possible. Having groomsmen measured together in one visit makes coordinating accessories (vest color, neckwear) much easier and prevents late changes that affect the overall look.
• Designate one contact person. For large wedding parties, assign one person — usually the best man or the bride — to coordinate timing with us. It keeps communication clean.
• Out-of-state groomsmen: Have them submit measurements online at least two weeks before the wedding date. We'll have their look pulled and ready for a quick pickup and try-on when they arrive in town.

We've outfitted hundreds of Treasure Valley wedding parties. Whatever your situation — large group, tight timeline, out-of-town members — we've navigated it before and can walk you through exactly what needs to happen and when.

Common Questions

Can I place a hold without coming in? Yes. Call us at (208) 375-9616 and we can hold a style for a short period while you arrange to come in.

What if I gain or lose weight between booking and pickup? Not a problem. We fit you at pickup based on how you look that day, not your measurements from weeks ago. Fluctuations of 10–15 pounds are common and easy to accommodate.

What if something is damaged during my rental? Normal wear during an event — a wrinkle, a small stain — is expected and covered. Significant damage may result in a damage fee assessed at return. If something happens during the event, just let us know at return rather than trying to fix it yourself.

Can I extend my rental? Yes. If you need the garments longer than the standard weekend period, let us know at booking and we'll set up an extended rental. Don't return late without communicating with us first — the late fee applies regardless of the reason.

Ready to Get Started?

Walk into our store at 3371 N Eagle Road, Suite C130, Meridian, Idaho — between Kohl's and Dick's Sporting Goods at Eagle and Ustick Road. No appointment needed. We're open Monday through Friday 10 AM–6 PM and Saturday 10 AM–5 PM. For large wedding parties or out-of-state coordination, call us first at (208) 375-9616 and we'll walk you through the process before your visit.