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Your cufflinks might seem like a very small detail on your wedding day, but they shouldn’t be disregarded as being unimportant.
Cufflinks are an excellent way to show off your personality, add a bit of color or bling to your look and flaunt your fashion sense. For brides, cufflinks make an excellent gift for the groom, as they can be used over and over and can tie in perfectly with the bride’s ensemble for a cohesive look.
If you’re unsure about the type of cufflinks to choose, we’ve covered what you need to know in our guide.
What Cufflink Style to Choose?
The style of cufflinks you choose depends on your personal taste as well as the type of wedding you’re having. Here are some popular options:
1- Novelty Cufflinks
Novelty cufflinks make great gifts and are perfect to add a touch of lighthearted fun to your attire. They’re a fun way to express something about yourself – your hobbies like these rotatable bike gear cufflinks or these music note cufflinks, a political statement like these gay pride cufflinks or a passion like these detailed golf bag cufflinks.
But note that novelty cufflinks are often best suited for a casual wedding. If you’re planning to wear them for a formal wedding, they will stand out and can look out of place.
A word of warning – there’s a fine line between tasteful novelty and tacky novelty. Always ensure that the cufflinks are classy and stylish, even if they’re goofy and whimsical.
2- Colorful Cufflinks
Colorful silver cufflinks. Check price here.
While some men prefer monochromatic cufflinks, colorful cufflinks can be the perfect option to add a burst of color to your attire, while keeping everything else otherwise traditional.
3- Classic Cufflinks
You can never go wrong with classic metal cufflinks, made of gold or silver, because the neutral tones and style make for a very sophisticated look. In this light, classic cufflinks make for a better option that novelty or colorful cufflinks, as they can be reused and suit a wide range of occasions, making them a great investment.
Because the cufflinks will be very close to the wedding ring, ensure that these two objects don’t clash. You could opt for similar metal colors to reduce the possibility of a clash, so if you’re wedding ring is rose gold, think rose gold cufflinks.
Another classic option is to choose diamond cufflinks, which add a bit of sparkle to your attire. These are very stylish and perfectly suit a formal wedding.
4- Mismatched Cufflinks
Technically, this could come under the novelty cufflinks section but are quite unique, so we thought they deserved their own heading.
Mismatched cufflinks are not for everyone but are great if you want a non-traditional look. These have to be chosen carefully, because although they’re mismatched, you still want them to look like they’re on purpose and not an accident.
The trick with mismatched cufflinks is that there should be a common theme that unites both cufflinks, like these pizza and fries pair or these stylized dog and bone cufflinks.
Type of Cufflinks
Here are the main types of cufflinks in terms of their mechanics.
- Whale Back Cufflink – one of the most popular types of cufflinks, this features a flat ‘whale tail’ backing that slaps together for closure. These are easy to put on with one hand.
- Chain Link Cufflink – the two ends of the cufflink are connected by a short chain. This type of cufflink is also double-backed, with both sides featuring the same design, making them reversible.
- Ball Return Cufflink – here a curved post studded with a ball at the end is used to hold the cufflink in place.
- Knotted Cufflinks – these are ideal for informal events and feature knots connected together to create both sides of the cufflink, like these silk knot cufflinks. These are also very affordable in general.
Matching Your Cufflink to the Rest of Your Attire
There’s a rule that your cufflinks should match your tie, but this can be harder than it seems. It’s not just about the color but also about the shape, finish and texture which should complement each other.
You don’t have to follow this rule and anyway, rules are made to be broken. But if you do decide to match your cufflinks with your tie for a unified, sophisticated look, here are a few pointers:
- Find a balance between your tie and your cufflinks. If your tie is a little on the loud side, opt for less conspicuous cufflinks and vice-versa.
- Find matching tones. If you’re tie is a warm color, like yellow, green or orange, pick yellow gold to complement it while colors like blue or purple look better with silver hues cufflinks.
- If you’re wearing a tie with patterns, you could pick a pair of cufflinks that feature one of the colors.
