It’s your dream wedding. You are practically floating down the cathedral aisle in a beautiful ivory gown, smiling at your guests when Uncle Roy catches your eye — he’s wearing shorts and sneakers! You desperately hope he doesn’t crack open a beer in the middle of the ceremony.
Or maybe you’re busy planning an outdoor wedding followed by a fun picnic, but you’ve spent most of your time this past week fielding phone calls from relatives who are wondering if neckties are necessary if it is really hot outside.
Save yourself the time and energy, and save everyone the embarrassment of being over- or under-dressed by making “how your guests will dress” part of your wedding planning. The best way to get the word out is with a few simple words at the bottom of your wedding invitation.
White Tie
In other words, “Ultra formal.” Think Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Think of Princess Diana getting married. All of your male guests will be expected to attend the festivities wearing a formal tuxedo (usually tails), complete with white tie and vest. Women should be wearing floor-length evening wear.
Black Tie OR Formal
This designation tells male guests that a tuxedo is preferred however, some guests may choose to wear dark suits.. Women can wear formal gowns or dresses. Also appropriate for women are tea-length dresses or gowns.
Semi-Formal
This is the dress required for most weddings and is what most guests expect (with the exception of Uncle Roy, of course) . Men wear suits, ladies wear dresses or appropriate separates.
Dressy Casual
This one is a little difficult for people to understand when they see it on a casual wedding invitation. Is it dressy or casual? Can I wear “nice jeans”? An easy way to remember this is to think ‘business casual’ but no jeans. No, jeans are still not appropriate no matter how ‘nice’ they are. Khakis and sport coats with no tie would be appropriate for the guys. Women are free to wear nice slacks or suits or even a casual dress.
Casual Dress
This basically means “anything goes, so long as you wear something.” Uncle Roy would fit in great here, because thank heaven, he is wearing clothing.
Festive Attire
If you’re like me, reading this, you’re probably having flashbacks to your first grade teacher’s holiday sweaters, but festive attire can mean many different things. You’ll have to be specific for your guests. A great example of festive attire is if you’ve planned a beach wedding followed by a luau-type party. “Island Attire” would be an appropriate addition to your beach wedding invitation.
You want to make your wedding something that is relaxed and enjoyable for both
you and your guests. Make your guests part of your plans and you can do exactly that!
