A Guide To Wedding Attire For Wedding Guests!
Summer and Fall wedding invitations are in the mail and we are seeing an increasing amount of confusion among wedding guests regarding how to dress in accordance with attached dress codes. There are now many non-traditional wedding venues, each with a different atmosphere and level of formality. In addition to traditional church weddings, ceremonies now take place in country clubs, hotels, private wedding venues, lakeside resorts, and even backyard gardens. It is natural for people to be confused about what to wear.
Hopefully, we can clear up some of this confusion by defining the most common dress codes in order of formality and offer recommendations about what to do when in doubt. Please remember that printed invitation dress codes are not merely a suggestion, but a request from the wedding party to dress in accordance with the tone and formality of the wedding. If you accept the invitation, dress in accordance with the wishes of your hosts.
Black-Tie. This is an invitation to a formal event. Guests are requested to wear a tuxedo to the wedding and the reception. A black tuxedo is implied, although other dark colors such as Midnight Blue or Navy Blue may be acceptable if consistent with the wedding color scheme.
Black-tie invitations, while still rare locally, are becoming more common for out-of-town weddings in cities such as Milwaukee, Chicago, and Boston, where the venues may be cathedrals, country clubs, or four and five-star hotels. Most men do not wear tuxedos regularly and if purchasing a tux doesn’t make sense for you, consider renting a tuxedo as an affordable alternative. Please note: “Black-Tie” does not mean that you may wear a black tie with a suit. Don’t be that guy. Wear a tuxedo. Period.
Black-Tie Optional. Guests are requested to wear a tuxedo or a dark suit. This implies that the wedding party and their families will wear tuxedos, but the guests may wear a tuxedo or a dark suit. Unless otherwise instructed, guests should wear a black tuxedo or a dark suit in black, navy, or dark grey.
Semi-Formal. A dark suit, a blazer, or a dark sport coat is proper attire. Common in church weddings, country clubs, and hotel weddings.
Cocktail casual. This dress code is common for rehearsal dinners, outdoor, backyard and garden weddings. Cocktail casual is also the most confusing of all dress codes. In general, Cocktail Casual implies a sport coat, dress slacks, a collared shirt worn without a tie, and dress shoes. If a sport coat is not available, consider wearing a suit, open collar without a tie. Sport coat colors and patterns may be seasonal and vary by region and venue. For instance, cocktail casual for a garden party may be slightly different from cocktail casual in a country club or a nice restaurant.
Casual. An open collar dress shirt, or sport shirt, worn with casual slacks or chinos. Casual attire will vary greatly depending on venue, region, and season.
Every wedding is a unique experience. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to wedding attire. We have years of experience in the wedding industry and will be happy to answer all your questions regarding attire for the wedding day, rehearsal dinner, and pre-wedding and post-wedding events. Also, do not hesitate to reach out to the wedding party, the bride or groom’s families, or other guests to ask what everyone is wearing.
Our common goal is to make sure that you arrive for the festivities comfortably and confidently dressed. Feel free to call or stop in with any questions that you might have. One final reminder, this will be a busy wedding season, and we encourage you to plan ahead and shop early. We look for to assisting you!
