Dress Code for Wedding Guests (2024)

FAQs

How do you answer wedding dress code questions? ›

Answer this question by stating your dress code in a direct sentence ("The dress code for our wedding is…"). Following that, you can include a brief explanation with attire suggestions and specifics—for example, that your venue requires a jacket and tie or if the ceremony will take place on the beach.

Women should embrace wrap dresses, midi dresses or elegant jumpsuits. For men, if it's a daytime wedding, a light sport jacket, button-down shirt and relaxed chinos fit the bill. In the evening, go for darker colors, as later weddings tend to be more formal.

: a set of rules about what clothing may and may not be worn at a school, office, restaurant, etc.

Smart casual is an approach to dressing professionally that mixes trendier pieces in with classic staples. The goal is an appearance that's clean and professional but doesn't look too formal. You want to look pulled together but a bit interesting and approachable.

Be Upfront from the Beginning

This gives guests time to find an appropriate outfit or bow out if they're not able to follow it. List it next to the dress code. For example: “Formal attire requested. Please wear shades of blue.”

Example dress code policies

“Because our company frequently sees visits from clients, customers and consultants, we expect our employees to dress appropriately in business attire. Appropriate attire can include suits, a sports jacket and pants, skirts with a jacket or pantsuits appropriate for a business environment.

What is an example of an appropriate dress code? ›

Business casual is the most common dress code in American workplaces, and it can vary based on each workplace. Men typically wear dress pants or khaki pants with collared button-up shirts, and they may also wear a sweater over this shirt. Women can wear business separates and blouses or shirts without collars.

Put It on the Invitation

The simplest way to tell your guests what they're expected to wear is to put a dress code in the invitation. There is a time-honored glossary of dress-code wording short enough to include on invitations, or on a card inserted with the invitation.

Between "black-tie optional" and "semi-formal," the language can be tricky to decipher. "While many couples would like their guests to arrive in black-tie attire, the most common wedding dress code is formal attire," says Alicia Mae, CEO of the New Jersey-based wedding planning company ILÈ Events.

Telling your stylist the overall vibe of your wedding is the best place to start. Give them a sense of the ambiance and style you're looking to achieve and that will help them get a sense of the perfect gown to fit your vision. Stick to key words like romantic, modern, vintage, boho, soft, industrial, etc.

You should make it very clear on the save the date and your wedding invitations that it is addressed to only the person or people you want to attend. If they still bring up the topic of a plus one, be polite but firm: “I'm so sorry but due to budget limitations/venue capacity, I'm afraid we can't justify plus ones.”

Make Your Case

No matter what you may be thinking about this employee's judgment in choosing what to wear to work, stick to a nonjudgmental tone when you address the issue. Get right to the point. Say that this person's attire is unacceptable and that you need to discuss what can be done to fix it.