Black Tie Preferred

I have a sense that if you show up in a gown you will be much more formal than just about anyone else.

I would look into a clothing rental company like Rent the Runway. Or shop at Macy's--they always seem to have formal dresses on sale.

Sounds like black tie optional... I would expect men to wear a tux if they have one, dark formal suit if not, women to wear a long dress or v dressy cocktail dress (I'd expect bridal party to be in long dresses). I go to a black tie ball annually and love rent the runway, highly recommend it if you want to go the long dress/gown route

Thanks guys thats what I thought but i wasn't sure. I would rent the dress but unfortunately Rent the Runway doesn't carry my size. I'm not entirely sure other sites like Gwynnie Bee have more formal gowns.

I'd go with a long dress and have your FH wear a tux. We went to a black tie preferred wedding this summer and wore that, and felt appropriately dressed.

Yeah you need a long dress.

That is just ridiculous; it's either black tie, with every detail from the host that black tie entails, or it's not.

I would say a long dress and a dark suit.

I would say it's a more formal wedding than the others I've been too but i don't think its going to be that formal. It's my cousin so i will be in some family photos but i don't think i need to stress. The grooms are very relax, I just wasn't expecting it to be black tie anything. I was planning on wearing a nice longer dress, I think if i don't find anything I love, ill go with that.

ETA: thanks guys!

I would also Google the venue. We went to a wedding once where the invitation read "dress to impress." I wore a nice dress and he was in a suit. We showed up and it was in someone's backyard. The groomsman wore jeans. The family changed into track suits. And I was pissed lol

If it hasn't already been said, rent the runway! ETA sorry read comments. How about Macy's or DressBarn?

Try Simply Be

https://www.simplybe.com/en-us/apparel/dresses/maxi-dresses/c/3800003#sort=price-asc&sortname=Lowest%20Price

I was invited to a "black tie affair" wedding and I went and purchased this gorgeous gown and got the thumbs up from the bride and her mother that the dress was perfect. I had a gut feeling two weeks before that I'd be over dressed. And so thankful that this I had that feeling. I purchased the dress in the photo below and it was perfect. Not a single person outside of the bride, mother of the bride and mother of the groom were in gowns. Dressy cocktail dress is a happy medium. Hope this helps

Black tie preferred isn't a thing. It's someone who is not doing a truly black tie wedding but still wants everyone dressed in gowns. It's actually SUCH a faux pas to do that!

I'd ask the host. If you're being invited this is a completely legitimate question.

I wore this to a formal attire wedding.... there was a mix of long flowy dresses to cute dressy cocktail (and even a teen in white skinny jeans a crepe top ) .... FH did wear a jacket for the ceremony and cocktail hour

Edit: from Macy's

Black tie events are long dresses. If they say a cocktail dress is fine then the event is not black tie.

@Tianna-if it was a true black tie wedding, you would be underdressed.

@OP-get a nice formal dress and wear it. If it was true black tie, it would need to be floor length, but you could get away with cocktail style for this made-up dress code.

@rachel nailed it. I would search the venue online and dress according to the formality of the venue

We went to one. We bought DH a three piece black suit (he needed one anyway) and a black bowtie and I wore a floor length bridesmaids dress of the clearance rack at DB. His suit was $220 on sale at Kohls and my dress was $49.

Cocktail dresses and prints are inappropriate for black tie. It sucks they used "black tie preferred" but my guess is they didn't want to seem demanding. I'd rather be a little overdressed than under! Cocktail dresses stick out (in a bad way) at black tie events

Prints are never formal. I would never ever wear a print dress to a formal event. Print dresses are just summer dresses to go out to the park or something. Never to an event.

I would go with a dressy cocktail dress or simple long dress. Amazon has some great affordable choices!