Formal? Semi-Formal? Dont Specify?

I explained to my mom that I want to give people information on fomality and that I'm not demanding suits & heels. Also what is your definition with semi-formal?

What's wrong with semi formal/cocktail attire?

I put cocktail attire on our invites and I had a few people show up in jeans and a hoodie. Most people got the hint but a few didn't.

Nothing its exactly what we want. My fiance thinks that people will be confused and think it means NOT formal. But I have no idea if its a common misconception or if he is just a typical guy lol

I had it in my FAQ on my wedding website:

DRESS CODE:

While our wedding is by no means a formal affair, it is a time to strut your stuff and break out your "Sunday Best". Since we are having a church ceremony please refrain from revealing or tattered clothing.

Everyone dressed pretty well I think. Although strangely it seemed everyone was on the same wavelength and so many people wore blue, it wasn't even "one of our colors" but ended up looking quite coordinated and lovely IMO

He probably just doesn't know the difference. I wouldn't put formal unless your wedding is actually formal because the people who do know the difference (or google it) will show up in formal attire when they should/could be semi formal

Formal usually constitutes tuxes. So if you want tuxes then put formal. Otherwise semi-formal or cocktail attire is a fine way to describe attire.

@tania I am not going to put the description. If people dont understand they can ask or look it up.

Unless you really want it to be a formal wedding with women wearing full-length dresses (i.e. gowns) and men in at least black suits, do not put "formal" on the invite. Most people get the hint of semi-formal/cocktail attire.

ETA: Spelling

I interpret semi-formal as a cocktail dress for women and suit for men. I think most people view semi-formal the same way and that you're safe, but you could also write "semi-formal/cocktail" to make sure.

I actually think seeing "formal" would be more confusing, at least for me, than "semi-formal." I wouldn't be sure if that meant gowns/tuxes, which I typically think of as black tie, or cocktail dresses/suits, which I typically think of as semi-formal.

Thank you guys for your reassurance. While I was having this conversation with my fiance & mom I kept thinking "I need to ask ww" lol.

I've never thought about listing this. We are getting married at a rustic venue on a lake and a reception inside the lake house. I've included the link to the venues website on our wedding website, is that enough? People are smart right and I don't need to tell them how to dress, right?! Lol

I'd be personally frustrated and annoyed you didn't give me more than the venue as a hint.

SOME direction is more than welcome- I expect to see the usual suspects, casual, cocktail, semi/formal etc on there somewhere.

We're having a laid back wedding but we are putting semi formal on our invites. It's in June so a nice sundress for the women and khakis and a button down for the men is what I would expect. I would never throw anyone out for the way they dressed.

Eta: spelling and words

FMHigh, you're describing casual -- not semi-formal.

Yeah, FMHigh, a sundress or khakis is not semiformal. It's going to confuse people more if you're putting semiformal on your invites but your wedding doesn't match that.

This is different in circles, but I've never seen a dress code listed on an invitation. The weddings I typically go to are church ceremonies followed by a reception in some sort of hotel ballroom or community center and they're all semiformal.

To answer your question, Beka - you can specify a dress code on your website, but the same people who don't know how to dress appropriately to the venue and time are going to be the same people who don't care in the first place and aren't going to check your website.