Guest "Dress Code" for Spring Wedding?

Thanks to clueless bloggers who just pull ideas off of random wedding forums, brides actually buy into this "black tie optional" label. They made it up. It doesn't exist. You are either having a black tie wedding, or you're not. The luxuries at a black tie wedding are many, and they are very expensive. Do you know what a sommelier is? If you don't, you're not having anything close to a black tie wedding, so you can't announce a black tie dress code. There aren't many on this site who are actually hosting one. Why would you tell male guests that they can either wear a tux, or not wear a tux? Why would you tell female guests that they can either wear a gown, or not wear a gown? How is this helpful to anyone?

Call it cocktail attire, if you have to call it anything (and unless it's true black tie or white tie, there is absolutely no reason to even address your guests' attire. It's really pretentious, actually).

Ladies, she stated that people are asking her what to wear, she is not imposing a dress code.

I think telling them "formal" is fine.

Oh ffs this is why it gets confusing. These codes are confusing for people and as Centrepiece said, pretentious. Honestly, I'd just give examples of what people are wearing if people ask.

In addition to the number of reasons given above about black tie optional, I think you said the groomsmen are wearing suits, not black tie, so it would seem odd to me to recommend guests wear something dressier than the bridal party

Kathy, we can read and comprehend. Do you know how difficult it is to figure out what to wear to a wedding? You look at the day of the week, and the hour of the day. Then you google the venue. That should give you tons of clues.

The OP asked if "black tie optional" is an appropriate dress code for her non-black tie wedding. It isn't...because it doesn't even exist. That's what we told her, and we're trying to save her the embarrassment of putting forth the idea that's she's having a black tie (maybe/maybe not) wedding. We don't need to be corrected.

My reading comprehension is fine and I don't need the question explained, as Centerpiece said. Also we're not just ladies here, Kathy.