semi formal vs cocktail

I also have our website on Zola and also chose Semi-formal to give people the option to choose between cocktail and formal. I wanted the event to feel elegant and it's in a nice hotel but I didn't want people to feel pressured or stressed out over what to wear so I though it was a good in between. I'm counting on them properly reading the Zola description. Following this thread to see what others say.

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Thank you!! At least I want to make sure I am not the only one confused. These were exactly my thoughts too.

I thought cocktail and semi formal were the same thing. I thought formal was the ball gowns and the fancier attire like the tuxes 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

Hi all!! We are using Zola, too!! I've not been on my website in awhile and that wasn't there the last time I looked. I need to go see. Our invitations will say black tie, preferred or optional. Not sure yet. I will do a FAQ on appropriate attire just to clear things up for our guests. We want people to wear evening gowns and tuxes, but I don't want those in dark suits not to feel welcome.

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So I thought so too. Basically, I think Zola just implies semi formal is kind of an anything-goes between Cocktail and Formal. It's listed between the two options on the website but I think it might not be an industry-wide term.

I have heard both that semi-formal is slightly more formal than cocktail, but I have also heard that they are the same lol. We put both on our website. "Semi-formal/cocktail attire. Jacket & tie, cocktail dress, or something comparable is recommended." Giving examples of what you expect is super helpful to people too, because these dress-code terms honestly mean different things to everyone lol.

I have always been under the impression that cocktail meant semi formal!

I'm having this issue too using Zola's website. I just need to write my own description. I'm somewhere between Garden attire, semi-formal, and casual lol. My FH and dad will be in tuxedos but it is not a formal venue. The wedding is outdoors by a waterfall. HELPPP haha

I’m a little confused why you’re choosing to list attire when you’re not even sure what it is— does it make you?! That’s crazy. But good to know for those deciding amongst website hosts!!

I ’ve always been under the impression that semi formal and cocktail are about the same. I would never wear a gown to an event described as semi-formal. In my world the gowns don’t come out til it hits “Formal” ....THAT said. Always better to be overdressed than under dressed and if you have people excited to dress up, there’s certainly no harm in it!

I think semi-formal is the safe route to go! I feel like your guests will get the best general idea of what to wear, with that description.

I also thought semi-formal and cocktail attire were the same! We said cocktail attire on our invites because I thought semi-formal would confuse people - but then some people were confused by cocktail attire, so who knows.

To me, cocktail attire/semi-formal is a cocktail dress for women, suits or button-down shirt/slacks for men; formal is long gowns and suits; and black tie optional is even fancier with guys possibly in tuxes.

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Does it make me? I am not sure what you mean by that. I chose the attire from a list based on the options it gave on the website. It was the best option that suited what I was looking to have, based on the examples it gave with that choice. It also shows the examples for your guests. It just seems as though these terms are interchangeable. I would have assumed that gowns were only for formal as well, but I went off of the examples given.

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I think so too!!!

Well there's also the question of what is a "gown?" I've seen people wear long dresses to wedding that say "cocktail" but they weren't gowns...I think They were more casual long dresses. I'm wearing a high low dress to a wedding that said "cocktail." Our friends all tend to dress nicely for weddings in general so I feel like Zola's definition of semi-formal works for us and is pretty much just, "wear anything that looks at least cocktail-formal. It's all good." Know your crowd I guess. If you're worried some people will feel uncomfortable over-dressed you can warn them they can wear anything they want but some people might be less dressed up. Then they can decide if they care or not.

Side note: I know someone who had a formal wedding with long dresses required and almost nobody followed it. I think they just didn't have the clothes, got confused, didn't care etc. I mean, what are you going to do? Kick them out? It happens.