Summer Wedding....In Virginia (Guest Attire)

You don't tell adults how to dress. They will figure it out.

I don't think you need to have a dress code on the invitation. if it is outside the guests will know to dress accordingly. You could use word of mouth to spread the information if you want people to know that they are free to dress semi casually.

Why are you trying to dress your guests?

You need to rethink this plan.

Whats your location? Time of day? Is it shaded? etc.

Outdoors in Virginia during the summer is **awful**. Humidity is often 100% and the temperatures can be 100 plus. I have had people from Arizona tell me in all seriousness that our summers are worse than theirs'.

Odd, as almost every wedding I have been to has a dress code.

Your guests should be able to guess from the formality level of your invitations and venue, but you could always add "casual attire" to your website or let people know when they ask you individually that casual attire is welcome and that guys don't need to wear a tie or jacket!

Set the tone with the formality of your invitations. Some may ask (it happened for my wedding), but that's the only time you should tell them what to wear.

ETA: Some wedding websites have an area where you can address the formality of your wedding.

I guess you can put "semi-formal" or "smart casual." But I don't think you have to worry about it; they'll feel the weather there and judge it themselves.

Well thank you for the education! I am clearly thinking too much into this. But thank you KatieK, WWLynnie, OG Alecia, and Punkin Beer for providing insight as to why I should not approach it like that. It is greatly appreciated!

And Van Pear

You provide a comfortable environment, let your guests know that it's going to be outside (word of mouth and on your website, which most people will not visit....) and let them make the call.

You can't have a dress code......and FSS don't put it on the invite.

Got it! Thank you everyone! This saved me from making a huge mistake.

Punkin Beer had an excellent point about the ceremony that you might want to give some serious thought to.