Dress Code at wedding

[sevenstars]

sparklingjewel, it's certainly a tricky thing to navigate! I've noticed lang kasi that it's become trendy to ask guests to dress super formally, even when the event itself isn't up to par. I find that a bit irritating because I take dress codes seriously -- we attended a "strictly black tie" event earlier this year; my fiancé shelled out $200 for a tux rental and I bought a floor-length gown. When we got there, they had a buffet dinner and a limited bar -- nothing wrong with either of those things, but it certainly wasn't formal enough for the dress code.

I think a lot of people also don't realise that when it comes to formal wear, requiring women to wear only full-length gowns is the equivalent of asking men to wear only tuxedos and not suits. Asking guests to match the actual formality of the event (and to dress for the weather and venue) is totally acceptable in my book, but I'm not fond of being asked to dress very formally if I'm not going to be hosted to the same standard.

[anneshirley]

What would you girls wear if you receive an invite quoting 'morning formal'?

[sparklingjewel]

^sevenstars,You certainly have a point there. If i were doing a buffet i wouldn't be asking everyone to be in a long gown since it might be hard to move around and stand in line. At the very least the multi-course meal should be sitdown and not buffet. Good thing that's a non-negotiable anyway for me.

I've been browsing invite sites, the interpretation of Garden Formal is varied. In one it still means long evening gown/ suit and tie, in another not specified. I guess pictures would really help a lot in this case.

^anneshirley I honestly would not have any idea what that means.. a white or printed summer /cocktail dress?

[blackgreen]

Sa amin naman iseserve ang food so less na yun hassle kung naka long gown. Yun ceremony lang naman ang garden. Yun reception dun sa restaurant na nasa itaas nung garden.

[sevenstars]

sparklingjewel, I think pictures are super helpful nga, especially since "creative" dress codes are so popular these days

anneshirley, for that dress code I would probably choose a cocktail/long dress in silk crepe or chiffon... no satin/heavy beading etc. Or I would call you and ask, hehe. I listed "resort formal" with a description for mine (since it's outdoors and on grass I wanted to make sure had a heads up to choose appropriate shoes and lighter fabrics) and I've had a few people ask too.

[anneshirley]

Thanks girls. We were debating between putting it in as 'morning dress' or 'morning formal' bu neither of the two are used much in invitations. Same as sparklingjewel I'll just add photos and a brief description

[sparklingjewel]

^anneshirley If people arent familiar with the term, you might be better of not using it and just providing the description nga eh. I'm deliberating replacing "Strictly Formal" on mine with just saying "Long Gown / Suit and Tie" since yun lang naman talaga requirement ko haha and then saying "Garden reception" somewhere.

[rightback]

^maybe you can place the garden part when you mention your venue in the invite.

we're requiring cocktail dresses only for women on the invite and barong for men. i'm sure cocktail dresses are not really formal naman but i'm worried about saying semi formal on the invite since i'm sure other people interpret it as wearing jeans!

[belle_v2g]

Couple can definitely can ask the guests to wear formal regardless if the reception is a buffet type or sit down. It's a wedding after all, they should be wearing an occassion appropriate clothing and for weddings naman most of the time it falls under The formal category.  Just don't expect everyone to follow. Sigurado yan someone will arrive underdressed. Worst part, pag walang isusuot pa yan, they'd rather choose not to go. Re: illustrating the attire on invites--this is really helpful. My guests arrived in formal suit while the ladies are all in long gowns. The ones who didn't follow are the gatecrashers (of course!!)

[chinadoll6]

I posted here a few months back asking on how to best word our dress code, which is really very laid-back. Our entire male entourage is wearing jeans so we're not very strict. But of course, ayaw ko naman ng may mag tsinelas or shorts. Haha.. So I opted to use "dressy casual" and just included illustrations of sample attire on our invitation and posted it on our fb invites as well. Happy to say that everyone followed. So I think illustrations are best lalo na if you're going the "creative attire" route.

[edna_mode]

I love browsing through wedding pictures in my FB newsfeed.  Then I saw this friend of mine attended a wedding.... sakit sa loob lang.. because he was wearing black suit over a plain white t-shirt, black skinny jeans and stark white hi-cut sneakers :/ Alam kong feel nya pumorma pero there's a proper time and place for it and definitely not for a wedding.  All his mates are in formal suits and neckties siya lang ang naka ganung attire.  Then to make it even worse, yung kasama nya na girl naka white top given na floral print yung skirt, but still nangingibabaw yung white blouse... haaays..

So I think. aside from underdressed guests, kelangan din i-consider yung mga situations where may mga mahilig umagaw attention with complete disregard for wedding etiquette and formalities.

[purplegravity]

Kami what we did in our wedding we indicated that girls should wear floor-length gown and barong + black pants. Kasi if you will just indicate "strictly formal" di pa din sila sumusunod.

[corpse_bride]

I loved back reading this thread! Was supposed to have a traditional Chinese wedding & was dreading seeing guests in their sport shirts & slacks. Buti nalang going on a different path with a more intimate set of guests. Ang naisip ko lang with most of my highschool friends (and friends of friends) is they'll go to an event with the prescribed dress code, which would usually be formal, without any stitch of make up. Not even loose powder, blush & lipstick. Yes, they have perfect skin but I think it's still kinda disrespectful.

Oh, I remember someone wearing a scrunchie once.

[twinxz]

No watercolor illustrations on our invites. Just indicated Casual Chic since creative and not too formal, not too festive (like fiesta) ang mood that we wanted to convey We described what to wear like for Ladies: Summer dress with strappy sandals or skirt and top with wedges. For men: khaki pants or dress pants with button down shirt...etc.. hihi! Hopefully, everyone will follow.

[tiffany24]

Thanks to this dress i realized na baka nga mag maong pants ang mga guests  .. pati pala to dapat i consider.. Yes, no one can wear white but the bride pa din Mukhang mahihirapan lang kami sa relatives ni hubby to be, anyway semi formal lang naman so sa paggawa na ng invitation ko iisipin   

[blackgreen]

True talaga na kahit meron ka ng illustration, may website ka na for the do's and dont's meron pa rin talagang hindi susunod. Formal na nga nilagay namin kahit ang gusto namin wag lang masyado casual suotin, may dumating pa rin ng naka jeans and poloshirt.

[belle_v2g]

^the ones who did not follow our dress code are the gatecrashers sis. super rude. self invite na, di pa nagdamit ng maayos. hehe. ang nakakainis don, sa dami ng bisita (we had 230+ adult guests and few kids) sila talaga yung kapansin pansin at angat sa lahat haha!

[blackgreen]

^same here sis. Self invite na nga dipa sumunod sa gusto natin. Naka baseball cap pa during our wedding, yun isa naka jersey pa na jacket. Sabi ko na nga lang sige na let go na lang. Kitang kita kaya sa pictures kasi parang naligaw lang sila dun.

[sparklingjewel]

^That is so inconsiderate!! Kakainis. Nakikain na pasaway pa sa attire. I will really try to ignore gatecrashers at our wedding. Lalo na if i see them in that kind of attire.. i wont even approach them for pictures haha because i probably do not even know them 

[blackgreen]

^true sis! Wala na ako magagawa sa ganun mag isip na mga tao kaya ni let go na lang namin.