Weddings are always so exciting, but much like the bride and groom, guests have their own ways to prep before the big day. They have to save the date, buy a gift, make travel plans when necessary and most importantly, plan their outfit! Whether you’re heading to  the shower or rehearsal dinner or it’s time for the ceremony, here is a breakdown of possible dress codes and what they all mean. 

Semi-Formal

Meet the middleman between formal and cocktail attire: semi-formal! A semiformal dress code gives guests a little more leeway in terms of dressing more cocktail or more formal. While you may see a few people in cocktail-ish attire, you will also see ladies in long gowns and a few men in tuxes. To prepare for this, if you do wear a short dress, it should definitely be one on the dressier side to blend in with those who choose to wear a longer gown. Likewise, if you choose to wear a longer gown, it should be something simple yet elegant, nothing too blingy so as to be cohesive with those are wearing shorter dresses. Heels are strongly recommended for a semi-formal dress code but not quite required. Men can wear suits or tuxes but should definitely have on dress shoes, a jacket and tie, and a pocket square, though optional, wouldn’t hurt either. 

Cocktail

Cocktail attire is the tipping point on the scale of dress codes. For men, trousers are no longer an option. They should be in a full suit with dress shoes and a tie or bowtie. For ladies, think of something you might wear on an elegant date night. Little black dresses are also a safe bet, but any short or mid-length cocktail dress should suffice. Weddings with a cocktail dress code tend to be later in the day, so darker colors such as black, navy and maroon are always a good direction to get you started. If dresses aren’t your thing, a dressier jumpsuit works for cocktail attire as well. Heels are preferred with cocktail attire but not required- a dressier flat should be just fine. 

Black Tie

Once the word “optional” is taken away from black tie, you know the expectations have changed to full-blown elegance. Much like formal and black tie optional, all women should be in a floor-length gown and heels. However, the gown is expected to be a little dressier. Instead of understated elegance, think subtle flare. Some embellishment, sparkle or shimmer is now encouraged not only in attire, but with accessories as well. Men should be in full black tuxes with dress shoes. 

Formal or Black Tie optional 

Couples who often don’t want to make tuxes required may use this phrase as a dress code. For women, short dresses should be eliminated as an option. While you don’t need to break out the gloves just yet, you should have on a floor-length gown and heels. Because the invitation says black-tie optional, it can still be a more understated gown as with semi-formal. For men, tuxes are highly encouraged but not quite mandatory just yet. If they do choose to wear a suit, black or grey is preferred and they should definitely be wearing a jacket, tie, pocket square and dress shoes.

White Tie

As far as dress codes go, it doesn’t get any more formal than white tie! While not very common, you may occasionally come across this dress code. If you do, get ready to show up and show out! Ladies, you might have to go buy a new gown for this one. In addition, ladies are highly encouraged to wear gloves and bring out the bling! It wouldn’t hurt to consider getting your hair and makeup professionally done. Men should again have on full tuxes but are also encouraged to dress it up with top hats, cummerbunds and even a cane if you really wanted to go all out! A white tie wedding will no doubt be a night to remember. 

Casual 

A casual dress code gives guests a little more flexibility. While you may see people in jeans, you could also see people in more casual dresses or skirts. When you see a casual dress code, think lighter, softer fabrics. While it doesn’t mean you can show up in sweats, it does give you room for something more comfortable. When dressing casual for a wedding, be sure to still aim for a clean, classy look. Gentlemen, if you’re wearing jeans, this means to be sure to tuck your shirt in. Ladies, this means no baggy tops or distressed fabrics. 

Dressy Casual 

The crowd of a dressy casual wedding can look similar to a casual wedding, but there are a few key differences. First and most obviously, it’s not as casual as a casual wedding. This means no jeans and that guests should be considering more sophisticated fabrics. A good rule of thumb is if you’d wear it to church on Easter Sunday, then it probably passes the dressy casual test. Women should wear dresses, skirts or dress pants and men should wear trousers and a button-up shirt with the option of a jacket and/or tie. 

Themed 

Get it excited, because this definitely isn’t your traditional wedding attire! A “themed” dress code can vary in meaning depending on what exactly the theme is, but the good news that a quick google search can probably give you some good ideas. From Gatsby Chic to Hawaiian Luau- this dress code is bound to be the most entertaining.