--- title: "Wedding website dress code wording, by dress code" description: "Copy-paste dress code wording for a wedding website: black tie, black tie optional, formal, cocktail, semi-formal, garden party, beach, casual, themed." canonical: https://ueventi.com/blog/wedding-website-dress-code-wording last-updated: 2026-10-15 --- Tips·Oct 15, 2026·6 min read # Wedding website dress code wording, by dress code Copy-paste dress code wording for a wedding website: black tie, black tie optional, formal, cocktail, semi-formal, garden party, beach, casual, themed. ![Dvir Atias](/authors/dvir-atias.jpg) Dvir Atias Founder On this page - [Black tie](#black-tie) - [Black tie optional](#black-tie-optional) - [Formal](#formal) - [Cocktail attire](#cocktail-attire) - [Semi-formal](#semi-formal) - [Garden party](#garden-party) - [Beach formal](#beach-formal) - [Casual and dressy casual](#casual-and-dressy-casual) - [Themed and color-palette dress codes](#themed-and-color-palette-dress-codes) - [Weather and venue notes to add](#weather-and-venue-notes-to-add) - [How specific should you be?](#how-specific-should-you-be) - [Frequently asked questions](#faq) Dress code wording on a wedding website works when it names the code, translates it into clothes in one sentence, and adds the one practical note guests need - grass, sand, a cold evening, a color to avoid. For example: “Cocktail attire: suits or jackets, cocktail dresses or dressy separates. The ceremony is on the lawn, so skip the stilettos.” Below is that pattern for every common dress code, from black tie to casual, plus a plain-language explanation of what cocktail attire actually means and how specific you should get. Put the line in three places: under the schedule, in the FAQ, and in the welcome if the code is unusual. Every design in the [free wedding website builder](/wedding-website) has a dress-code field on the schedule page; the FAQ wording is in the [wedding website FAQ examples](/blog/wedding-website-faq-examples). ## Black tie > Black tie. Tuxedos and floor-length gowns, please. We are dressing up all the way, and we would love you to join us. > Black tie. Tuxedo or a dark suit with a bow tie; a long evening gown or formal dress. The ballroom will be cool, so a wrap is a good idea. When to use it: an evening wedding in a ballroom, a historic hotel or a formal venue, usually after 6 p.m. If you say black tie, mean it; guests will rent tuxedos. ## Black tie optional > Black tie optional. A tuxedo or a dark suit; a long or midi dress. In other words, we are dressing up and would love you to as well, but nobody needs to rent anything. > Black tie optional: formal, with the tuxedo up to you. Dark suits and long dresses are perfect. When to use it: a formal evening wedding where you want the room to look elegant without making guests buy or rent. This is the most common formal code for an American wedding, and the second line is the one Emma and James used in Austin. ## Formal > Formal attire. Suits and ties, long or cocktail-length dresses. Think of what you would wear to a nice dinner out, then go one step further. > Formal. A dark suit, a dress you could wear to the opera. The ceremony is indoors and the reception is on the terrace, so bring a jacket for after sunset. When to use it: a church or hotel wedding with a seated dinner. “Formal” without “black tie” tells men a suit is enough. ## Cocktail attire > Cocktail attire. Suits or jackets with a tie optional; cocktail dresses, dressy separates or a jumpsuit. The ceremony is on grass - flat shoes or block heels will be your friend. > Cocktail attire: dressy but not formal. A suit or a blazer and slacks, a knee- or midi-length dress. Have fun with color. ### What cocktail attire actually means Cocktail attire is one step below formal. For men: a suit, or a blazer with dress pants, with a tie optional. For women: a knee-length, midi or dressy dress, dressy separates or a tailored jumpsuit. It is not floor length and it is not jeans. The name comes from the kind of party it describes - drinks and dinner, dressed up, not a gala. If you are unsure, a dark suit and a midi dress are always right. When to use it: most evening and late-afternoon weddings at restaurants, venues, gardens and lofts. It is the default American wedding dress code and the one guests understand best, which is why so many [wedding website examples](/blog/wedding-website-examples) use it. ## Semi-formal > Semi-formal. A suit or a jacket and slacks; a cocktail dress, a nice skirt and top, or a jumpsuit. Dressy, not black tie. > Semi-formal: what you would wear to a nice dinner. Ties are optional, jeans are not. When to use it: a daytime or early-evening wedding where you want guests polished but comfortable. Semi-formal and cocktail are nearly the same in practice; pick one and use it everywhere. ## Garden party > Garden party attire. Light suits or a blazer, sundresses, florals, color. The ceremony is on grass and the reception is under a tent, so wedges or flats, and a layer for the evening. > Garden party: dressy and summery. Linen, florals, pastels; no tuxedos, no black. When to use it: an outdoor daytime or late-afternoon wedding in spring or summer. Say the footwear part; it is the question you will otherwise get twenty times. ## Beach formal > Beach formal. Linen or light suits, no tie needed; long or midi dresses in light fabrics. The ceremony is on the sand - sandals or barefoot are fine, and heels will sink. > Beach formal: dressed up for the sand. Light colors, breathable fabrics, shoes you can take off. When to use it: a beach or waterfront ceremony. Pair it with the hosted-or-not column on the schedule for a destination trip; the [destination wedding website guide](/blog/destination-wedding-website-guide) covers both. ## Casual and dressy casual > Dressy casual. A collared shirt and nice pants, a sundress or a skirt. Comfortable enough to eat brisket and two-step on a porch; no jeans with holes, please. > Casual. Come as you are, as long as you are comfortable and ready to dance. It is a backyard, there will be a keg, and the dog will be there. When to use it: a backyard, brewery or picnic wedding. “Casual” on its own makes guests nervous about being underdressed, so the second sentence does the real work. ## Themed and color-palette dress codes > Dress code: cocktail attire, in jewel tones. Emerald, sapphire, burgundy, plum - anything rich. Please leave the white at home. > Black and white. Cocktail attire in black, white, or both. It makes the photos look like a film and it makes choosing easy. > Wear your brightest. Our only request is color - the more, the better. Suits in any shade, dresses that make you happy. Just not white. When to use it: when you have a strong visual plan for the photos and are willing to help guests meet it. Keep the palette broad (five colors, not one) and never make it a requirement; say “we would love” rather than “you must.” ## Weather and venue notes to add Situation Line to add Ceremony on grass Block heels, wedges or flats - the lawn will swallow stilettos. Ceremony on sand Shoes you can take off; there will be a basket for them. Outdoors after dark Bring a wrap or jacket - it drops into the 50s after sunset. Winter wedding There is a coat check; the ceremony space is heated. Two spaces, one indoors Cocktails are on the terrace, so a layer is useful between dinner and dancing. Long walk from parking The walk from the lot is about five minutes on gravel. Bride wearing white Any color but white, please. Religious venue Shoulders covered for the ceremony; a wrap is enough. ## How specific should you be? - Always name the code. “Dress nicely” means ten different things to ten guests. - Always translate it into clothes, one sentence each for men and women or one sentence for everyone. - Add one practical note - ground, weather, a color to avoid. Add a second only if the venue demands it. - Do not list brands, fabrics or price ranges. Guests will feel judged and still not know what to wear. - If the code changes during the day (a two-ceremony wedding, a formal ceremony and a casual after-party), put it in a column on the [schedule](/blog/wedding-website-schedule-examples). - Say it the same way on every page. A schedule that says cocktail and an FAQ that says semi-formal will generate texts. The couples and venues in these examples are fictional. The lines are written to be pasted; change the ground, the weather and the color to match your day. The dress code is one of the eight questions every wedding website must answer; the other seven are in [what to put on your wedding website](/blog/what-to-put-on-your-wedding-website). If plus-ones and kids are the next question on your list, see [how to say no plus-ones](/blog/how-to-say-no-plus-ones-on-your-wedding-website). The site is free to build and publish in all six [designs](/wedding-website/templates) with the [RSVP](/online-rsvp) included, and sending the invitation as a WhatsApp or text message with reply buttons is priced per invitation on the [pricing page](/pricing). ## Frequently asked questions ### How do you word a dress code on a wedding website? ### What does cocktail attire mean for a wedding? ### What is the difference between black tie and black tie optional? ### Should we tell guests what colors to wear? ### Where does the dress code go on the wedding website? 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