Dear The Bridal Guru,

The weddings I have attended the past couple of months have run the gambit in dress codes. I have seen guests at the same wedding in everything from formal attire to jeans and flip flops. Personally, I feel people should dress appropriately for a wedding. Jeans and flip and flops are not appropriate attire. I do not want to see any guests at my wedding under dressed and certainly in jeans and flip flops. The stationer that I am working with for our wedding invitations recommended putting on the invitation a dress code. She said in a corner at the bottom of the invitation, we could add either black tie or formal attire required. What is your opinion? I don't want to sound too snobby.

Formally Attired Bride

Dear Formally Attired Bride,

It's your wedding, you do what you want. If this were my wedding, I would be upset if guests came in jeans and flip flops. After all, you've gone to a lot of trouble with the wedding party attire, the décor, the food, the entertainment. Of course, you want your guests to be respectful of you, your fiancé, and your wedding. The casual attire you described represents a total lack of respect for the bride and her family.

Yes, it is alright to include on your invitation the dress code. It's actually very thoughtful of you to do this because it takes the guess work out of what to wear to your wedding. Your guests will know: formal or semi-formal. You need to decide if it's black tie for the men and long gowns for the women or more cocktail oriented with coat and tie and the women can wear long or short dresses. You are perfectly within your rights to establish a dress code. Do so and enjoy your wedding!

The Bridal Guru

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