protocol question #1:

[thanate]

What is a phrase suitable for wedding invitations signifying dress code: garden or tea party/easter sunday/look nice, but not vastly formal?

I find that all the words in my head are things like "black tie" and "business casual" which do not presently apply.

Comments

[grauwulf.livejournal.com]

Semi-Formal?
I seem to remember seeing that a few places.

[cheshiretiffy.livejournal.com]

That or I think "Tea Party" might work.

[thanate.livejournal.com]

really? Interesting. (I should get out some kind of book that knows these things, as I clearly do not... of course, then there's the question of who on the invite list knows these things, either...)

semi-formal sounds odd to me. but I'm not sure why. Possibly because it sounds like dress uniforms (as opposed to parade ones being formal? I might be making this up...) rather than frilly. Too sleek, maybe.

I'm quite sure I'm over-thinking this.

[cheshiretiffy.livejournal.com]

Well, if you want to get into the uniforms thing:

Class A (formal) army uniform includes jacket with whatever medals, nametags whatever you are qualified to wear, blouse/shirt, skirt/trousers, gloss heels/gloss dress shoes, stupid looking hat if outdoors

Class B (semi-formal) army uniform is all the same stuff without the jacket

:\

If you were to say semi-formal to me, I would think cocktail dress as opposed to ball gown.

Tea Party makes me think church clothes.

[thanate.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm trying to give the impression of church or tea dress, rather than cocktail dress. Thanks.

[hydecat.livejournal.com]

Do you have spot for the wedding/reception/whatever yet? Is it outside? If so, go with something like "Garden Party Wedding" and I think you'll get what you're aiming for. Or "Wedding and Tea Reception". I know what you're getting at with those words, so I think using them is a good idea. Although Semi-Formal could do in a pinch.

[the-impassive.livejournal.com]

Seconding that completely! I'd go with "Garden Party," something about "tea party" sounds (despite my tea fanaticism) to my Southern mind like big hats and printed calf-length dresses. "Garden Party" makes me think of crochet and croquet and pastels and ribbons.

[garden-goth.livejournal.com]

I'm going to agree with the "Garden Party" or "Tea Party." Semi-formal and the others are in that limbo of just ambiguous enough that everyone has a different idea of what it is. "Garden Party" and the like allow for an easier leap to what you would prefer for people if you get questions.

[thanate.livejournal.com]

indeed... I had a phantom comment earlier which made it clear that according to the "wedding etiquette" people, the dress options are short skirt or evening wear. And while I have nothing against short skirts for those who wish to wear them, I am not so much a cocktail dress kind of person, myself, and would be sort of disappointed if everyone showed up in sleek little dresses. Or (in the case of most of my family) slightly horrified, depending...

[pooka798.livejournal.com]

Speaking as someone who's never attended a "garden or tea party" I'd use the phrase business-casual or dressy-casual. Though the time of the wedding might say it for you. (http://fashion.about.com/cs/tipsadvice/a/weddingguest.htm)

[thanate.livejournal.com]

I've never attended a garden or tea party either. Most people haven't. But none of the options on that page are actually what I have in mind-- I don't want a "short/cocktail dress required" sort of function, because I'm trying to go for slightly more old fashioned where apparently it was "allowed" to wear a longer skirt during the day. And not business, because, well, I'm not getting married in an office.

Sorry, this kind of etiquette page irritates me. :/