[gidgett]

My wedding is at 5:30 in the afternoon, and a reception at 7:00. We would like to put Black Tie on the invitation; however we are unsure if our guest will understand what this truely means. Is there another way to dummy proof the meaning, and still have an elegant invitation. Would Black Attire Requested work? Unfortunately some of our guest might think the men are supposed to wear a black tie, and the women in any color if only Black Tie is stated.

Thanks

This post has been edited by TWQadmin: 27 January 2026 - 06:25 PM

[Etiquette Now]

Dear Decoding Dress Codes,

'Black Tie Requested' is very confusing and you could end up with jeans, because they may think you are not serious about them dressing up. So, some are now relying on an enclosure, which decodes the dress code. Print 'Black Tie' on the invitation if it is a wedding/reception invitation. Then on an enclosure state what this means. Guests typically find this helpful as many do not know what it means.

Best wishes,