If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night having panic sweats over your guest list and the outrageous outfits some of your guests might show up in, you might want to consider sending over some ground rules so that your family and friends know what to wear and what to absolutely, no matter what, wear to your big day.

You might think it’s obvious to most that they shouldn’t wear white, wear jeans, or go barefoot to a formal wedding, but it might just be something they don’t realize until they show up and stick out amongst your well-dressed guests.

To make sure you don’t have any fashion emergencies here’s a wedding dress code letter that you can pass along to your nearest and dearest wedding guests.

Dear Friends,

We are so excited to have you at our wedding in just a few months. Everything is falling into place, from the food that will be making your stomach smile with glee to the beverages we’ll make sure we stock the open bar with. We’re also in the market for the latest and greatest songs that get you pumped up so we can add them to our wedding playlist. We can’t wait to see your classic moves on the dance floor soon!

As you’re planning for the wedding, one of the biggest question marks floating through your head is probably around what you should wear to our big day. We thought we’d make things easier on your noggin’, your closet, and your credit card (we don’t want you to splurge on an outfit just for us) with a guide that’ll point you in the right direction as to what you should wear and what you should save for a different occasion (like a funeral, graduation party, or even family BBQ).

Let’s start with your feet. The venue has a shoe policy which means ‘no shirt, no shoes’ will equal a big problem. We ask that you wear you’re finest pair of dress shoes, heels, or dressy flats. Save those beach flip flops or scuffed up sneakers for the post-wedding brunch, or for the middle of the reception when you’re spending quality time on the dance floor.

When it comes to your outfit, we ask that you keep it formal. That means suit pants, jacket, dress shirt, and tie. Yes, bow ties are OK. So are clip-on ties. If you want to wear a tuxedo, we totally welcome that. But you can also wear a fitted suit jacket too. Keep the jeans, a tropical printed shirt, workout shorts, or the casual t-shirt in your suitcase. We’re hoping the atmosphere of our wedding is one that blends with the price tag of the whole day – expensive and a touch fancier than we usually are.

If you’re wearing a dress, please wear one that makes you feel wonderful. It can be long or short, but we ask that it’s something that you also feel comfortable in when you’re on the dance floor. We don’t want you to have to hug your chair because your dress is keeping you from doing the Electric Slide.

I know my outfit is one that should be kept a little bit of a secret so I’ll only tell you this much: I am wearing white. Which means that I ask you to pick any other color for your suit or your dress. Black, purple, champagne, magenta – really, anything else but white! Yes, that means colors like off-white or beige should be out ruled out too.

If you’re not sure what to wear to a formal wedding, let Instagram and Pinterest be your best friend. You can also spend a few dollars on renting a nice tux or a dress from a clothing rental company so that you don’t have to spend big bucks on an outfit you might not wear again for a while.

We can’t wait to see you and your formal digs soon!

With love,
The Engaged Couple