Women Wedding Suits

What is the best wording for an invite to have guests arrive dressed formally?

I am currently trying to find the correct wording for my wedding invites and the reception area requires that my male guests to dress in suits and women in dresses. How do I word this???

Public Comments

1. Write "Formal attire please" near the bottom of the invitation.
2. Dress is formal.
3. Mr and Mrs Elmer Fudd request the honor of your presence on December 2, 2008 for their wedding at 4. Formal Attire is Requested People will ask you what you mean if they don't know that means suits and dresses.
4. Black Tie
5. "Please attend with formal attire."
6. Formal Attire Obligatory.
7. Put: Formal attire is required.
8. thats a easy one just say its a black-tie affair everyone knows that means
9. the words "black tie" means suit or tux, otherwise write "men are requested to wear a jacket" works for most formal occassions. suits are for business and jackets are for formal events. you don't want someone in a blue pinstripe at your wedding dinner...
10. Black tie optional. or Semi-formal attire.
11. Formal Attire, Please Formal Attire Requested Formal Attire
12. You are using the wrong term. When a lady wears a dress and the gentlemen wears a suit it is called SEMIFORMAL not formal. Here's a clarification . . BLACK TIE OPTIONAL or BLACK TIE INVITED means your guests can expect a nice affair and there will be people (wedding party members and guests) attending the wedding in tuxedos (formal). BLACK TIE PREFERRED means your host is suggesting that you dress formally (in a tuxedo) and hoping you do. BLACK TIE means that all of the gentlemen will be wearing a tuxedo (formal). If you want your guests to wear SEMIFORMAL attire (dress and suit) than you can use the phrase . . DRESS TO IMPRESS or WEAR YOUR BEST SUIT AND TIE Answered by: A Certified wedding specialist / A Professional bridal consultant / A Wedding ceremony officiant
13. Make sure the entire tone of the invitation is formal and just say that formal dress is required.
14. People coming to a wedding know this is the proper way to dress, you don't need to include any wording on this. It is not formal. If you want gowns and tuxes, then you specify "black tie". Suits and dresses are not 'formal' - just regular wedding attire.
15. If you require the men to be in suits, and not tuxedos, semi-formal is the proper phrase. Not sure how you can ensure that no woman wears a pant suit.