My wife and I have just been invited to a wedding in Florida in November and the invite requests that guests wear semi-formal. I’ve just spent a fair bit of time Googling this and can’t find anything consistent. Do any of you have any idea what would be appropriate for men and women to something like this. We’re both in our mid 50s and my wife has some minor health issues that would make heels highly uncomfortable/impractical. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Think semi-formal means suits for men, equivalent level dress for women. If she’s got health issues, she should wear appropriate shoes for her condition.
You should have shiny shoes. No cargo pockets. No tie, but look like you could have worn one.
Heels would be appropriate if she could wear them, but if she can’t she can’t. Dressy as plausible in flats.
That’s my guess. :shrug:
I agree with this.
Formal = tux
Semi-formal = suit and tie
Florida?
Socks with your flip-flops and drink beer during the ceremony in bottles only. No cans!
So there is no difference between semi-formal and office/business attire?
get the tractor and trailer washed and put on some magnetic dodads to dress it up.
As much as this is a joke, it does bring up that semi-formal means different things to different people in different places. (And I’ve been to weddings here in Florida wearing flip-flops. No socks. And I’ve never drank a beer during the ceremony..strictly before and after.)
velomont, how well do you know the bride and groom? Surest way to know is ask them. “Hey…I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page with semi-formal. I’m thinking about wearing a suit and tie, and my wife was going to wear a sun dress. Would that fit with what you had in mind?”
What part of Florida are you coming to?
For a man - suit and tie.
For a woman - cocktail dress.
What time of day is the wedding? And where is it? I know someone who got married on the beach in Southern California. Dress for an afternoon beach wedding is very different from an evening event in a country club.
Tuxedo jacket, shirt, cumberbund, with Bermuda shorts and sneakers.
I think this is better suited to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
The fact that the invite indicates a particular level of attire, it means they want this to be a “dressy” function. You’re 50’s right? You should own at least one dark suit, navy, charcoal or black. Add a white shirt and nice tie (no cartoon characters). As far as your wife is concerned, a dress, and as nice a shoe as she ca wear comfortably. My wife cannot wear high heels due to an Achilles’ tendon problem a few years ago, but she has her “nice” black shoes for dressy functions.
Having said all that, there will be some who will not dress appropriate for the occasion. Living in Florida, I can’t believe how people dress for what everywhere else I’ve ever lived would require a suit and tie. I’ve been to the symphony and seen men wearing shorts and a golf shirt. Damn, golf courses have a stricter dress code (and it’s enforced) than the performing arts center.
For a guy, at least, there’s probably little or no difference, if your definition of “office / business attire” features a suit and tie.
I’d suspect that, for a lot of men (particularly younger men), their definition of “office attire” is closer to what would have, 20 years ago, been referred to as “business casual” (e.g., polo shirt, khakis, casual shoes, maybe a blazer or sportcoat).
I know a lot of guys (even ones who work in “white collar” professions) who don’t even own a suit anymore (or, if they do, they probably only wear it to job interviews).
Your wife should wear a nice flowing blouse, maybe with some sparkles on it, and some big flowy wide-legged pants (like these but not these they are $400 lol) and some comfortable shoes or sandals.
That’d be dressier than work but not as formal as a ball gown (and more forgiving in the shoe area than a cocktail dress)
You’re in your 50s. How old are the wedding party? For quite some time, semi-formal meant tux or white dinner jacket (seasonal) for men (check out semi-formal on Wikipedia, which still hews to that definition). Formal was white tie or morning. (Downton Abbey devotees can remember the embarrassment when the Earl had to wear a dinner jacket because his tailcoat had been damaged. O! The shock around the dinner table!)
In any event, why not check in with the inviters to confirm how they have decided to define the term. I’m sure they would be happy to help you with information to clarify their expectations.
-Unca [who has white tie, Scottish levee dress, tux, Red Sea rig, etc., just for the hell of it]
Pack to be overdressed, suit and tie. I’ve never been to a wedding where formal = full tuxedo, but my friends are probably lowbrow. When you park, look at the other folks, and leave clothes in the trunk accordingly. As it’s Florida (even in November), I might think that they really do mean not formal, and thus dress pants, okay shoes, and a collared dress shirt with no tie is fine. In most wedding, tuxes are only for the groom and groomsmen, and I’m not sure they will be doing that there.
Also, who are the bethrothed? If you know them as the types to own a yacht vs. a 1997 Saturn, may affect the direction you lean.
This is a good idea, you can always lose the tie and jacket and roll up your sleeves.
Well, I say, ol’ chap— a chip-chip and cheerio to you!
Because I think you’re on the other side of the pond.
You see, we Yankees don’t know what the heck a morning coat is; and if anybody owns a white tie, it’s just a regular necktie that happens to be made of white cloth.( And it was probably bought at Sears, with a permanently-tied knot and a metal clip in it. 
But do pass on my greetings to the Queen the next time you see her.
Don’t listen to him. It means a full tux above the waist, sandals and jockstrap below.