Black Tie.
Formal evening wear: a tuxedo, and a floor-length or very formal gown.
Also written as formal evening dress, cravate noire, tuxedo dress code.
Where it fits
Black tie is the formal end of an ordinary wedding, and the one most couples mean when they want the room to look dressed. It belongs to the evening. A ceremony at four with a black-tie reception is normal; a black-tie wedding that starts at eleven in the morning is not.
It is also the most legible code on this list. Guests know what it asks and they mostly get it right, which is a large part of why couples choose it.
What to wear
Floor-length gowns or elegant cocktail dresses in rich fabrics hit the mark, with heels and statement jewelry to match. Keep it polished and formal, but you've got more room to show personal style.
Black Tie board on PinterestA classic black tuxedo with a bow tie is the standard, though a well-tailored dark suit with a bow tie can work in a pinch. Patent leather shoes and a crisp white shirt finish the look.
Black Tie board on PinterestWhat to skip
A business suit with a normal necktie. A long dress in a casual fabric like jersey or cotton. A short cocktail dress, unless it is plainly formal. Brown shoes of any kind, and anything that reads as daywear after dark.
What it looks like
How to say it
On a printed invitation the dress code is just the term, set in the lower corner. The explanation belongs on your wedding site, where there is room to mention the grass and the evening chill.
Black tie
The reception is black tie. Tuxedos for the men, floor-length or a very formal midi for the women. If renting is easier than buying, give a shop as much notice as you can. A well-fitted dark suit with a bow tie will not stand out badly if that is what you have.
Want it in your own words? The dress-code tool writes both lines for a warm or formal tone and for a garden, beach, or estate setting.
Black Tie: questions people ask
What does black tie mean for a woman?
A floor-length gown is the safe answer. A very formal midi in a rich fabric also works, and a well-cut formal jumpsuit is now widely accepted. Add heels and real jewellery. What black tie is asking for is fabric and finish, not a specific hemline.
Can I wear a dark suit instead of a tuxedo to a black-tie wedding?
You can, and you will be slightly underdressed rather than wrong. Make it a black or midnight-navy suit, a white shirt, and a black bow tie rather than a necktie. If the wedding matters to you, renting a tuxedo costs less than a night in a hotel.
Is black tie the same as formal?
No. Black tie names a specific garment, the tuxedo. Formal is a step down and means a dark suit and tie with a long dress or a dressy cocktail dress. If a couple writes "formal" they are usually telling you a tuxedo is not expected.
Can you wear black to a black-tie wedding?
Yes. The old rule against black at a wedding has largely gone, and at a black-tie evening reception a black gown is one of the most common things in the room. White is still the one colour to leave at home.
A notch either way
Put black tie on
your wedding site.
It arrives with these photos and this wording, attached to the events it belongs to, and every word of it stays editable.