Semi-Formal.
A notch below cocktail: a suit without the tie, a midi or a smart dress.
Also written as semi formal wedding attire, semiformal.
Where it fits
Semi-formal is the code for a wedding that wants people to look put together without asking anyone to buy something. A suit, a dress that would also work at a nice dinner, shoes that are not trainers.
It reads differently by hour. Semi-formal at two in the afternoon means lighter colours and no tie; semi-formal at seven means a darker suit and something with a bit more fabric to it. When in doubt, take your cue from the time on the invitation.
What to wear
A midi or knee-length dress, a dressy skirt and blouse, or a nice jumpsuit all fit the bill. It's a step down from cocktail attire, so feel free to be a little more relaxed with fabric and footwear.
Dress pants with a button-down shirt and a blazer strike the right note, and a tie is optional. This is comfortable but put-together but no jeans or sneakers.
What to skip
Jeans, however dark. Trainers. A gown, which is two steps up rather than one. On the other side, do not read "semi" as "half": a polo shirt and chinos is not semi-formal, it is casual.
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.
Semi-formal
Semi-formal. A suit for the men, tie optional. A midi or knee-length dress, smart separates, or a jumpsuit for the women. Somewhere between what you would wear to a good dinner and what you would wear to a black-tie wedding, and closer to the dinner.
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.
Semi-Formal: questions people ask
What is semi-formal attire for a wedding?
A suit for men, with a tie optional, and a knee-length or midi dress, smart separates, or a jumpsuit for women. It is one step below cocktail attire: still put together, with more latitude on fabric and footwear.
Can a man wear a blazer instead of a suit to a semi-formal wedding?
Yes. Dress trousers with a blazer and a button-down is squarely semi-formal, and often looks better than a cheap matching suit. Keep the trousers and the jacket clearly different rather than nearly the same colour.
Is semi-formal the same as cocktail attire?
No, though the two overlap enough that you could wear one outfit to both. Cocktail asks for a little more: a tie, a dressier fabric, a heel. Semi-formal is the same idea with the dial turned down one notch.
Can you wear a long dress to a semi-formal wedding?
A long dress in a soft, casual fabric works, especially outdoors in summer. A structured formal gown does not; it will be the most formal thing in the room. If you want length, keep it light.
The longer read
The full version: the edge cases, the weather, and what to do when the invitation says one thing and the venue says another.
A notch either way
Put semi-formal 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.