Bride's Guide: Q&A for the Big Day

May 12, 2010— -- In the last week or so, a few of my wedding guests have asked about the dress code for the Big Day, which is this weekend.

In my experience attending weddings, the only dress code line I've ever seen on an invitation is for a black-tie wedding. It never even occurred to me to include a dress code on my invitation, but wedding planner Mindy Weiss says that it is helpful to your guests.

If I had it to do again, which obviously I don't, Mindy would recommend including attire on the invitation.

"I always suggest you include attire/dress code," she said. "It does eliminate some guests from calling you asking 'What should we wear?' But often, even when you do put it on the invite you may still get those that don't understand."

The wedding dress code is one area where the "anything goes" attitude of modern life can actually make things more difficult and confusing.

In "The Wedding Book," Mindy writes that "in more formal days, you didn't need to specify a dress code: A wedding after 6 p.m. was always black-tie."

But today, "with all these options comes a certain degree of uncertainty, and that's where the dress code comes in."

The dress code specification should go at the bottom of the invitation if the ceremony and reception are held in the same location, but if the reception venue is separate, it would go on the reception card.

Mindy says the major categories are: