Hello!
Longtime lurker currently arguing with a friend about whether it is more considerate or less considerate to have a stated wedding dress code.
I stand by the argument I've read on here: that unless you're having a true black tie event, there is no need to state a dress code--guests are adults who can dress themselves, and are smart enough to determine what to wear/what makes them comfortable based on time/venue/season etc.
My friend says that having no dress code actually causes guests more stress: that there are so many different types of weddings these days, people don't know what to wear, and it makes their lives easier to just have it printed on the invitation rather than having to call around and figure out what others are wearing. She argued that it was analogous to having having a seating chart, which makes guests' lives easier by not having to stress about where to sit (which I agree with).
I admit I see her point--I myself HAVE stressed out in the past about what to wear to specific weddings, and it was a pain (having to pack multiple outfit options, etc). At the same time, I feel like if you're having such an unusual wedding that guests can't figure out what to wear based on normal common sense, you're probably not being the most thoughtful host in the first place. Maybe?
I know this gets discussed a lot on here, but usually from the host's perspective. From a guest's perspective--it is sometimes just easier to make a dress code explicit?