I WANT people in Jeans at my wedding...need help with wording

CountryChic213

I'm planning an August 2014 barn wedding.  My groom and groomsmen will be in jeans and suit coats but I will be in a fancy dress as will my bridesmaids.  It's going to be somewhat fancy yet laid back with a cooked pig and BBQ chicken.  My problem I'm having is how to word my reception cards.  I want to tell people that jeans and sundresses are OK but want a fun way to say it all. I also want people to know that cowboy boots are OK (I'll be wearing mine).  I'd love some creative help with wording if anyone has any ideas they've seen or used before.

NOLAbridealmost

"Blue Jeans Welcome."

 

I would normally just say that the invitation and venue would convey casualness and guests could figure it out for themselves, but I don't know anyone who would ever wear jeans to a wedding--casual or not. 

I would never suggest something like "Sundresses Please" or "Sunday Best" or some ridiculous non-dress code, but indicating that jeans are okay is kind of along the same lines as saying "Shoes Optional." 

Jen4948

You actually probably don't want to be too creative with your invitation wording, because invitations that do vary a lot from the traditional wording tend to be very confusing to the recipients-it's not clear to them whether they are invited to the actual ceremony, the reception, or some kind of after-celebration.

Where it makes sense to get "creative" would be in the type of paper, fonts, colors, graphics, and so on.  This is where you can use less formal, more "fun" elements that will hopefully convey that this is not a formal, traditional wedding that requires dressing up.

JoanE2012

StageManager14 said:

I wouldn't.  Just spread it by word of mouth, and have a casual invitation that gives the right vibe.

ETA:  If you insist, I wouldn't get cute or creative with the wording.  I would just put a small line at the bottom saying something like "Jeans and Boots welcome" or "dress for comfort".  

This.  I would need it explicitly stated that jeans are welcomed at a wedding.  It could be the most casual invitation at a casual location and I would never dream of wearing jeans to a wedding unless told.  Even then, I still probably wouldn't wear them, but that's just me.

NOLAbridealmost

JoanE2012 said:

StageManager14 said:

I wouldn't.  Just spread it by word of mouth, and have a casual invitation that gives the right vibe.

ETA:  If you insist, I wouldn't get cute or creative with the wording.  I would just put a small line at the bottom saying something like "Jeans and Boots welcome" or "dress for comfort".  

This.  I would need it explicitly stated that jeans are welcomed at a wedding.  It could be the most casual invitation at a casual location and I would never dream of wearing jeans to a wedding unless told.  Even then, I still probably wouldn't wear them, but that's just me.

Exactly

libby2483

JoanE2012 said:

StageManager14 said:

I wouldn't.  Just spread it by word of mouth, and have a casual invitation that gives the right vibe.

ETA:  If you insist, I wouldn't get cute or creative with the wording.  I would just put a small line at the bottom saying something like "Jeans and Boots welcome" or "dress for comfort".  

This.  I would need it explicitly stated that jeans are welcomed at a wedding.  It could be the most casual invitation at a casual location and I would never dream of wearing jeans to a wedding unless told.  Even then, I still probably wouldn't wear them, but that's just me.

JoanE2012 said:

StageManager14 said:

I wouldn't.  Just spread it by word of mouth, and have a casual invitation that gives the right vibe.

ETA:  If you insist, I wouldn't get cute or creative with the wording.  I would just put a small line at the bottom saying something like "Jeans and Boots welcome" or "dress for comfort".  

This.  I would need it explicitly stated that jeans are welcomed at a wedding.  It could be the most casual invitation at a casual location and I would never dream of wearing jeans to a wedding unless told.  Even then, I still probably wouldn't wear them, but that's just me.

Agreed. I would never wear jeans to a wedding, no matter how casual, but that's just my personal choice.  My H would never wear jeans to a wedding without being explicitly told.  We recently attended a very casual, outdoor, mid-afternoon wedding; they served sandwiches, played sports, and went swimming.  My H still wore khakis and a button-down shirt with a tie.  So, I think that a small note as suggested above would work in this case.  However, just be prepared that some people still won't dress that casually for a wedding.

erinlin25

best to do this word of mouth, or if you have a website you can write something on there.  Ditto that the invitation should not be formal either-- but since you and your bridesmaids are formal, it contradicts it a bit.  When people see BBQ and what not though, they tend to think casual so will know to at least not come in a suit and tie.  But many may want to dress up either way so prepare that may happen and that is ok!

CountryChic213

Thank you all.  We live in a very rural area surrounded by farms and have been to three weddings in the last three years where jeans were what was expected. I just wanted a cute way of telling people it's ok.  Only thing I found was "The Pig and the weather will both be hot so wear the coolest duds you've got" I know me being in a dress and my groom in jeans is a bit of a contradiction but he will still have a suit coat and they will be fresh new jeans.  I just want people to be comfortable and enjoy themselves..afterall it is being held in a barn.

[Deleted User]

Hey CountryChic213,

Despite all the other posters saying they don't know people who would dare (gasp!) show up at a wedding in jeans, I'm right there with you. I'm from a small town and I've never been to a wedding where at least 25% of the crowd isn't in jeans, no matter how nice the bride tried to make the dress code.

I don't want jeans at my wedding, so for those I'm worried about showing up in boots and ruining my black tie affair (George Strait-- hollaaaa,) I'm going to include a little slip in the envelope with a clever poem about the dress code.

If I were you, I'd use the lines "Come as you are" in any write-up, beause that's a phrase that most understand to mean don't worry about getting all gussied up for us!

Good luck!

JoanE2012

bdmwedding said:

Hey CountryChic213,

Despite all the other posters saying they don't know people who would dare (gasp!) show up at a wedding in jeans, I'm right there with you. I'm from a small town and I've never been to a wedding where at least 25% of the crowd isn't in jeans, no matter how nice the bride tried to make the dress code.

I don't want jeans at my wedding, so for those I'm worried about showing up in boots and ruining my black tie affair (George Strait-- hollaaaa,) I'm going to include a little slip in the envelope with a clever poem about the dress code.

If I were you, I'd use the lines "Come as you are" in any write-up, beause that's a phrase that most understand to mean don't worry about getting all gussied up for us!

Good luck!

Please skip the clever poem.  Is your event truly black tie?  Too many people throw that term around loosely when really they are just having a traditional formal wedding.  

If you are truly having a black tie wedding...white gloved service, top shelf open bar, multiple courses (usually at least 5), live band, etc) then it is acceptable to simple put "black tie" on the wedding invitation.  Hopefully your guests (especially the 25% that usually wear jeans!) know that men need to wear tuxedos and women need to wear gowns.

jessyk1065

My fi was a groomsman in a wedding where everyone changed into jeans for the reception, even the bride. They spread it by word of mouth. That said, I still didn't really feel comfortable with the idea, so I wore a very casual/summery maxi dress. I like the "jeans welcome" phrasing as well.

RamonaFlowers

bdmwedding said:

Hey CountryChic213,

Despite all the other posters saying they don't know people who would dare (gasp!) show up at a wedding in jeans, I'm right there with you. I'm from a small town and I've never been to a wedding where at least 25% of the crowd isn't in jeans, no matter how nice the bride tried to make the dress code.

I don't want jeans at my wedding, so for those I'm worried about showing up in boots and ruining my black tie affair (George Strait-- hollaaaa,) I'm going to include a little slip in the envelope with a clever poem about the dress code.

If I were you, I'd use the lines "Come as you are" in any write-up, beause that's a phrase that most understand to mean don't worry about getting all gussied up for us!

Good luck!

Garth Brooks. If you're going to make that reference, at least get the artist right.

And cute or clever poems do not suddenly turn a rude request into a polite one. Unless your event is truly black tie: Live band, full plated dinner after 6pm, top shelf open bar, in a venue that requires such a dress code or they will not admit your guests, you can't tell people what to wear. Somebody who's "big on social graces" wouldn't even dream of such a thing being appropriate.

I guess that's 2 things you apparently don't know?

AddieCake

bdmwedding said:

I don't want jeans at my wedding, so for those I'm worried about showing up in boots and ruining my black tie affair (George Strait-- hollaaaa,) I'm going to include a little slip in the envelope with a clever poem about the dress code.

Including a clever poem will not make this any less rude. You don't tell guests what to wear unless your wedding IS black tie or the venue has a strict dress code.