Appropriate guest attire for a (semi?) formal wedding?

going back and looking at some of the photos on the website was helpful - you can see wedding guests in some of the photos - it looks like it tends more toward formal than semi-formal

you definitely don't want a dress that you can imagine an executive assistant wearing to work

CJ - that newport news site is good - has a section devoted to "what to wear to a wedding" and then breaks it down by country club / black tie etc

http://www.newport-news.com/shop/thumbnail.aspx?gp_fashcoll_id=2000&gp_coll_id=9&gp_cat_id=1649&nav_cat_id=10937&category_id=10938

One of the dresses at Sears has a jacket with 3/4 length sleeves. It says the dress is sleeveless, but I don't know if that means strapless in this case. It only comes in a champagne color but would be suitable for both events, imo.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_031J6101000P?mv=rr

This one might work too, as would anything with a jacket that you could slip off at the reception for a dressier look if you wanted.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_031J6341000P?mv=rr

You may have some luck at Nordstrom Rack too. There are a couple of them in the greater Boston area.
http://about.nordstrom.com/MapPoint/PrxResults.aspx?GSTATE=MA&statesearch=1&FC=Rack

Also -- I looked at the regular Nordstrom site for ideas and they have a dress category called "Guest of Wedding". You may get some ideas of what they think of as wedding appropriate. You may find some of these dresses deeply discounted at the Rack.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/6014174/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6014174

I liked that champagne one when I was browsing. Certainly not office wear.

It could fit into this crowd at Saint Clements Castle.

http://www.saintclementscastle.com/PhotoGallery/albumView.asp?GalleryID=15&CategoryID=9#p378

September can still be very warm. I like the idea of a sleeveless linen dress with a jacket or surcoat (vest like longer jacket) that be worn to church then removed for dancing.

There are great consignment stores in Wellesley and Concord where you might find something a tad more dressy.

I was surprised that Macy's offered a dress as nice as the purple one. I don't like most chain retailers but Ann Taylor and Lord and Taylor are a bit nicer than most and will provide you with something a little dressier.

Everyone seems to have forgotten Marshalls and TJ Maxx.

When my daughter was of the formal dress age, we never went to the chains but to thrifts and to two stores in Cambridge that, unfortunately, no longer exist: Anoki and the one on the right hand side of Mass Ave on the way into Harvard Square.

Speaking of H-Square, there is a dress shop that moved from the outskirts of Harvard Yard into the Square itself, in that building that is owned by Harvard. The store opens up on the Holyoke Street side, across from the Hasty Pudding, Gino's salon and the French restaurant.

You guys have been working hard. Thanks BBB for the links. My housemate who just went to 2 weddings says "NO CHAMPAGNE!" I liked the Newport News site. Will keep looking there. And I'll check out Khol's. (and all the other links)

Thanks Beth for the link to photos at the castle. I had missed those. They actually seem a little less formal than I feared.

Today I went INTO: TJMaxx, Banana Republic, J Crew, Gap, Ann Taylor and the Loft, Macy's, H&M, NY & Co, and even Sears and Old Navy just in case. I tried on at least 10 dresses.

I agree with Linkat's assessment of weddings here. There will be people in a wide spectrum of dress. I just don't want to be at either extreme.

I'm so happy that my quandary could help you pass the time at the hospital, Roberta! The invite does have two times! Thud! When I asked my mom she laughed and I sighed, "I'm asking the wrong person...."

I'm hoping for K wearing the dress in her closet and buying the indian pants type outfit in Chai's post for fun on her own, not that I know the price, but if that's too high, maybe something similar. Not that I know that's a poor choice for a sublime connecticut wedding, but I see it as more party.

Another thing about me: I can't wear light materials or ruffles or a-symmetrical necklines. I just don't do well with them. Structure, shaping, ruching, etc - all good.

Osso, the dress in my closet doesn't fit.

Oh, well, then.

To date then, I'll opt for the macy's shewolf dress...

That's interesting..

Did someone say we're not supposed to wear black at a wedding? I wore a black dress to the last wedding we went to. Got a lot of compliments. Maybe they were all lying LOL.

No, littlek wondered, but the only comment was that it was fine.

Whew!

Hey did you ever get your ice-cream maker? Haven't seen a new post on that thread in a while.

Yes, but I haven't made ice cream yet, lazy b...
(I never have everything at hand, for example, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, only the unsweetened, and so on.)