Help! Black tie winter wedding!

[Menonut]

Any ideas? Dress code says “formal evening wear. Black tie for men and long or short gowns for women.”

It is the Saturday before Christmas so will be cold.

It is a church followed by a reception at a hotel.

I don’t know anyone at all at the wedding, I’ve met the groom a handful of times. Husband knows the groom.

For reference I am 5’3 so a long dress would need to be petite. I’m a size 16 and quite busty so not really a fan of high necks.

Or you could just buy a non-petite dress and have it altered if necessary? (Speaking as a 5’3 woman who has never once bought anything labelled petite.)

Do you have a budget?

(It’s such a shame people impose these dress codes. There’s really nothing better for a wedding than lounge suits and a pretty day dress or trouser suit.)

'Gowns' gives me the willies.

You'll need a good warm coat as I bet church will be freezing then.