Dress code - can I say you can dress up if you want?

[Doughnut100]

Our wedding is a nice town hall, then pub reception. I'll probably be wearing a massive needle & thread gown, my partner will wear a tweed jacket, blue trousers and waistcoat and brown leather shoes.

I was going to write in the information for guests something like "dress fancy if you like (or not if you don't)!" to make sure everyone is comfortable. I'd like people to dress up, but for example I have male friends who probably don't own suits, and I don't expect anyone to spend money buying a suit for this.

Two people have already asked me if they can dress down, and one person asked to dress up, and I said yes to everyone!

However I've just done an internet search and it seems that people like to have a clear dress code so they don't feel over or under dressed.

Is there another way I can word this? Or do I have to be more clear?

We are going with saying nothing. As @DappledThings says it comes over as demanding however you say it. We're all in our forties if people can't get dressed by now they probably have bigger problems.

We put a dress code section on our website and it basically says there isn't one, and that we'll be dressed up but don't expect anyone else to if they don't want to.