Will Your Wedding be Formal or Casual?
When planning a wedding, the first thing to do is get a hold of your emotions and not go overboard. It is very easy to get carried away because the wedding day is what most brides to be dream of. However ,a healthy dose of reality will stand you in good stead to keep a check on the spending.
Weddings involve stupendous amounts of planning, organization and coordination. Are you looking for something with all the bells and whistles or a laid back, understated style wedding? You can read all about choosing formal or casual wedding ceremonies and receptions from attire to décor and beyond right here in this highly informative article.
We will begin with the formal wedding requirements. The concept of a formal wedding is based on the fact that a wedding is actually a very solemn occasion. It is the coming together of two separate individuals to become one. It is a union before God and man that is sanctified and blessed, vows are spoken and a commitment made for a lifetime. In light of the solemnity of the occasion, tradition and elegance become the cornerstones of the entire affair.
On the other hand the casual wedding has an understated elegance and can be a beautiful affair. You don't have to spend enough money to break the bank; people will be relaxed and will have a really enjoyable time. Casual weddings will have kids running around, noise and a lot of hilarity.
The planning and organization of a formal wedding will be an expensive one. But if you have budget constraint (don't we all!) you can easily find ways to trim costs, but still make your elegant dreams come true.
Formal weddings hold fast to tradition and seriousness rules the day. Etiquette and behavior are emphasized and the wedding planning has to be professionally done. Formal weddings generally mean a guest list with anywhere from 250-500 people, the bride in a white gown complete with train and veil, groom in black tie, bridesmaids and groomsmen all formally attired in tuxedos and the décor highly respectable.
Other features of the formal wedding include a full band, engraved wedding invitations, extravagant flower arrangements, full church service and formal reception with sit down meal at an exclusive hotel or club. Transportation usually runs to a stretch limousine service.
A casual wedding celebration can be semi formal or totally informal. In a semi formal or smart casual setting you will generally find that allowances are made for non traditional wedding elements to be incorporated into the ceremony and celebration. Guests are quite relaxed and range from 100-250 people. The bridal gown is not a very formal full gown, more a wedding dress with short train and veil. Men wear black tie or dark suits, even dinner jackets. Invitations can be engraved or printed on regular invitation paper. The bride and groom have fewer bridesmaids and groomsmen in attendance and the band is more or less made up of 2-3 musicians or one DJ.
The casual wedding is quite different from what we just read. People at this type of wedding really get to let their hair down and have fun. Guest numbers are small and usually comprise close family and friends in a more intimate setting. Casual weddings are characterized by approximately 50-100 guests. The bridal attire can be a simple dress, either long or short with a token veil and no train. At the most there will be two bridesmaids and groomsmen. The men wear dark suits and the groom will probably wear black tie. Invitations are handwritten and sometimes given over the phone.
A formal wedding is usually held in the back garden with tables set around the place for people to sit. A buffet set up encourages guests to mingle and help themselves. There may or may not be a bartender, so the self-help theme would probably be the standard norm. Casual weddings can be receptions where lunch or tea is served. The wedding ceremony itself will be held in the same place as the reception and décor will be limited to a simple arch and flowers.
Deciding upon whether to have a formal or casual wedding is really the couple's choice and one they have to be comfortable with.