A European-style wedding—special chic or a budget option?

A European-style wedding is classic at its best - a single color scheme, a thoughtful style solution, elegant modesty in decoration.

A classic wedding in Europe takes place outdoors - in a picturesque corner of a park, a country house, on the seashore, on board a luxury ship. In winter, they prefer a restaurant with a spacious banquet hall.

Features of a European wedding.

A European-style wedding is somewhat different from what we are used to. A sample wedding scenario looks like this:

• The groom proposes to the bride. Official engagement.
• After the engagement, on the day before the wedding or a couple of days before it, a bachelorette and bachelor party are held.
• Pre-wedding photography of newlyweds (not on the wedding day).
• Meeting of the bride and groom at the place of marriage (most often such weddings are not held at the registry office).
• Photo session after marriage.
• Wedding reception in nature.
• The newlyweds go to a hotel or go straight to their honeymoon.

The main difference between the European style and Russian weddings is the scenario. A lot of entertainment activities, such as competitions, quizzes, etc., are quite calm. This wedding is quite elegant due to the many details thought out to the smallest detail. Such weddings show good taste. They often turn to professionals for advice: they will help organize a European wedding the way it should be held. Most often, at such events there is no toastmaster; they usually hire an entertainer who only coordinates the event: announces the next moments in the wedding.

Decor

Holding a wedding in a European style is gaining popularity among modern youth.
The wedding ceremony differs not only in its script, but also in its uniform color design.

Homemade decorative elements, multi-colored dishes, and an abundance of diverse compositions in this style are not allowed.

The approach to outfits, decorations, and event management is exclusively professional, producing a rich, stylish effect corresponding to the status.

Venue Design Elements

A distinctive tradition of the European wedding style is to hold the entire event outdoors in the warm season, in a specially selected picturesque place.

This could be a park lawn, a river bank, a green area of ​​a country estate, or the deck of a passenger liner. During the cold season, a restaurant with a separate banquet hall and spacious areas for all thematic areas is designated for the wedding.

Be sure to arrange a place for the ceremony with seating for guests and an abundance of fresh flowers.

In the banquet hall, separate tables for 6–8 people are placed, with the place of each guest indicated on the seating signs.
Furniture items are draped with transparent light fabrics and a small amount of satin ribbons in a given color.

Particular attention is paid to lighting design (lighting at different times) - chandelier, garlands, candles.

The scenario of a European wedding, as a rule, provides for live music and conditions for relaxed communication between guests in an unobtrusive atmosphere.

Invitations, bonbonnieres and other accessories

All necessary accessories are laconically designed in 1-2 colors of the upcoming event, reflecting the theme and personality of the newlyweds. Self-production is not encouraged.

Envelopes, postcards, and bonbonnieres must be made from high-quality natural materials.

It would be good form to create products from an exclusive author's series indicating the name of the guest and the monogram of the heroes of the occasion.

Wedding banquet venue

In Russian weddings, morning preparations usually go something like this: a make-up artist and hairdresser, as well as bridesmaids, come to the bride in the morning, everyone helps her get ready for the celebration, and then the groom and his friends drive up to the house and buy the bride. And the photographer records on camera the bride’s preparations.

A European-style wedding requires a slightly different approach. Firstly, for getting ready, 2 hotel rooms are usually rented: for the bride and groom. Or one for the bride. Secondly, they hire two photographers, since they record the preparations of both the bride and groom. Thirdly, most often there is simply no ransom. And the most important difference is that such weddings are extremely rarely held in the registry office.

Features of foreign wedding traditions

• For the couple, they book a room with separate rooms on the eve of the ceremony in order to fully relax and look good in the morning. They also order a hairdresser, makeup artist and photographer there to capture the preparations on camera.
• European weddings are distinguished by the thoughtfulness of every detail. Often young people invite guests and agree on a dress code in advance. For example, men wear dark suits, women wear cocktail dresses.
• Identical bridesmaid outfits. It looks very stylish and, in addition, emphasizes the special position of the girls at the holiday.
• Unlike our traditional bride price with jokes and ditties in Europe, guests meet near the Wedding Palace.
• Often a wedding in Europe takes place without the presence of a toastmaster or event organizer.
• Practical Europeans do not celebrate weddings on a grand scale; they focus more on the honeymoon, which the newlyweds go on after the reception or the next morning.
• According to statistics, the majority of marriages among Europeans take place in a church. This is due to traditions formed over many centuries. Church marriage in most European countries is recognized by the state, but in our country it’s the other way around.

Images of witnesses

Everyone remembers that at weddings there is a witness and a witness. But at a European wedding there are more of them, three or four people each. It is imperative to think through the images of friends with them. Girls are expected to wear matching dresses. And this is extremely difficult to implement. After all, one person may like the dress, another may not, and a third simply doesn’t fit. Therefore, the advice is this: let there be one common detail - fabric - but different styles suitable for each girl. Young people wear the same suits (or the same color). The main thing is that the groom stands out among everyone. The groomsmen can also add a bright detail - a tie or bow tie - in the same color scheme as the bridesmaids' dresses. Such images of witnesses look quite stylish and make the newlyweds stand out from the crowd. It also looks very interesting in photographs.

Images of the bride, groom, bridesmaids

Everything in the bride’s look, from shoes to hairstyle, is determined by the chosen wedding theme. The same goes for the groom. In Europe, it is fashionable for bridesmaids to have identical dresses or outfits of different styles, but in the same color. By the way, in England, the bride herself pays for the full look of her bridesmaids (dress, makeup, hair). That’s why there are fewer bridesmaids at European weddings than at American ones.

The wedding banquet ends with the ceremonial cutting of the wedding cake, thanksgiving toasts from the newlyweds to their guests and parents, and fireworks. The banquet rarely lasts until the morning, as the couple goes on their honeymoon.

To remember the wedding, guests take pleasant personalized souvenirs: it could be handmade soap, a jar of honey or homemade jam, gingerbread with the couple’s initials. And after the wedding, it is also customary to send letters of gratitude to say Thank you for your presence and gift.

We have mentioned all the intricacies of a European wedding and we are already looking forward to the beautiful picture that has appeared in your imagination. Yes, such a wedding is unlikely to be possible without a decorator and florist who will create a holistic design. Yes, your parents and the older generation will not understand why no one steals the bride, drinks from the mother-in-law’s shoe or dresses up as the opposite sex. Trust your sense of beauty and make your wedding exactly what you dreamed of. After all, Ukraine is Europe!

Images of guests at a wedding and the location of the ceremony

If there is no wedding planned on the wedding day, guests gather where the painting itself is taking place. It is better to have a wedding outdoors. To do this, you leave an application at the registry office, and the employee comes directly to the ceremony site. To complete the look, decorate the wedding arch or pedestal with a canopy.

Everyone has watched films with weddings and remember how the guests were seated or placed on two sides of the path, and the bride and groom walked towards the arch. It’s worth doing about the same for your wedding. Lay a carpet or place flowers on the sides to imitate it, place chairs or benches for guests to the left and right of the impromptu corridor. According to European traditions, the father leads the bride to the altar, and the groom is already waiting for the bride near the arch.

If you were denied an outdoor ceremony, then consider having the painting and celebration take place on different days. And the role of a registry office employee can be played by a specially hired person.

When everything has been thought through, invitations are sent (distributed) to the guests with the date, time and place of the gathering or banquet.

In addition to the witnesses, there will be many more guests at the wedding, so a dress code is expected for them. The appeal of wedding photos depends on the people and atmosphere around them, not just the bride and groom. Girls are expected to wear evening or cocktail dresses, men - formal suits.

Wedding banquet decoration

If the wedding is held in the summer, choose places in nature: a park area, a picturesque shore of a reservoir, or even an area near a house or cottage.

Naturally, when holding a wedding in winter or bad weather, you should think about booking a restaurant or banquet hall. It must be designed in accordance with the European style.

In a European wedding, the unity of all details is important. To do this, you can choose a specific color scheme or wedding style. It is necessary to think through everything - from the images of the bride and groom to the smallest accessories. Don't miss this moment, it is very important.

Once you have decided on the style of the wedding, you can begin to select many important details: the wedding cake, table decorations, the bride’s bouquet, the decor of the hall, the design of the wedding arch or pedestal - all this needs to be carefully thought through. The ideal combination of details and the beauty of the holiday are the main characteristics of a European wedding.

Stylish accessories made in the same style will clearly stand out and attract the attention of guests. Guests will appreciate the consistency of the styles of the menu, invitations, cards with the names of guests on the tables, the decor of the hall, and the decoration of the table of the bride and groom. To add your own twist to the overall picture, you need to work in detail on the design of the entire wedding ceremony and banquet.

In Europe, not so much attention is paid to the wedding table (food and drinks), but rather to the design and decoration of the celebration.

Banquet

Before the wedding ceremony, it is worth introducing the guests to each other by organizing a small buffet table with drinks and snacks - this is a common occurrence at European-style weddings. Such a place could be a buffet with food already prepared.

At such weddings there is usually no common large table; this style involves placing several tables for 5-9 people. For such a banquet, a full dinner is ordered. There are minimal common dishes on the tables. Almost all food is served by waiters. Dinner does not last for several hours. How to seat guests needs to be thought out in advance. There are many seating options: by age, getting to know each other or a group of friends.

If the celebration takes place outdoors, you can get by with a light buffet. This will emphasize that the wedding is taking place in a European direction. In such a case, it is worth setting several tables, laying out dishes, tartlets, canapés, any other snacks, salads, drinks, fruits, desserts on each of them. To prevent guests from crowding around the set tables, it is worth hiring several waiters who will serve food and drinks on trays.

A few hours (usually three to four hours) after the buffet, the waiter brings out the cake and cuts it. Here you can hold a somewhat Russian competition with the sale of the first piece. In another couple of hours the event ends.

This type of feast is perfect for a small number of guests and if the newlyweds are soon leaving for their honeymoon, which does not allow extending the event, and also allows you to save on the banquet.

How to apply

The European wedding takes place over 1 day according to an eventful schedule. At the same time, all events take place in a measured manner, without fuss. These include:

• wedding ceremony;
• walk;
• photoshoot;
• buffet;
• concert program, which includes guest performances with their own numbers.

The choice of primary color and style plays a decisive role in the design of all areas of the wedding celebration. The European direction adheres to an elegant combination of light, delicate shades, chosen with good taste. Bright colors are present singly and in doses to place the necessary accents in the overall decor.

In 2021, preference was given to red, blue and purple.

In order for the wedding to correspond to the European style, solemnity and exclusivity of the event, the following colors must clearly be visible in the design:

1. White. Classics, symbolizing purity and purity in a bride's dress, serve as an excellent backdrop for decorations, finishing details and selected accessories.
2. Beige. As the main color, it is chosen to add a vintage accent to a respectable European wedding setting or when embodying a retro scenario.
3. Gold. Emphasizes the status of the event, in combination with chocolate and beige it creates a comfortable atmosphere in a formal setting. The warmth of golden shapes on a pastel background is best perceived during the cold winter period.
4. Pink. Tenderness, romance, and sentimentality are manifested in muted colors, diluted almost to white. Bright pink details will look too provocative for European classics.
5. Light green. The latest fashion trends mix a little blue into it, bringing it closer to the colors of the sea wave. Turquoise, mint and aquamarine wedding decorations are in demand.
6. Fuchsia. The powerful energy of this color in the European style is used in characteristic details on a predominant white background, bouquets, and subtle ornaments.
7. Coral. This colorful shade was introduced into the design of Old World ceremonies by Hollywood stars. Coral shimmers are filled with moderate extravagance, positivity and hope for fulfilling expectations.
8. Splashes of champagne. Aristocratic, showy, mysterious, catchy romanticism - these are the epithets that describe the impression of the work of a professional stylist in wedding design.

The consistency of the European style does not at all exclude the manifestation of imagination. To make your wedding fashionable and special, you need to show all your creative potential.

Wedding

As already written above, such a wedding does not involve a toastmaster. And that's even better. Sometimes the toastmaster can completely ruin a wedding with his unsuccessful competitions and stupid speeches. To hold a wedding, select a good entertainer (or simply host) who will announce the events. Ask him for a portfolio, study it thoroughly to be sure that he is a professional.

Selecting good music is also important. Choose light, melodic music, focusing on your taste and audience. Or invite musicians to have live music at your wedding. This will be a great solution. Choose from pianists, saxophonists and many other musicians.

Don't forget to thank the guests for attending the wedding: give each one a bonbonniere - this is a small bag or box with a small souvenir or sweets.

Don’t think that a European wedding is boring and doesn’t involve any entertainment at all. There are plenty of entertainment events, they are just unusual in Russian realities. Most often, these are not competitions, but some kind of events with the participation of artists (a magician, a musician, or even a fire show). But you shouldn’t forget about games and competitions either. The main competitions are tossing the bride's bouquet and garter. There are many more dance competitions, mini-relay races, talent competitions and much more. The main thing is to choose original entertainment, and your wedding will not be boring at all.

A European wedding does not involve long celebrations and a plentiful table laden with food. Usually they make do with a short dinner or buffet in the afternoon. And towards evening, the newlyweds go either to the hotel or on their honeymoon. Guests, if desired, can continue the festivities without the newlyweds.