Modern wedding in European style. A European-style wedding—special chic or a budget option? Banquet hall decoration
Wedding in European style- this is a classic at its best - a single color scheme, thoughtful style decision, elegant modesty in design.
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 time prefer a restaurant with a spacious banquet hall.
Preparing for a European wedding
A European-style wedding is distinguished not only by thoughtful, elegant and high-quality decoration, but also by certain stages of preparation. For example, . Once upon a time, we also paid due attention to the rite of purification of the bride in the bathhouse. In Europe, even today, the bride's preparations take place in a specially ordered hotel room, where a stylist, makeup artist and photographer are invited to capture all stages of the transformation. IN wedding album newlyweds not only photos wedding celebration.
A photographer can capture the moment of choosing a dress or suit for the groom, because preparation and anticipation of the holiday give a sea of positive emotions.
Before the wedding, many brides in Europe organize spa parties for family and friends. They pay for specialists in a beauty salon. I combine care procedures - masks, manicure for ladies with pleasant conversations and useful instructions. Strong half Beauty-conscious ladies can while away their time at baseball, tennis or have a picnic. Such a bachelorette party can also take place overnight - at home or in a hotel: favorite comedies, intimate conversations, beer, popcorn - what not romance. 
Wedding decor
Banquet hall decoration
The decoration of the hall is elegant, but extremely simple: guests sit at tables of 4 (Italian seating) or 8 (English) people. On the tables there are flowers in tall vases, with decorative colored bows. At the entrance, the guest receives a number and goes to his table. There is also a stylishly designed seating plan in the lobby; additionally they use name cards on the tables. Married couples and single guests are seated separately. Set for the newlyweds big table on a slight hill. 
Europeans do not organize hours-long festivities until the morning - a short dinner or the same buffet in daytime. For the buffet, several tables are set with dishes and snacks - canapés, sandwiches, dessert. Sometimes a couple of waiters are hired to serve drinks so that guests do not crowd in lines. After an hour or two, the cake is brought out and the meal ends. At a buffet table, people are constantly on their feet - communicating, moving around, although it doesn’t hurt to provide places to rest.
If a European wedding reception takes place in the form of a feast, then a full dinner is ordered, but the table is not bursting with a variety of common dishes, as at our banquets. Even if it’s dinner, it won’t last long. 
Many elements of a European wedding (for example, bonbonnieres with chocolate sweets as gifts for guests) came to us from Europe, successfully complementing Slavic traditions. , where guests write down their congratulations to the newlyweds, is also necessarily present at such a wedding. There is a special place in the hall for gifts. The cake is ordered with the decoration of the wedding style or taking into account the hobbies and profession of the newlyweds. Even candles are often made to order. There are no trifles at this wedding. If we focus on the menu wedding table, then they have - increased attention to the decor. See the decoration of the hall in the photo of a European-style wedding.
Every detail is the highlight of a European wedding.
European traditions of the wedding ceremony
All bridesmaids, groomsmen and witnesses (as a rule, this is not just one girlfriend or friend, as at our weddings) dress in the same dresses (the same fabric, styles - in accordance with the figure) or formal suits with ties, vests from the same fabric , as the bridesmaids' dresses, and duplicating the bride's bouquet.- Newlyweds also order identical bouquets for the bridesmaids. All together stylishly and beautifully highlight the main heroes of the occasion. According to tradition, the bride in a luxurious white dress with long veil, the groom can be in a black tuxedo with a bow tie, but gray business suit A tie is also welcome.
- A classic European wedding cannot be complete without a classic wedding procession. As a rule, a retro model is chosen for newlyweds, and such cars look convertible and a special sign is simply stunning. For financial reasons, newlyweds can travel around the city with a more modest escort.
- For wedding ceremony They are preparing a special area where all guests are invited, since there is no tradition of bride price in Europe. The newlyweds arrive later and the guests have time to meet each other, drink wine, and listen to live music (mainly classical and jazz). They are entertained with pantomime, the waiters serve canapés and champagne. Works wedding photographer and cartoonists.
Mendelssohn's ceremonial march announces the beginning of the ceremony, and the guests proceed to the site. First comes the groom with his witnesses and friends, then the bride's girlfriends. The bride's father brings up the rear of the procession and leads her to the altar. The handover ritual is strictly observed, because the family puts into the hands of the groom the most precious thing they have - their daughter - and hopes that he will live up to their hopes and take care of her the same way they do.- Children from four to eight years old must take part in the wedding ceremony: flower girls in elegant white dresses, decorating the path with rose petals from, and a boy in a formal suit who carries.
- Unlike our outdoor ceremony, which, as a rule, has no legal force and is more like theatrical production, because the registration register is prohibited from being taken out of the registry office, in Europe the wedding is led by an administrator or master of ceremonies. Do you need a toastmaster? His role is played by a presenter with the function of an entertainer. He says little, doesn’t joke, doesn’t make toasts - he just gathers everyone and announces to them the next stage of the wedding.
If the wedding is held in a church, then all rituals are observed, but more often the priest is invited to an outdoor ceremony, where he says short speech without following all the formalities.- The wedding reception begins not with toasts, but with welcoming speeches from relatives and friends - improvised or prepared in advance. Then the young people perform, this moment at our weddings is no different - now, instead of classical dances, we have musical cuts different styles and rhythms - pop music, rock and roll, r&b. Such, as in the video of a European-style wedding, a funny combined dance is rehearsed with a choreographer for a very long time. Traditionally, wedding witnesses also perform at weddings. They also prepare a dance number, sometimes dancing separately or together with the newlyweds.
Entertainment
The newlyweds select competitions in accordance with the theme and style of their wedding. The bearded one is very popular there; we already have the “Musical Chair” competition, when there are one more participants running around than there are chairs. There are also team games- like “which team will throw more balls into the basket.”
To earn some coveted prize, for example, a photo of the newlyweds in a chic photo frame, they invite everyone to photograph some funny episode at the wedding with their phone. Whoever completes the task faster will receive the coveted gift.
Collecting advice for newlyweds is a must-have entertainment at a wedding. For this purpose, cards or a special album are prepared - a book of wishes. At a wedding in nautical style this moment may look different - they let a big one go around in a circle sea shell. Everyone puts it to their ear to “listen and voice the advice of the other world.” Naturally, he will hear nothing but sea noise there, the more valuable and funnier the improvisation!
Talent competitions are also held at weddings - guests and especially children are invited to sing, dance, perform a magic trick or perform an acrobatic act. This entertains guests and involves them in the celebration process. To introduce guests to the newlyweds or to each other, use videos, slides from the newlyweds’ Love Story, or some kind of quiz for guests on the same topic. Questions for each half of the relatives are prepared separately, for example: “ Cousin bride Stephen, which of the groom’s relatives graduated from medical school exactly three years ago?” or “Aunt Alice, who in the bride’s family has four Rottweilers?” 
Since weddings in Europe are short-lived by our standards, there are significantly fewer competitions there, and in general, the emphasis is on professional performances, artists, pyrotechnicians, flaring artists (bartender shows).
There is another touching moment in a European-style wedding when the newlyweds pronounce an oath of fidelity to each other, expressing all their feelings. Immediately after the ceremony (or after the wedding in the church), a ritual of lighting a unity candle is performed, similar to our “candle family hearth”, which is often lit at a banquet.
At the end of the official part of the evening, the bride throws her bouquet to her bridesmaids and everyone enjoys a luxurious wedding cake. The final chord will be a fabulous fireworks display and seeing off the newlyweds to the fireworks on their honeymoon and new life, but you won’t see excessive fun, like at a Russian wedding - everything will be within the bounds of decency.
The scenario of a wedding in a European style is noticeably different from the plan of a celebration in the spirit familiar to most people. The main reason such a distance is the difference in mentalities, different customs, underlying modern wedding traditions, history and culture, which differs markedly in each country.
Such a wedding is easier for the host to hold - after all, basically, there are no competitions at the celebration. They are successfully replaced by live music and, possibly, pop performances. Therefore, in Europe there are no hosts at weddings - usually they are replaced by an inconspicuous and efficient manager who controls the timing and makes sure that everyone is comfortable and that no mishaps occur. Since this format is still somewhat unusual for our average person, a person who will unobtrusively direct the wedding celebration and give the floor to this or that guest in time, as well as invite people to the dance floor, is still necessary. Read on to learn how to create the right atmosphere for a European wedding.
Approximate procedure
In addition to the fact that the entire design of the wedding celebration must correspond to the declared European style, the actions and behavior of all participants in the event are very important. How does such a wedding begin?
From the gathering and a small buffet at the groom's house. His friends and parents gather there and, over light refreshments, wish the future head of the family all the best, and also congratulate you on your wonderful choice of bride. This part of the event does not last long - about 40 minutes, this time is enough for all those who are late to get there, and for friends and parents to have time to have a snack and express their joy about the event. Alcoholic drinks submission is not accepted.
Next, the groom and his close friends go to pick up the bride. She can wait for him at home, or with her parents. But since in Europe brides attach great importance to the very process of getting ready and preparing for the wedding day, many rent a room in a good hotel, where they gather their bridesmaids, invite a stylist, etc. The bridesmaids meet the groom and escort him inside. There is no talk of any ransom. Soon the bride's father comes to the groom, to whom the groom promises to take care of his daughter, respect and appreciate her. After this, the father takes his daughter to the groom. The bride receives a bouquet from her chosen one, and they go to the ceremony site.
Ceremony options
The choice of a specific option depends solely on the preferences of the bride and groom. Young people can register their marriage in advance and hold a symbolic ceremony in beautiful place under open air.
Second option - official registration on the wedding day at the registry office. The young husband carries his wife out of it in his arms, and the guests, lined up on both sides of the entrance, shower them with white rose petals, semolina and rice.
The third option is that after registration at the registry office, a wedding follows in a church.
Immediately after registration, you can do a mini video interview with the newlyweds and guests. After this comes the turn wedding walk. It is fundamentally different from the usual skating in that the newlyweds and guests come to a picturesque place that has already been arranged in advance, where a photographer, live music and light snacks await them. It's time for the first photo shoot, after which everyone can go to the restaurant.
Scenario of a wedding celebration with a host
At the restaurant, the newlyweds are greeted by guests, relatives and the host. He must organize a meeting of the newlyweds. To do this, guests should line up in a living corridor, and children 3-4 years old should walk in front of the newlyweds and scatter rose petals from baskets.
Host: Dear guests, here we are waiting for our happy couple, our newlyweds! So let's lead them along the path of happiness and love, harmony and tenderness, to the altar, at which they will again exchange vows and light up a common family hearth!
You need to put a flower arch in the restaurant as for a symbolic ceremony, and carry out this action there. After the candles are lit, at the leader’s sign, a table with a pyramid of glasses is rolled out.
Host: And they can be the first to congratulate their children on their marriage (names names).
Champagne is quickly and carefully poured into the pyramid, and the glasses are handed over to the newlyweds' parents and witnesses. The rest of the guests are surrounded with champagne by the waiters so that there is no crowding. Parents congratulate the newlyweds.
Host: And now we invite everyone to take their places at the tables and pay tribute to the magnificent treat!
After some time (15-20 minutes), the presenter gives the floor to those interested. As a rule, older relatives. At a European-style wedding, congratulations are voiced solely at will.
Host: Dear guests, I remind you that you have the opportunity to write down a wish for the newlyweds, there is a special book for this, it lies near the arch!
Half an hour break for quiet eating.
Host: Anyone who has eyes can see how harmonious and beautiful our couple is! But does everyone know how it all began?
A short film is shown about the young people, their “Love story”.
Presenter: The first dance of the young!
The couple dances; it is advisable to turn down the music and light candles. This is followed by two or three slow dances, which the bride dances with her father, then with her father-in-law, and the groom, respectively, with his mother and mother-in-law. Guests join, time for more fiery dancing. The evening then proceeds with a series of dances and congratulations. If you wish, you can dilute it with quizzes about wedding traditions different countries. But this is unconventional for European weddings.
Host: It's time for a wedding cake! Of course, it will be the young people who will cut it. And the first piece of cake will go away from our auction!
Unlike the weddings we are used to, at a European-style wedding, sweet table– this is not the end of the evening, but rather its middle. Therefore, after tea, cake and other desserts, dancing and throwing a bouquet are also expected.
Host: And now I propose to conduct a traditional fortune-telling, beloved by all the ladies - who will be next to catch the bride’s bouquet? Guys, watch out!
The evening also ends with a dance of the newlyweds.
Video materials for inspiration
IN Lately All more weddings is held without the usual bride price, accordion songs and noisy competitions. From Europe the fashion for more laconic and restrained celebrations came to us. European style wedding- This fashion trend. IN this material we'll talk about the features of a European wedding.
European wedding scenario
First of all, European is extremely thoughtful down to the smallest detail. In the entire holiday scenario there must be a special one, to which everything is subject, from the color of the tablecloth on the tables to the bride’s bouquet.
The script is drawn up by a specially hired person - the wedding organizer. All the troubles of arranging the holiday lie with him.
The bride and groom are asked to choose the color according to which the hall for the ceremony and banquet will be decorated. The presence of this shade is also desirable in the attire of guests.
In the case of a European-style wedding, you cannot do without a photographer. A good wedding photographer in Kharkov will be able to make a great photo session by preparing in advance wedding attributes and accessories in accordance with the main color of your wedding.
Special attribute of a European wedding is sending out invitations. They are made on expensive paper, beautiful font and are sent to guests in advance (2-3 months).
Carrying out a wedding ceremony in European style
European wedding ceremony does not take place in the usual registry office, but, as a rule, in some beautiful natural area, be it a park, forest or country estate. Recently I started practicing service exit registration marriage, provided that all costs of transporting the registrar are borne by the newlyweds.
At the registration site, an altar is organized, near which the newlyweds enter into their marriage. A carpet path leads to the altar, on both sides of which there are seats for guests. A platform for dancing and tables on which refreshments will be placed are also being created.
A special place in European style wedding ceremonies occupied by the bridesmaids. Their dresses are sewn in a single color to match general style decorations.
European wedding ceremony doesn't last long. After the announcement of its beginning, the groom and his friends head to the altar and stand on one side of it. On the other side are the bridesmaids.
Then a girl and a boy walk to the altar, carrying flowers and wedding rings. Following them down the aisle is the father of the bride, who leads her to the groom.
In Europe, marriages are performed by a priest, but in our country, marriages are performed by a civil registry office registrar. Then the bride and groom exchange wedding rings and pronounce the wedding vows.
After the ceremony, guests are expected festive dinner. They are seated at tables in accordance with a pre-agreed plan.
Gifts from guests are placed on a separate table installed in a designated area. Guests also receive gifts from the bride's groom. Usually these are sweets or memorable souvenirs.
Wedding ceremony ends with the cutting of the cake, then the bride calls the unmarried ladies to the center of the dance floor, turns her back and throws them a bouquet. After this, the guests continue to have fun, and the newlyweds go on their honeymoon.
We have all seen the European wedding scenario in a beautiful romantic film and more than once were touched by the grace and sophistication of a foreign celebration. Thanks to modern development sphere of wedding services today and in our country, if desired, you can arrange a wedding in the best European traditions.
The location of the holiday is a fundamental point
The key components of the wedding ceremony and festive banquet for all Europeans are similar to Russian wedding traditions: White dress and formal suit, groomsmen and bridesmaids, exchange of rings, a wedding cake and even throwing the bride’s bouquet... However, the European wedding scenario implies one global difference - this is the place where the wedding is celebrated, and often it is also the place where the wedding ceremony is held. For us, this is traditionally the registry office and the restaurant; they, as a rule, hold the holiday on fresh air: in the open air or under a light temporary canopy in case of bad weather. Often, the wedding venue is the garden or lawn of the bride’s house, or any other picturesque corner of nature. Very often, according to the scenario of a European wedding, the wedding takes place in the same place where the festive banquet is planned, unless the newlyweds are going to get married in a church. But even in cases where the marriage ceremony does not take place at the banquet location, preference is given to holding it in the lap of nature. In our country, outdoor ceremonies are no longer a rarity and provide an opportunity to arrange a wedding that is not inferior in beauty and splendor to the best Hollywood films. Information about the organizers of such events can be found on the pages of the website Svadbaholik.Ru.
The European wedding scenario does not include bride price before marriage. As a rule, the bride is brought to the altar by her father, where he hands her over to the groom, and only then do the two of them become participants in the magical action... Surrounded by flowers and festive decorations along the red carpet, accompanied by live music, they approach the delightfully beautiful gazebo where the priest awaits them , who will pronounce solemn speech, will declare them husband and wife, give parting advice and provide the opportunity to exchange marital promises. This is a very touching, spiritual moment in the European wedding scenario, when lovers say to each other the most important words about love and fidelity, about the willingness to walk a long life path side by side, to share sorrows and joys...
It must be said that no semantic contradiction will be allowed by those young people who, when arranging a wedding according to European traditions, will wish to conduct the beloved bride ransom ceremony. Let everything be the way lovers want!
Another one distinctive feature The European wedding scenario is the absence of witnesses to the marriage. Instead, there is a charming tradition of providing bridesmaids who help the girl with wedding decorations and other organizational issues. They dress up in the same exquisite dresses and accompany the bride at the celebration.
The European wedding scenario insists on wedding celebration in the style of a social event: often this buffet tables with light snacks, a specially equipped dance floor with live music, waiters carrying glasses of champagne... Even if seating is provided, it is not customary to install one large common table. Small tables for 4-5 people are placed around the stage, where there is a microphone for the host and everyone who wants to congratulate the newlyweds.
Unlike Russian traditions, the European wedding scenario does not imply a long stay of the newlyweds at the holiday. Having accepted congratulations, having completed the first a wedding dance and having cut the luxurious multi-tiered cake, the bride throws her wedding bouquet to her bridesmaids and, together with the groom, leaves the banquet, setting off on their honeymoon.
The bride usually throws the bouquet immediately after the wedding ceremony or upon leaving the church where the wedding took place.
The wedding reception begins with the delivery of prepared speeches by close relatives and friends of the bride and groom. These are not toasts, but well-written, touching and humorous texts, which, however, can also be improvisation.
Before or after this, the newlyweds perform the first dance - the same element is present at our weddings. Nowadays both in our country and in Europe they cook more often Not classical dance, and the dances are surprises, often funny . Slow music is replaced by modern fast: rock, r&b, rock and roll, pop music. The dance, of course, is prepared in advance, with a lot of rehearsal.
Tradition on European wedding become performances by bridesmaids and groomsmen . They prepare different dances or perform a joint number, and sometimes the bride and groom dance with them.
In general, European weddings are not much more decorous and boring than ours: there is also plenty of fun, borderline humor, endless raising of glasses and hot dancing.
It is believed that at European weddings there are practically no games and competitions traditional for us, but this is not so. Future newlyweds select entertainment in advance that matches the theme and style of the wedding, trying to entertain the guests. For example, on European weddings Quite often they carry out the banal, in the opinion of our compatriots, game “Musical chair” (there are 1 fewer chairs than participants - those who did not have time to sit down when the music stopped are eliminated).
Team games are also held: for example which team will score more balls Add to cart. There are also funny mini-relay races, and sometimes games with adult overtones. For example, women and girls in dresses are invited, they stand up like a “train”. Men who want to participate crawl under this train face down. Accordingly, participants should spread their legs wide. Whichever participant refuses to do this is eliminated. The second round - men crawl between the legs of the remaining men again, but this time face up (they crawl on their backs). Here it is already self-disqualifying much more women. And those who remain receive warm applause and prizes.
To receive some valuable prize (for example, a chic photo frame with a romantic photo of the newlyweds), the host can give the task to the guests who came with their cameras to photograph a person in clothes a certain color and capture something funny. Whoever completes the task faster receives a prize.
Almost always at a European wedding there is such entertainment as collecting advice for the newlyweds. To do this, prepare either an album or cards where guests write down their wishes and advice. At a marine-themed wedding, they might throw a large sea shell around and invite guests to listen to advice from the “other world,” and then voice what they heard. Of course, guests will not hear anything except the sound of the surf from the shell, but this is the whole point: they must, holding the shell to their ear, independently come up with a wish or advice supposedly from otherworldly forces. Humor is welcome. Wonderful, touching game!
Sometimes talent competitions are held at a European wedding: guests, including children, are invited to demonstrate their talent - sing, dance, perform an acrobatic act or magic trick, etc. This both entertains the guests and involves them in the celebration.
To introduce guests to the newlyweds and each other, the European wedding scenario often includes elements such as a slide show or video of the newlyweds' Love Story and something like a quiz for the guests. But the questions in this quiz concern only other guests - in particular, new relatives from the bride or groom. The question could be, for example: “Cousin groom Alice, please tell me which of the bride’s relatives graduated from the law faculty of the university exactly two and a half years ago?” or like this: “Aunt Sarah, do you know which of the groom’s relatives owns three Rottweilers?”.
In general, there are fewer games and competitions as such at a European wedding than at ours, but the celebration there, as a rule, lasts less time. However, the emphasis there is on entertainment: Professional artists, magicians, flaring artists (bartender shows), and pyrotechnicians are invited.
European wedding: more attention to detail
Be sure to order place cards for guests and unique paper napkins in the color of cards, invitations, etc. Chairs should be in beautiful covers. Place a bouquet of flowers on each guest table. Order a cake with a unique design related to either your relationship or hobbies. Even the candles on the tables at a European wedding can be unique - made to order.
There are no trifles at a European wedding. There, it is the decor (and not the food and drinks, as was the case with us) that receives increased attention. The main highlight of a European wedding lies in the thoughtfulness of every detail.
