Grand Ball Wedding Reception Themes

Tiaras for the attendants are a nice touch for a fairytale themed wedding.

A grand ball wedding reception invokes images of Cinderella and Prince Charming twirling around a dance floor. This fairytale image forms the basis of many different wedding themes. Other themes for a grand ball reception include a Russian Ball and, thinking outside of the box, a medieval feast.

Grand Ball Wedding Receptions

Hosting a grand ball wedding reception is generally done only for very formal weddings. Grand ballrooms hold a large number of people so the guest list is typically in the hundreds. As a general rule, the attire for the reception is black tie, unless it doesn't fit with the theme. The ballroom is lavishly decorated in accordance with the theme of the reception.

Fairytale Theme

Fairytale themed grand ball receptions may be loosely based on the fictional princesses Cinderella, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Belle, Snow White, Jasmine and Ariel. For example, a Cinderella, theme is "Someday My Prince Will Come" with a formal banquet style dinner and an orchestra playing at the reception. An Aurora theme is "Once Upon a Dream" with decorations of springtime flowers, finger foods rather than a formal dinner and gentle music. A Snow White theme is "Fairest of Them All", with decorations of lush foliage and woodland flowers.

Russian Ball Theme

A Russian ball is the perfect theme for a grand ball reception, particularly for a winter wedding. The ballroom is decorated following a rich color palette of gossamer whites, royal blues and shimmering golds. Draping white tulle or satin fabrics from the ceiling lends a royal atmosphere as do an abundance of lights and candles. The food consists of Russian delicacies such as caviar and cream teacakes. The reception favors include white porcelain eggs decorated with blue flowers and gold trim and filled with gold foil wrapped truffles.

Medieval Feast

While a grand ball reception typically evokes images of a black tie formal wedding, the theme could be a medieval feast. Grand ballrooms are spacious allowing for the long tables needed for such a feast. A medieval feast takes on the characteristics of a costume ball because the wedding party and guests dress in medieval fashions and attempt to converse in medieval style. The food is critical for a medieval reception. Meals are served in courses with entertainment between the courses. Guests are encouraged to eat with their hands as they did in medieval times. Serving lamb, turkey, venison and fish with vegetables as kebabs helps the squeamish guests. The food is served by "serfs" -- hired actors -- and is accompanied by mead, wine or beer in large goblets.

References

• The Wedding Bistro at Bellenza: Ideas to Create a Fabergé-inspired “Russian Ball” for Your Wedding Reception
• Your Wedding 101: Wedding Styles and Themes
• Wedding Themes: Medieval Weddings
• ElegantWeddingMag.com; The Princess Bride; Karen Fuller
• Wedding-Decorating-Ideas.com: Celebrate With A Medieval Theme Wedding