Festival weddings can be a lot of fun. Festivals are known to be grand celebrations, and what is your wedding if not a grand celebration? People tend to relax and feel carefree at festivals, and if you can portray the festival well, they will have the same feeling at your wedding. There are many festivals from around the world that you can choose from for festival weddings. You can even choose one from the country which your family is descendant from so your wedding has a festival theme, but a heritage theme as well!

Mardi Gras

            There is no official wedding ceremony for a Mardi Gras themed wedding. You can do anything you want for a ceremony. It can take place at a church or at the reception venue. Because of how much mayhem your reception is going to be, try to make your wedding serious. You'll appreciate it in the future that you did have a straight-laced part of your wedding.

            Next, the reception venue is where you will have your Mardi Gras. Since the actual Mardi Gras festival is the last festival or party before the Lenten season, it's always a huge celebration! Decorate your reception venue with purple, green, and gold, which are the colors of the Mardi Gras. You can have a lot of flowers here and there, most of them not in arrangements. Loose stems will be just fine.

            To add to your decorations, you can place masks at the table setting of each of the guests, which also serve as giveaways to your guests (other Mardi Gras appropriate giveaways include chocolate coins covered in gold foil and beads for necklaces.) Mardi Gras can be about hiding who you are so you can have fun without inhibitions, so hopefully your guests will use the masks! If you're worried about expense, there are many wholesale party stores that sell masks, even really simple ones with plain colors will do. Make the bride and groom's mask original by being the only masks that are black or white.

            Next, make sure you have plenty of food. Since this is a Mardi Gras, there is no need for formalities. You can go from cocktails and straight into dinner by providing a buffet for all of your guests. Food can be French fusion or barbecued meats, depending on which Mardi Gras you're leaning towards. The cake, however, should be a king cake which is sweet bread that's covered in white frosting.

            Music (like food) can also be dependent on which Mardi Gras you are following. If you plan on partying for a long time, however, then why not play music from all three Mardi Gras festivals? You can have some jazz, some salsa or punta music (Rio), and a steel pan drum band (Caribbean.) Any or a combination of these three types of music can really set off the festive mood at your wedding and get people celebraiting!

            Alcohol is a must at all Mardi Gras, but being one of the more expensive items when it comes to the reception, keep your theme and save money at the same time by getting alcoholic beverages that only come in the colors of the Mardi Gras (purple, green, and gold) or in bright and fun colors. Trust that after a few drinks, your guests won't mind the lack of variety.

            Last but not least, what do you wear to a Mardi Gras themed wedding? The men can wear suits with colorful ties while the bridesmaids can wear simple dresses with sashes that are in the colors of Mardi Gras. Usually, ruffles and lace should be added to the bride's dress and her flowers can be bright and colorful instead of white.

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