Marie Antoinette Wedding Ideas: Ballroom Elegance and Masquerade Fun!

Three women at a wedding reception smiling with ornate fans

One of French history's most extra figures, Marie Antoinette was and still seems to be the epitome of all things lavish and over the top. From her years of living at the Palace of Versailles to her oversized style and habit of throwing the 1700's party equivalent of ragers; it is hard not to be fascinated by her lifestyle. So when it comes to your elegant ballroom wedding... best to go BIG... or else just go home.

DreamBox Photography teamed up with a splendid group of talented vendors to bring you these jawdropping Marie Antoinette wedding ideas, mixed with the fun of a Masquerade ball! Trust us, you are going to want to keep scrolling, and of course, take a look through all the photos in the full gallery.

Elegant wedding invitation with mask and floral details

Elegant masquerade wedding invitation suite with flowers Elegant bridal shoes with a pearl necklace, perfect for the wedding Elegant makeup accessories on a white surface with soft lighting Pastel macaron jewelry boxes with pearl necklace, stylish and elegant

Elegant woman in gown admires herself with a mirror

Elegant woman in historical wedding attire with jewelry Elegant bride with feather covering half of her face in a gown

Elegant bride in a beautiful pink gown sits on a white couch

The Inspiration

After visiting the Palace of Versailles in France and watching the movie "Marie Antoinette" produced by Sofia Coppola, I was inspired by the queen’s lavish and elegant lifestyle. My goal for this photo shoot was to bring back elegant ballroom weddings and inspire future brides with something different (for example, having a bride wear a non-white or ivory wedding dress and featuring a chandelier cake).

The Dresses

For the dresses, I took a non-traditional approach by having the bride wear a blush-colored wedding gown while the two bridesmaids wore ivory-laced dresses. I hardly ever see bridesmaids wearing white or ivory dresses and therefore wanted to show that it could be done beautifully with this approach. I fell in love with the blush wedding gown the first time I saw it at the bridal shop and felt the lace ivory bridesmaids dresses would complement it nicely.

Three elegant women enjoy tea at a wedding tea party

Elegant silver tea set with Marie Antoinette tea tin on a tray

Elegant woman in a beautiful gown sits on a vintage sofa Elegant bride holding a floral clutch on wedding day

Elegant women enjoying afternoon tea in a luxurious, light-filled room

Three women in masquerade attire with fans and white dresses

The Venue

I spent weeks looking for a European-style ballroom that would give that old-world elegance feel. When I found the Pantlind ballroom at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I knew it was the perfect location for this shoot. The Pantlind ballroom was surrounded by mirrored walls and had a high leaf-domed ceiling made of 24-karat gold which served as the perfect backdrop.

The Table

Our color palette for this photo shoot was a combination of ivory, blush, lavender, and champagne. Nikki from Simplicity Floral Design & Events designed the tablescape using this color palette and added some roses to give it that romantic feel. She also added some candles to make it more intimate. When she was done designing the table, everyone in the room was in awe of how beautiful it was and had to take a moment to admire the beautiful tablescape.

Elegant tea party table setting with pink cake and macarons

Elegant couple on their wedding day, looking at each other Masquerade wedding couple in formal attire smiling at the camera

Elegant couple posing at a wedding in a grand hall

Elegant bride and groom pose at a beautifully decorated wedding table Bouquet of pink roses and anemones on a white chair

Elegant table setting with pink roses and antique tableware

Elegant floral centerpiece of pink and purple roses on table Elegant pink table decor with chair detail and pearls

Elegant bride and groom share a loving gaze at their wedding reception

Elegant pink floral centerpiece for a wedding table Elegant pink floral plates set on a table with silverware

The Details

A Marie Antoinette inspired wedding would not be complete without antique teacups, delicious desserts and pretty details; therefore I hand-picked the antique dishes and teacups, a vintage mirror and brush, some getting ready accessories and makeup, lace gloves, layered necklaces with a choker, pretty stationery (notice the "Let them eat cake" sign by the chandelier cake?), macaroons, masquerade mask, pearls hanging from the Chiavari chair, pretty ribbons and of course some pretty hand-held fans to include in the wedding details.

Elegant tiered wedding cake with flowers and Let Them Eat Cake sign

Elegant tiered wedding cake with floral arrangement on a stand Woman in a historical gown with floral hairpiece smiling brightly Vintage makeup tools mirror brushes and brushes on white background Pink cotton candy in a martini glass, dessert drink