Visit Martha Stewart Weddings Weddings Wedding Ceremony & Reception Wedding Décor & Details 35 Formal Wedding Ideas for Your Black-Tie Celebration By Chloe Gorman Chloe Gorman Chloe is a digital editorial assistant for Martha Stewart Weddings. She graduated from Southern Connecticut State University and currently resides in Connecticut. Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 14, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Jessica Lorren Photography Choosing a theme for your wedding is an important part of the planning process. And, sometimes, it can be the hardest. The reason? There are so many different styles to choose from. From minimalist and bohemian to classic and rustic, it may be difficult to decide how you want your big day to look and feel. Though we're partial to all of these styles, there's a specific way to elevate all of these themes: Consider a black-tie wedding. What exactly goes into this type of formal event? Think decorative focal points in the form of over-the-top centerpieces, elegant cakes, and gilded details with a dress code to match (guests typically wear tuxedos and floor-length gowns). While these factors are necessary for a lavish fête, throwing a glamorous event starts with the right venue. Just look to the lofty ceilings and elaborate columns found at the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, pictured here, for inspiration. The immaculate space served as the perfect setting for an elegant black-tie affair. Ahead, you'll find a series of ideas to inspire your own formal wedding day. From the smallest décor details, like monogrammed napkins for your signature drinks, to larger style elements, like a chapel-length train, you'll find plenty of elevated inspiration in the following slides. Still unsure if a formal event is right for you? We think the following gorgeous photos, taken during a few of our favorite sophisticated weddings, will convince you to go for it. Click through to discover how these couples successfully pulled off their own elegant affairs. 01 of 34 Personalized Invitations Heather Waraksa At this formal affair, Written Word Calligraphy and Design personalized the invitations for each guest. The notes were then housed in envelopes with a watercolor painting of the wedding's destination. 02 of 34 Packed Welcome Bags Kate Headley Scrawling calligraphy by Stacey Shapiro graced bottles of pink Champagne and personalized chocolate bars in these fully-stocked welcome bags. 46 Welcome Bags from Real Weddings 03 of 34 Champagne Tower A Bryan Photo Greet guests with a Champagne tower. Add even more grandeur to the display by adorning it with a garland, like this one by Kim Starr Wise. Click here for more Champagne towers 04 of 34 Lenghty Train Greg Finck A regal event calls for an extravagant wedding dress. This bride wore a gorgeous lace Elie Saab Couture gown with a dramatic train and veil. 05 of 34 Realistic Sugar Flowers Rebecca Yale Photography The best part about this regal cake? It is entirely edible. The Butter End ensured that guests would be wowed with these life-like sugar spray roses. Wedding Cakes with Sugar Flowers That Look Incredibly Real 06 of 34 Ornate Dishes Kayla Barker Napkins bound in fresh flowers were an elegant addition to this textured place setting. 07 of 34 Elegant Escort Cards Kati Mallory Photo & Design This duo's escort cards featured the formal paper goods trifecta: vintage deckled-edge paper, a gold monogrammed wax seal, and delicate calligraphy by Deborah Allen Art. 25 Ideas for the Prettiest Calligraphed Escort Cards 08 of 34 Monogram Décor Ryan Ray Photography Customize your reception by hanging a large monogrammed banner over your cocktail bar or head table—alternatively, use it to spruce up a bare wall. 09 of 34 Piano Player Anne-Marie Bouchard Photography To create a formal ambiance in your cocktail hour or reception, have a piano player fill the space with classical music. 10 of 34 Gilded Invites Olivia Leigh Photographie Calligraphy, done in gold and charcoal gray, decorated the front of these ecru Alexa Pulitzer invites. 11 of 34 Coordinating Flatware Feather and Stone Gold flatware provided an elevated contrast to the reception's slate gray menu. 12 of 34 Gold-Trimmed Cake Jose Villa The Butter End Cakery dreamed up this seven-tier confection—complete with gilded accents—for a majorly glam wedding. 13 of 34 Tall Centerpiece Brklyn View Photography When choosing a centerpiece for your reception tables, opt for a larger-than-life arrangement. This Violet and Verde mix was bursting with vibrant greenery and classic blooms, like garden roses and peonies. Tall Centerpieces That Will Take Your Reception Tables to New Heights 14 of 34 Gold Vessel Amy Arrington Photography A gilded vase gave this Out of the Garden mix of roses, seeded eucalyptus, and hypericum berries a royal finish. 15 of 34 Watercolor Table Numbers Jessica Lorren Photography At this Florida wedding, each reception table was dotted with a custom painted table number. The crest included tiny oranges, a nod to the celebration's location. The Prettiest Wedding Table Number Ideas from Real Weddings 16 of 34 Regal Stand The Mullers An embossed silver stand was the perfect complement to this ruffled five-tier Happy Hollow Bakery cake. 17 of 34 Gold Place Setting Elizabeth Fogarty Photography If you're searching for a place setting that matches your wedding's elegant aesthetic, go gold. For this tabletop, Ida Rose Events chose plates and chargers rimmed with the precious metal. 11 Ways to Add a Pop of Metallic to Your Wedding 18 of 34 Signature Drinks Kate Headley Create a signature drink for your upscale cocktail hour. This couple developed these cherry-blossom mule cocktails and served them with custom napkins. 19 of 34 Sophisticated Cake Lisa Ziesing for Abby Jiu Photography Buttercream Bakeshop added another level of sophistication to this vanilla-frosted three-tier by cascading a vibrant ivy vine down the front. 20 of 34 Simple and Classic Luna de Mare Photography Flower Allie upgraded this arrangement of white and blush roses and white hydrangeas by placing the blooms in a sterling silver compote vessel. 32 Classic Wedding Centerpieces We Love 21 of 34 Dressed to Impress Rebecca Yale Photography In your wedding invitations, call on your attendees to wear their very best come the big day. 22 of 34 Elaborate Stand Damaris Mia Photography LoveCakes used tiny gold beads, fresh flowers, and an elaborate support to elevate the newlyweds' white, three-tier treat. 23 of 34 Petite Centerpiece Anna Delores Photography Though petite, Lark Farnum Design's display of pale pink peonies, garden roses and hydrangeas still made a sophisticated impact at this reception. 21 Compote Centerpieces That'll Upgrade Your Reception Tables 24 of 34 Letterpress Stationery Tie That Binds Tie That Binds chose letterpress printing for every element of this over-the-top invitation suite, which featured a wax seal complete with a recreation of the wedding venue. The suite was then wrapped in handmade silk-thread paper. 25 of 34 Elevated Place Settings Abby Jiu Photography On this tabletop, floral porcelain plates sat atop gold-rimmed chargers. Personalized napkins embroidered by Sarah Drake Design completed the look. 26 of 34 Watercolor Monograms Jessica Lorren Photography Lemontree Calligraphy & Illustration put a personal stamp on these baby blue invites by creating a custom watercolor monogram for the suite. 27 of 34 All-White Confection onelove photography In a lofty and dark reception space, this all-white, four-tiered Jasmine Rae Cakes confection brightened up the elegant room. 28 of 34 Groomsmen Attire Jessica Lorren Photography These groomsmen exemplify the best of a black-tie dress code. The group donned traditional tuxedos and black bow ties for the occasion. 29 Stylish Groomsmen from Real Weddings 29 of 34 Monochromatic Suite Abby Jiu Photography Gold calligraphy and a custom monogram were this fancy Cheree Berry Paper suite's main highlights. 30 of 34 Marble Place Cards Greer Gattuso Gift your guests sturdy marble place cards at your black-tie event. InLoft Calligraphy wrote each attendees name on small tiles, which also served as keepsakes. 31 of 34 Floral Arrangement Heather Payne Photography Situate your glamourous cake on an equally gorgeous floral arrangement. This ruffled Megan Joy Cakes treat sat atop a mix of garden roses, dahlias, and anemones. 32 of 34 Airy Venue Sophie Kaye The high ceilings of the Park Chateau Estate allowed for Adam Leffel Productions to create tall, extravagant mixes of lush greenery. 33 of 34 Simple Setting Mango Studios Around the Table and Bisous Events worked together to achieve this muted, but sophisticated tablescape. 34 of 34 Fresh Flower Cake Lauren Scotti Photography There's nothing more elevated than a classic white wedding cake. That's why Frost It Cakery used only white frosting and fresh flowers for this black-tie wedding in the countryside. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit