As the bride, you set the style and tone of your wedding (along with everything else) the way you want it, just by what you choose to wear. Granted, your wedding dress and the level of formality for your wedding aren’t always solidly connected. If she really wanted, a bride can certainly choose to don a less formal wedding dress for a formal evening wedding or whatever she decides even if it doesn’t fit the occasion just right according to wedding purists out there. There are general guidelines though when it comes to the famous and fabulous wedding dress and how formal the wedding can become.

Obviously here, we have probably, the most formal of all weddings, a traditional royal wedding. Above is the more recent 2004 marriage of Crown Prince Felipe of Spain to the then Ms. Letizia Ortiz. She wore a traditional floor-length gown, cathedral train, full veil, gloves, a beautiful headpiece and the classic cascading bouquet. Even if you are not a member of royalty, you can still have a similarly uber-formal wedding by following Princess Letizia in wearing:

• A floor-length wedding dress
• Sweep, chapel, or, better yet, the cathedral train (to match the super long wedding dress)
• An equally long and full veil
• Gloves that cover the arms
• Either headpiece or other ornate hair accessories

To match his blushing bride, most royal grooms are decked out in their military attire, as they are often in the military but grooms who are neither of royal blood nor in the military can opt for a different, yet still formal option:

• Full tuxedo with cutaway coat in either grey or charcoal with striped trousers (for daytime weddings)
• Black tux with white shirt (plus white tie and tails for ultra formal)
• Vest with one of the following: ascot, four-in-hand-tie, waistcoat plus ascot or bow tie plus cummerbund
• Wing-collared white shirt

For her equally formal maid/matron of honor and bridesmaids, the bride should pick out a bridesmaids’ dress that is either floor- or at least tea-length (the longer the better). Your bridesmaids should also wear gloves of equal length and a similar headpiece or hair accessories. Make sure that the gloves match the sleeve length, such as elbow length gloves plus a sleeveless or cap sleeve bridesmaids’ dress. The mothers of the bride and groom can wear similar outfits as the bridesmaids.

Check out some of the classic royally formal weddings of the past:

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