Masquerade wedding

Not sure what you mean by a reveal?

I went to a masquerade wedding on halloween this year. People seemed to keep their masks on for the cocktail hour but most took them off for dinner and dancing.

I don't think you need a band, but you can still dance and have fun with a band. Is a band in your budget? They're usually more expensive than DJs.

I wouldn't worry about the reveal because there is a 0% chance I would keep my mask on all night and I highly doubt all of your guests would either. What if some of your guests don't wear masks at all?

Dance to whatever song you'd like, no one will think twice about it.

At midnight the reveal is when everyone demacks "to reveal their ture identity ". Just kind of part of a masquerade

I'm probably really over thinking this...

It's not going to be a true masquerade - but that's OK, because it's a masquarade-themed WEDDING

For the most part, I don't think that guests are going to keep their masks on the whole time - I would think they'd get uncomfortable while dancing. Again, it's not a real masquerade, so it's OK.

As for the rest of the details, go with what works best with your vision and your budget. If you can't afford a band, I doubt any of your guests are going to be disappointed in the DJ (unless it's the DJ from my friend's wedding last year who made a terrible joke about gender stereotypes in marriage).

The venue isn't an opera house is it? Otherwise, it sounds like fun.

Sorry... Just saw Phantom of the Opera the other day...

*singing* Masquerade!

Okay, first breathe! Girl, you've got to calm down and take it one thing at a time

To answer your questions:

1- Personally, I prefer a DJ over a band. I think it offers more versatility.

2- Can you do masks for the cocktail hour and then do the reveal at the beginning of the reception?

3- Relating back to the masks, I really don't think your guests will keep on the masks for longer than a half hour to an hour at the most, at least I wouldn't. With that being said I go back to my suggestion of masks for cocktail hour with reveal directly after your first dance or upon your entrance.

4- It is what you want, if you want to dance to it, then do it. You are putting TOO much emphasis on what you think "formal" should be and I think you are sacrificing what you truly want to stick to the "formal" theme. Why don't you start thinking about what you truly want and stick to the classier version of it.

5- Again, refer to 4...^^^

The best part about your wedding is you get to plan your wedding! Do what you want! I had a masquerade theme for my engagement party and the masks lasted like 35 min haha! It's so cute and what a fun theme though! Roll with it, and have fun! Try not to over think this!

Cool theme! No one will keep the masks on, but that's okay. Maybe incorporate them in other ways (bridal party entrance, placecards, etc.)? Problems 2 and 3 are non issues. I had a great DJ, but I think band fits your theme better if you can fit it in the budget. And problem 1 will solve itself if you get a professional-- they know what to do. Don't over think it, and have fun! Sounds great.

I went to a masquerade Halloween party. I danced all night. My mask came right off I was sweating and my makeup was running. FH hated wearing a mask and only put it on for pictures to be a good sport.

I can't imagine eating with a mask (even if it only covered my eyes).

I would perspire and my make-up would run.

I think I would last 10-15 minutes before the mask would be off.

We did a masquerade for our wedding but only after dinner during the party. We didn't have a reveal or anything. We had the staff bring out the masks during dessert and everyone put them on for the dance/party afterwards.

ETA- make sure you have comfortable, good quality masks or people won't want to wear them. If you haven't already decided where you are ordering them from, I can recommend a place.

Masks are fine for photos, but that's about it. My Dad wears glasses, so he would skip one. We had an 11 piece band that could play any music written in the last 80 years. Our venue was a historic building, lots of gold, and white and black marble.

You can totally have a DJ for a masquerade ball, it's just a modern take on it.

Buuuuut honestly, it sounds like a masquerade and your wedding don't have much in common except that you've put them together. If you have to change the things you want for your wedding (like your first dance song) to fit into your "theme", why not change the theme? I love masquerade balls but they are not weddings and they're not really fun unless the party goes all out. I would say commit 100% to the masquerade or drop it all together.

Venetianbride can you please reccomend a place that would be great!

Also....I may just drop the theme. Maybe that's what I really just wanted to hear?

This is where we ordered from: http://www.cartaalta.com/venetian_masks/

They offer a pretty good discount for ordering in bulk and they even wrote our names and our wedding date in fancy gold writing on the back of each mask. They are hand-made and really beautiful.

I like this theme! Can you put the "reveal" after cocktail hour? You can have a sign explaining the reveal and what time it will be at. I think if you do that and don't schedule the reveal for too late, people will leave the masks on. But they aren't going to want to eat dinner or dance with the masks on, so schedule the reveal too late and people will take them off early.