Help!! Mixing string music into an informal reception?

mfaulkner89

So - my family is definitely into more formal weddings and receptions, but I find them to be extremely boring! My FI and his family always have the most fun at the reception - they have a lot of family traditions and it's always more of a celebration and party than a formal, elegant, stiff get together.

However, recently my parents started dropping the whole "we were hoping for..." bombs. One of the biggest ones is about the formality of the reception. Specifically, my mom said, "We were hoping for a formal, elegant reception - not a hoe down." I really don't want an uncomfortable reception, but I still want to include my family's wishes for an elegant affair. They really want a string quartet to play for part of the reception, but I don't know how to incorporate that with the relaxed, fun, atmosphere Steven's family is used to. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable. They usually have a buffet of BBQ, country music playing in the background during dinner, lots of alcohol, and then a DJ comes out and starts the dance. How would you incorporate strings and elegance into that setting without making everyone feel out of place on his side and without making my side of the family stick their noses up in the air at the "hoe down"? Haha. Fun times.