Is there a word to describe "being formal for the sake of being formal"?

Solution 1:

The apt words are

Prig

a person who displays or demands of others pointlessly precise conformity, fussiness about trivialities, or exaggerated propriety, especially in a self-righteous or irritating manner.

Prude

a person who is excessively proper or modest in speech, conduct, dress, etc.

Pedant

a person who overemphasizes rules or minor details.

a person who adheres rigidly to book knowledge without regard to common sense.

Solution 2:

Stuffy comes to mind -

Rigidly adhering to standards of conduct; strait-laced
excessively dull, staid, or conventional

Solution 3:

Perhaps prissy would suit your meaning:-

Excessively or affectedly prim and proper.

Solution 4:

You might consider pompous

someone who is pompous thinks they are very important and speaks or behaves in a very serious and formal way

The term also carries with it the connotation of self-important that may or may not fit your circumstances.

Solution 5:

"Formalist" could do ?

check definition here:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/formalist http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/formalist

For more negative emphasis: "pedant"

maybe could also do.