Why go vintage?
With the rise of all-inclusive hotel wedding packages, it seems that many modern weddings are very predictable. There’s the ceremony, the champagne reception, the photos, the wedding breakfast, speeches, cutting the cake, and a first dance… They even provide you with a master of ceremonies to announce each stage of the day as it progresses (watch out for the black-suited woman with her hair in a bun and a monotonic voice). Perhaps you’d like something different.
Enter the vintage wedding world!
In fashion and style, vintage is BIG. It’s eclectic, unique and most importantly, individual – exactly what you want for your wedding day, where it’s all about you.
How do you go about making your wedding vintage? Here’s a few ideas:
1. A vintage dress – it could be authentic, or an imitation of a vintage style from the 1920s – 1970s. Check out the vintage clothing boutiques near you, and there’s an array of choice online too. You could opt for a classic, Empire-line dress from a high street retailer for an inexpensive alternative to the current trend of strapless corset-with-meringue dresses.
2. Accessorize – from your hair piece to your jewellery, vintage accessories don’t have to be expensive, but can look stunning and unusual. A lacy bolero or beautiful shoes could really make your outfit complete. If you’ve gone for a cheaper dress, why not splash out on your accessories for an indulgent finish?
3. Venue – choose a venue that isn’t a generic hotel, but has something historic or Romantic about it. The ruins of an abbey, or the beams of an old lodge, could give your wedding a real sense of atmosphere, and make for some fabulous photography!
4. Cars – hiring classic cars for transport can add the finishing touch to your vintage look. Make sure the chauffeurs dress appropriately, and ask your photographer to experiment using the windows of the car for different effects, such as mirroring.
5. Chintz and glamour – You can add vintage colours, prints and patterns using fabrics (perhaps for napkins), tableware (you could use vintage cups and saucers as candle-holders) and favours; the possibilities are endless!
Tell your photographer that you’re planning a vintage theme, and then they can produce some images with retro colouring: milky shadows and smoothed shades. A vintage wedding could give you the distinctive stylized day you’ve always dreamed of, and be nostalgic and enchanting for your guests.
