Felicia

Themes and Ideas for a Dreamy Vintage Wedding

A modern wedding has clean lines and is simple, but there’s something about a vintage wedding that makes us salivate. Maybe it’s because there are so many different styles to draw inspiration from—decades!

Consider your favourite era: the Roaring Twenties’ flash and splendour, Hollywood glamour in the 1950s, or hippy, boho vibes in the 1960s. You might also draw inspiration from Victorian romanticism, Impressionist colours, or Renaissance majesty. A vintage wedding may help you bring any historical period to life in several ways. When picking a ceremony backdrop, vintage furniture for your reception area, or distressed-style or old-school artwork for your stationery, think about the architecture of your venue. Wearing a gown or haircut inspired by your favourite era may also offer a nostalgic touch to your wedding appearance.

Wedding Gowns

An elegant style is used to capture the Victorian feel. A Victorian silk lace veil, worn with an ivory corset and ruched waist, corded lace, and pink silk ribbon, may bring the era’s charm back to life. With long sleeves and a high collar, as well as a more current sheath silhouette, you may combine modern and vintage styles. If you don’t want to wear a long gown to your wedding, a short dress will still seem vintage. Wear a lovely lace mini dress with a lovely veil and a bright red lip or a sequin flapper dress.

Venue

Because the retro wedding style is so versatile, simple, and elegant, you won’t have to worry about sticking to one type of wedding venue. Ballrooms, country clubs, hotels, and even castles were formerly popular wedding venues. If you want a vintage wedding with modern undertones, consider getting married somewhere more relaxed, such as a winery, countryside garden, beachfront, or even a barn. The first step is to decide whether you want your vintage wedding to be themed around a specific decade or simply create a romantic atmosphere with historical references.

Flowers

The floral arrangements will change with the seasons. So, when picking a style, keep the season in mind. It’s a great idea to include two brooches in your bouquet, one from your family and one from your partner, as your “something borrowed.” A bouquet of wildflowers blooms in a frenzy, creating a laid-back, bohemian bunch for some 1960s vibes. White flowers are always stunning and have been the right finishing touch for years. Lilies are also associated with purity, tenderness, and charity, and are perennially youthful. Visitors can throw paper cones filled with magenta flower petals as they leave the wedding. It also gives wedding images a romantic feel.

Cake for the Wedding

Lace patterns and cascading sugar flowers with an old-world ambience can all be used to create a vintage-inspired cake. Metallic colours will pop more, and pastels are another fantastic option for a vintage wedding cake. Throughout the Victorian era, ribbon embroidery was very fashionable. Hand-crafted sugar paste flowers and fondant-covered tiers complement the cakes, which can be topped with a gorgeous bride and groom figure.

Suits for Weddings

The groom’s clothing has a historical vibe to it and is stunning. Classic bow ties and suspenders are traditional accessories that can help you achieve a vintage style. Waistcoats are a timeless classic that may be worn in any era or season. For a more relaxed, rustic, casual wedding, braces or suspenders worn under a jacket in a similar or contrasting material are ideal. For a sophisticated yet unobtrusive look, pair them with a shirt or suit. Choose a floral, velvet, tweed, or even sequinned bow tie for a sophisticated aesthetic that has been popular since the 18th century. Fedoras, bowlers, ivys, and boaters are all incredibly trendy hats. Of course, the pocket watch will always be the ideal vintage accessory.

Aisle Design

Whether you’re being married in a church, a restaurant, a beach, a garden, or a forest, a dramatic aisle can transform any venue while also providing a wonderful tone for exchanging vows and a stunning backdrop for your all-important images. Arches are best used outside and can be created out of either lavish flowers or rustic limbs. Flowers as basic as single rose stems hung from the ceiling, bouquets in bottles or complete walls of blooms are all equally powerful and beautiful! Drapes can soften even the most imposing locations and add warmth to fall and winter weddings. Words have a powerful impact, and they serve as a meaningful backdrop and a nice memento after the wedding.

Furnishers

An antique bar cart is a must-have for every vintage wedding. A historical cocktail, such as a sidecar cocktail or a 1920s gimlet, could be a great complement. To set the scene for cocktails, dress up an old fountain with garden roses and strands of orchids. To make it even better, add a jazz trio and a strand of café lights. You may give your images an antique air by employing old books as photographic props. It’s perfect if they match the colour scheme of your flowers. Finally, for a more modern style, use a couple of old suitcases as side tables.

Calligraphy

People’s enthusiasm for calligraphy peaked in the 1990s. An invitation suite with botanical drawings in a dusty gold tint, for example, takes you to the Victorian era, while the design is softened by a deckled edge. Similarly, the promises were written on paper and then framed as a reminder of your love and ceremony. From small notes to tables to scrolls and ribbons, calligraphy is guaranteed to bring the 1990s to life.

These are the primary ideas for turning your wedding into a romantic vintage affair. Now let’s have a look at some intriguing ideas for making your wedding a classy vintage affair.

Go for the Gold

A dusty gold invitation suite with botanical drawings evokes an elegant wallpaper design, and a deckled edge softens the look. A golden motif for the entire wedding location can transform the room into a vintage-inspired day.

Greenery Abounds

With expansive vegetation, breathe new life into your wedding venue. The concept of adorning the bar with a quirky vine-covered trellis is fantastic. Collaborate with your florist to make your vision a reality.

Select a Historic Location

Your wedding will be immersed in history if you pick a historic place, whether local or international. To inspire design components, motifs, and themes, learn about the venue, its history, and who has resided there over time. Keep the texture of the antique furnishings, landscape, and architecture in mind while planning the style and mood of your reception and ceremony, and incorporate it into the décor and wedding photography. Consider the area, the time period it was built in, and how your style will complement and appear in it when selecting your outfit.

Seating Arrangements with Frames

If you’re the creative sort, you might be looking for antique wedding decorations. At your local thrift store, look for antique frames to use as decorations. Look for frames with faded metallic colours and intricate accents for a truly vintage feel. We love the concept of using your antique frame as a seating chart—it’ll be the first thing guests see as they enter the wedding reception, so it’ll be a great way to tie everything together.

Cocktail Time

A sophisticated cocktail hour is fashionable, sleek, and sensuous, with drinks made to order for each guest by bartenders seated behind antique bar carts. Place a variety of carts throughout the event (maybe each specializing in a different spirit), and don’t worry about them all appearing the same; the uniqueness of antiques and vintage is what draws people in. For intimate weddings in the garden or at home, cocktail service is much easier to pull off, and your guests will appreciate not just your attention to detail in the wedding décor but also in the beverage options and guest experience.

Birdcage Veil

While a veil is not required on your wedding day, a headpiece can dramatically alter your entire appearance. Consider adding a birdcage veil to your gown for an old-fashioned, vintage look. This netting design, also known as a cage, usually covers the upper half of your face and is no longer than nine inches. For a genuine vintage-inspired look, pair it with a tea-length or lace dress.

Lighting Matters the Most

Vintage chandeliers, candle holders, and antique taper candle holders provide a beautiful and timeless glow across the space, evoking the luxury of royal balls and galas throughout history. Also, believe us when we say that when it comes to lighting a party, dinner event, or private gathering, nothing surpasses candlelight.

Look for Specifics

Through your fashion fittings and modifications, bring in details that relate to previous design processes and the decade your look originated from.

Vintage Photo Booth

A photo booth is a popular addition to wedding receptions, so why not give yours a retro makeover? Rent a vintage automobile to use as a makeshift picture studio. A retro-styled Volkswagen from the 1970s can be a perfect choice for retro photo booths.

Champagne Hour

While “vintage” typically means anything that has been sourced and archived, it doesn’t always mean you can retain it for years after you’ve decided to appreciate it. Champagne is only produced in Champagne, France, and is manufactured from a combination of grape harvests over several years. If a year is very good, though, a house may label it “vintage” and produce an entire batch of bubbles using just that year’s supply. If you’re having a vintage wedding, why not go all out with your toasts? Choose a classic to sip alone on the night of your wedding, or with your guests for a joyous glass clinking to commemorate a momentous year in your life.

A Vintage Jewellery Setting

When it comes to incorporating vintage into your bridal accessories, vintage, antique, and estate jewellery are a fashion collector’s dream. Work with a reputable jeweller to choose the greatest old stones (high-quality pieces will always come with credentials) and have them re-set in modern settings, or go for a genuine antique. When purchasing, keep in mind the value of a vintage piece of jewellery; those manufactured and signed by renowned jewellery businesses are extremely uncommon and considered elements of creative history.

Antique Accents

Find heirloom pieces for colourful vignettes throughout your venue by scouring local thrift stores (or your grandparents’ attic). Clocks, books, teacups, candelabras, and knickknacks can be grouped on tables, lounge areas, and the bar’s top to seamlessly integrate your antique concept throughout the space.

Make Plans for Antique Moments

Have a vintage vehicle drive you away to your reception, after-party, hotel suite, or (maybe most traditionally) to the airport for your honeymoon, with confetti or sparklers flying.

Vintage Getaway Vehicle

You’ll need a stylish vehicle for your getaway if you’re planning a spectacular departure at the end of the wedding. To make the occasion extra unique, rent a vintage car or truck (and keep it on the theme).