Oh how we love to reminisce of times past. Thinking back to days of youth and sharing fond memories. Now it’s your wedding day and time to make new memories! The thought of planning a wedding can seem like a daunting task for a lot of brides-to-be, but it doesn’t have to be! I understand the pressure of not knowing which linens will go best with the lighting, and what flowers go best with the china and room decorations. My advice to you busy brides; pick a theme first and the rest of your ensemble will fall neatly into place. By choosing your theme you will then be able to research ideas that will make your decision-making process less tedious.

A “history” of the vintage style

Today I want to inspire you with some pulls I found while researching for this blog. I’ve chosen to write about an extremely popular trend right now, which is Vintage. If you have read other Cachic Design blogs about trends, you may have seen our Retro Wedding piece. In that blog we defined “Vintage” from “Retro”. Vintage holds the style, ideals, and literature from the early Victorian periods up to WWII. Retro, follows the second world war all the way into the early 1980′s (anyone feel old yet!). Vintage style has a special place in my heart. I love everything it encompasses: the flashy golds, diamonds, and pearls, the beautiful use of soft romantic color, the clean lines of the architecture and art, the ideals, the literature, and the clothing!

Vintage defines a time when class and sophistication were the defining factors in ones’ life. You strive to look your best and present your best self. Now doesn’t that sound like something you want for your wedding day? Your best self image? Vintage inspired weddings are beautiful. They allow a range of options to choose from and will give your guests a warm and romantic feeling as they celebrate your nuptials. By choosing a Vintage inspired theme for your wedding day, you will truly create beautiful memories that will last a lifetime.

Beautiful inspirations

Don’t be intimidated by this era. Yes, the Prohibitionist and a world war does cast a shadow over the time period, but be inspired by the beauty of it! Think of books like The Age of Innocence and The Great Gatsby… both with dark times, but beautiful romantic stories. Picture ladies in lace and pearls having tea in glass-enclosed parlors. Men in suites sipping brandy and smoking cigars in oaken-walled chambers, and large gardens laden with flowering vines and flowers in soft gentle hues…starting to sound better isn’t it? Use these images as you begin to plan your wedding motif.

Start with choosing your wedding dress

I always like to start with the dress, because it will serve as a platform for your inspiration. I love silk, but it does not always hold up the best. Especially if you choose an outdoor venue and if it will be humid. Instead look at pieces that are made of lace and tulle with satin detailing. They are true to the vintage fashion and the materials will hold up much better. Let’s face it, it will be a long day and you want to look you best! Nataya is a Russian vintage gown designer. Her designs are true to the vintage fashion, but are newly made gowns. You can choose to go with a contemporary designer who makes vintage gowns, or go find a “true” piece to wear. Now that you have chosen your dress, you have a better idea of which materials will work with your theme.

English garden theme or an elegant dinner party?

I do have to add, there is a small distinction you must decide at this point. Do you want to have a less formal English garden theme, or an elegant dinner party? Both yield beautiful results, but the time of day you have your wedding will really determine this for you. If you choose an early to mid-day outdoor wedding, then use a lot of florals. I mean florals on everything… cake, tables, china, and table linens. You cannot go wrong with flowers and floral patterns. Use it to your fullest benefit by picking soft hues of pinks, greens, and blues. One rule of thumb; if you plan to use a floral pattern on your table linens, forgo the use of chair covers. The beauty of this choice is that you can mix and match. Go to a thrift store and find old chairs and scatter them in between the regular chairs at your tables, or use them for the head table. Same with the china. It doesn’t all have to match! This option is perfect for the budget bride. Forget the public gardens and have it in your backyard (or family, or close friends yards)!

On the other hand, the evening weddings should be a little more cohesive. Think regal… big candelabras, lush florals, golds, diamonds, and sleek linens. I love satin for this choice of wedding. There are plenty of synthetic materials available if satin is not in the budget (and they look just as amazing!). Chair covers are still not my favorite choice. If available, the chivari chair is a great option. It comes in a variety of colors and can be dressed up with a bow or fresh flowers. I like a monochromatic color theme or the use of just a few colors. My pick for this theme is cream and gold. You can choose to add a few colors here and there, but this color choice really gives a powerful feel but is still soft and romantic. My suggestion is to add as much candlelight as allowed by your vendor. It will look amazing in person and in your photos.

For the rest of your décor, keep with your initial theme

For the day weddings; put your girls in soft, light dresses. The guys can wear suites and ties. Evening weddings should be formal with your ladies in a more refined dress. It doesn’t have to be ankle or full length, but it should have more mature lines and detailing. Men should wear tuxedos…no question. You still have the option of a vest and tie in place of the bow tie, but men should really be in tuxes. Decorate you cake with ribbon made of sugar or fondant. Find an old broach and use it in your design, either as inspiration or on the cake itself. Pick shimmery paints and leafing for the evenings. You day girls can go crazy with the fresh flowers on your cake. If budget allows, rent a vintage Ford or Mercedes as your get away car. Have a photo booth for your guests enjoyment and ditch the DJ and go with a Swing band instead. You can use old picture frames and hat boxes as decorations on your sign in table. Really, the skies the limit for you. Just be inventive and a little experimental with it. I promise you then end product will be totally worth it!

Images from chasingdreams.net, uberbrides.com, touchofblissevents.com, slatersparke.com, oncewed.com, projectwedding.com, maisiefantaisie.co.uk, dolcesposa.com, pksrent.com, vinatran.org, and ruffledblog.com

This entry was posted on Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 11:00 am and is filed under Trends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.