More and more these days, our Elite Wedding Coordinators have been helping couples to recreate the magic of the past to create the vintage wedding day of their dreams.
Whether it’s the roaring ‘20s or the swinging ‘60s, there is no reason why you can’t conjure up a whole other era on your big day. To give you some inspiration, here are some tips we’ve picked up on the way for planning the perfect vintage wedding…
Wedding outfits
One of the most important aspects of any retro wedding is, of course, the gowns and suits. Many brides find their dream dress at their local vintage store (or even from granny’s attic if they are lucky). Some are also finding treasures from the past on sites like eBay, Gumtree and Oxfam Online, which also has its own vintage wedding section. Alternatively, brides have chosen to opt for a brand new gown, designed to look vintage, whether that’s a 1950s tea dress, a 1960s mini-frock or a fabulously flouncy 80s-style “meringue”.
Cars and carriages
Thankfully, it is not too difficult to hire a classic or vintage car for your wedding, no matter what the era. For instance, a Jaguar S-Type would give a fabulous James Bond-style flourish to a 60s wedding, while a 1980s Rolls Royce Silver Spirit would create a decadent 80s feel. The classic, horse and carriage also offers a romantic vintage feel, with various providers specializing in this.
Flowers
Like everything else, wedding floral fashions shift with the decades, so if you’re dreaming of the perfect vintage flowers, it’s best to contact a specialist florist. Alternatively, we’ve noticed that homemade bouquets are all the rage at the moment, and a wonderful way to create a retro look is to use old-time flowers such as roses, peonies or lavender and tie them up with vintage ribbons or lace.
Invitations
Your invitations set the tone of your wedding and are the perfect and easiest way to introduce the theme of a retro wedding. If you are planning a 1920s-style affair, then an art deco-style invite would be a perfect choice, while classic Hollywood movie imagery would be a great match for a 1940s event. The Etsy website is a popular source of retro wedding invite designs but again, you could go fashionably DIY and create your own. Why not experiment with vintage fonts, stylish stencilling and even lace trimming?
Wedding cakes
Each era has its own wedding cake trends (for instance, the 80s were all about those dinky bride and groom figurines). So to begin with, do some research on the styles of your decade. Pinterest is your ideal starting point and a plethora of wedding websites will offer tips. The next step is to find a specialist wedding cake supplier in your area or alternatively, go rustic (which is super on-trend right now) and ask a friend to bake it for you.
It’s safe to say that vintage weddings are truly booming right now, which means that planning one is becoming that much easier. Whether you take a DIY-chic approach, seek out specialist suppliers or even combine the two, we hope that we’ve given you enough inspiration to plan the magical retro day of your dreams.
At Elite Hotels, our beautiful locations offer the perfect location for your dream vintage wedding, whether this it is in the classic countryside or by the sea. Our Wedding Coordinators are on hand to help you plan your perfect big day.
To discover more about a wedding at one of our fabulous venues, please visit each hotels website or visit one of our Wedding open days all details below:
- Thursday 13th September - Ashdown Park Hotel – Evening Wedding Showcase
- Sunday 23rd September - The Grand - Wedding Showcase
- Sunday 30th September - Tylney Hall - Luxury Wedding Show
- Thursday 18th October - Luton Hoo – Wedding Showcase evening
First, three images used courtesy of Sanshine Photography ( www.sanshinephotography.com )