Step Back in Time: Your Vintage Wedding for the Decades
Source: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
Weddings have taken place for thousands of years – since people first began falling in love.
…From culture to culture, country to country and across social classes….there is a certain romance and charm in history that makes ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’ popular themes for modern weddings. Why not give a fun spin to your special day and travel through time to have a vintage wedding just like in the “good ol’ days”?
The When & the Why…
First and foremost: choose the perfect era for your Vintage Wedding. This is the first and most important step. Everything else from music to decoration, place and even dress code will depend on the era of your choice.
There are many wonderful times in history and popular culture to choose from: The Middle Ages, the Edwardian era, the Roaring Twenties, Golden Age Hollywood, the Swing Era, the 50’s, the 60’s, the Disco era, the 80’s.
Nothing is stopping you from mixing and matching, taking your favorite aspects from each era as well. Use elements that speak to you as a couple and represent your style as a twosome.
Once you’ve decided on your time period, choose a wedding dress that fits the aesthetics of the time.
*Interesting fact: The first appearance of a white wedding dress was on 1406, when Princess Philippa of England wore a tunic with a cloak in white silk bordered with grey squirrel and ermine to her royal wedding. However, it wasn’t until 1840, when Queen Victoria chose to wear a white court dress to her wedding that it became a tradition.
The Setup…
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Google is your friend…!
Research your favorite era and pick your favorite aspects for the wedding. For example, hairstyles varied immensely between decades and can really set you apart during the big day.
Make-up also was a uniquely changing aspect of the times! Will you apply heavy mascara that made the 60’s eyes so distinctive or go for the dark eyeliner of the 70’s?
Location, Location, Location…
The location and decoration is going to be pivotal in setting the mood for the event. Whether it’s a traditional wedding in an old church or a Retro Salon; you’re surely going to have a memorable event with a unique location to match.
Dance Back in Time…
Music is another important part, make sure to choose popular music from your era of choice, and if you hire a band or singer, ask them to dress accordingly.
Your guests may want to know what to wear to your event to better fit in the retro fantasy.
Along with your invitations, provide them with a guide for dressing and make-up alternatives that match with your wedding time period. (*If you are creating a wedding website – this may be perfect information to add here.)
A Photo is Worth a Thousand…Years…
Photography will complete the illusion. Ask your photography and filming crew to age some of your photos and videos with special effects for that extra realistic touch (you can ask them for the normal versions too).
Finally, don’t forget to tell your guests beforehand about your wedding theme or there’s going to be some very confused family members at your reception!
*Source: Medieval bride hairstyle (from medieval-bride.blogspot.mx), Miss lily, 1910 (from photosmadeperfect.com), 1920 Flapper Hairstyle from (allwomenstalk.com), 4) Veronica Lake, 1950 (from doctormacro.com), 5) Jerry Hall at the Cafe de Flore, 1970 (from thesilverpinup.tumblr.com).