If you’re curious to know what is a vintage wedding, we will help you imagine what a vintage wedding should look like. We’ll provide the expected color palette, decors, bridal outfits, and even stationery for vintage weddings.
And if a vintage wedding is your dream theme, we’ll provide examples of how to make your ceremony and reception look vintage. But for those still undecided, you can read what kind of wedding I should have?
What Is A Vintage Wedding: What Makes A Wedding Vintage?
Vintage has many definitions, but if an item is called vintage, it is usually something made between 1918 and 1978. Keeping this in mind, vintage weddings should have an ambiance, color, and style that are popular during this period.
Couples and wedding vendors also interpret a vintage wedding in different ways. For example, it can overlap with a retro theme, but the classic Victorian aesthetic can even inspire vintage weddings.
Therefore, when planning this theme, it’s essential to identify the specific decade you want to embody with your vintage wedding. Then, research the symbols of that era and develop the elements and colors for the vintage wedding.
How To Have A Vintage Wedding Theme?
Vintage wedding colors
The colors usually seen in vintage weddings vary as they can embody glamor, romance, or even rustic. For example, you can make a wedding color palette with gray, blue, gold, white, green, pastels, and brown.
Mixing bright colors with cool tones is a technique to make the wedding more noticeable as vintage. For example, try gold and gray, white and blue, or even green with peach.
Pastel colors, deep colors, and light tones appear in a vintage wedding. But of course, don’t go overboard with the colors; you have to avoid having a confusing theme.
Vintage wedding stationery
The wedding invitation is always an indication of the wedding theme. Therefore, how will you make your invites vintage, so the guests know your wedding aesthetic?
Consider processing the invites so they will look vintage. For example, soak the stationery in water and allow it to dry, then write the information with calligraphy.
There are also vintage stamps and wax seals readily available online to make your wedding stationery even more fitting to the theme. Don’t forget to use such style with the other wedding stationery, such as the place cards and thank your cards or check the complete list of wedding stationery.
Vintage wedding decor
The wedding decor is very influential in embodying the vintage theme for your ceremony and reception. Unless you’re buying the decors yourself, wedding decorators and venues should easily understand what a vintage wedding is.
You can also show them vintage wedding inspirations or talk about the elements you want to have at your wedding. For example, lighting is influential in getting a vintage feel at the venue.
Try small candles in an indoor venue to create a soft ambiance, or use backdrops in yellow or blue around the site. In addition, you can include elements like vintage barrels, vintage chairs, dried flowers, floral pints, gold vases, and even antique decors around the outdoor venue to make it look vintage.
Vintage wedding ceremony and reception
Consider decorating the aisle and altar with vintage lamps, wildflowers, and elements like lace. However, remember that you should remain respectful of the type of ceremony you’re having, even if you want a theme.
For a vintage wedding reception, expect to use light-colored linens on the tables, vintage chairs in parlors and restaurants, candles and mason jars for the table centerpieces, and rustic-looking flower arrangements. You can also go to a flea market and shop for genuine vintage elements for a quirky and unique reception.
Alternatively, you can opt for a wedding venue that already speaks vintage. For example, some couples have their reception at a vintage ice cream parlor.
Wedding attire
Why not get inspiration from the brides during this era for your vintage bridal attire? Some iconic features, details, and elements in a vintage wedding dress are the off-white color, long sleeves, lace, embroidery, and pearls.
You can also talk with your wedding hair and makeup stylist to further emphasize the vintage bridal look. Try an updo with brooch and bold lip and eyeliner, for example.
What about the vintage look for the groom? Consider a tan-colored suit, tweed elements, and wear accessories like a vintage hat or watch.
What Is Different Between Vintage And Retro Weddings?
A vintage wedding theme is considered more classical than a retro wedding theme, which has a noticeable modern undertone to it. The colors for the former are also usually off-color and pale than a retro wedding palette with bold and sparkles.
You will also see elements like lace and pearls with vintage outfits and decors, while retro embraces fun with patterns and textures. Finally, retro decors tend to stand out, while vintage decors are soft and lowkey.
Conclusion
And that’s it! To recap what is a vintage wedding, it embraces colors and elements that were iconic in 1918 and 1978.
A vintage wedding can also be defined as glamorous and fun similar to the retro theme, or more classical, like a Victorian-inspired wedding. Again, there are different generations you can compare so that you can find inspiration for your perfect wedding aesthetic.