Vintage wedding Inspiration

Vintage wedding

The resurgence of vintage-styled clothes, dances and songs has renewed the interest of brides-to-be on this wedding theme. What would it take to have your very own vintage wedding? Here are a few ideas...

Pick an Era, Any Era
Every decade has a definitive style, a unique place in history. There are so many to incorporate that spirit and panache into your wedding design. Be thorough with the design elements and you’ll have an impressive theme.

VICTORIAN:
Defining Trends - Society structure was strict and coded. Afternoon tea in the Garden was an elegant soiree.
Attire - High-collared, lace-corseted gown with bustle. Opt for large brimmed hats or jeweled hair combs rather than a veil; gentlemen in top hat & long coat. Look to the movie “Titanic” for design inspiration.
Decor - English garden or Victorian home; antique lace in ivory shades and pale pastels. Accent with pearls.
Music - String quartet elegantly flows in the fresh afternoon air. First dance is a waltz.
Menu - Tea sandwiches, scones, Champagne Punch.
Magic Moment - Recess down the aisle in a shower of floating feathers.


JAZZ AGE:
Defining Trends - Prohibition couldn’t stop the energy of a decadent decade.
Attire - Light layers, shorter hemlines and longer veils. The waistline is non-existent. Black-tux with tails and top hat reigned for the men. Rent “The Cat’s Meow” or “It Happened One Night” for fantastic attire ideas.
Decor - Au Art Deco Hotel serves as your speakeasy. Let the architecture inspire your cake shape, invitation fonts, and flower accents.
Music - Ragtime piano during cocktails and a swing jazz hand to dance the Charleston. First Dance is a fox-trot to anything by George & Ira Gershwin.
Menu - Cocktails were essentially invented during this era; create a menu of specialty offerings (The Side Car, Bathtub Gin Martini, etc.).
Magic Moment - Guys take home their very own personalized flask and a pink flask for the ladies!

HOLLYWOOD GLAM:
Defining Trends - During economic strife, Hollywood kicked into high gear with streamline fashion and musical extravaganza.
Attire - Dresses accented the feminine body, clinging and sensual. Fabrics are lush (heavy satin) to accent a simple design. Double breasted suit and bow tie for the gentlemen. “The Aviator” will provide plenty of inspiration for the apparel.
Decor - Give your guests the red carpet treatment, with screaming autograph seekers and paparazzi vying for their attention.
Music - The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals lends a library of classic tunes. First dance in Fred & Ginger style to "Cheek to Cheek."
Menu - The Cosmo came into vogue during the ‘30s.
Magic Moment - Place a Polaroid from the paparazzi into a mini film tin as the party favor.


SWING ERA:
Defining Trends - Simplicity was key, but certainly not boring.
Attire - Even with wartime rations, 1940s gowns were distinct. Sophisticated hair styles accented with a flower help define the era. Military dress uniform or double-breasted business suit with fedora for the gentlemen. For inspiration, rent “The Palm Beach Story.”
Decor - After a trip to the courthouse, treat your guests to a swing dance lesson before the dinner reception at a supper club.
Music - Only the Big Band tunes will do—Goodman, Miller, Dorsey. Let Ella serenade your first dance "For Sentimental Reasons."
Menu - Straight from mom’s kitchen: home cooked comfort foods. Send guests home with a slice of groom’s cake (a traditional wedding favor).
Magic Moment - Making your get away in a 1940 Packard Limousine.


ATOMIC AGE:
Defining Trends - The return to innocent, a boom in invention.
Attire - Gowns were fitted and bell shaped with lots of tulle and decorative accent. Veils were fingertip length. Gentlemen are styling in a midnight blue tuxedo jacket. The original “Father of the Bride” is a definitive example of 1950s wedding glamour.
Decor - Think sock hop, book a bowling alley or transform a high school gym into a “prom night.’ Color palette of cotton candy pink, mint green and lemon yellow.
Music - A DJ can spin early rock & roll standards. Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling In Love” is a dream of a first dance selection.
Menu - What would June Cleaver serve? Gourmet-up the menu of Tuna casserole, macaroni & cheese, meatloaf with mashed potatoes—milk shakes for dessert!
Magic Moment - Guests are treated to a special appearance by Sandy & Danny look-a-likes.

From Hanson Ellis

Bride's Attire Go for a slim fitting suit or a drop shoulder slender fit satin dress with full length gloves and a hat with a netted face veil. Finish it off with accessories such as seamed nylons and spiked healed shoes (make sure they are comfortable though.) Groom's Attire Pin striped suits were still all the rage, or because of the war, army uniforms were often worn. Bridal Party The bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen clothing should be along the same lines as the bride and groom. Big Band Wedding Theme Invitations If you're making your own, decorate the invitations with pictures of either big band instruments (saxophone, trombone, tuba, bass, trumpet). Another choice is to use a graphic of a wine bottle draped with a string of pearls. Use a sepia photo (one that has been made to look antique) featuring you and your fiancée as your background. Surround the picture in a border created to look like it's in an antique frame. Print your wording on vellum paper and secure it over the photo.

1940's Vintage Wedding Decorations

• Fill balloons with helium and float them above the dance floor.
  
  
• Create several balloon bouquets and place around the room.
  
  
• Secure a mirrored, slow-turning "disco" ball over the dance floor.
  
  
• Add strings of small lights over doorways.
  
  
• Buy cheap children's musical instruments (saxophone, trumpet, etc.) and create an arrangement on the main food table as a centerpiece focal point.
  
  
• Have a fountain that produces bubbles.
  
  
• Use posters of famous people of the forties. Hang on the walls.
  
  
• Find pictures of cars, bi-planes, etc. that relate to that period. Hang on the walls.
  
  

Theme Favors For a 1940's Vintage Wedding

• Give an actual antique photo of yourselves in an antique looking frame.
  
  
• Create a music sheet with your favorite song, roll up and secure with ribbon.
  
  
• Present small bottles of wine or champagne decorated with some ribbon and a string of fake pearls.
  
  
• Another idea is to buy cheap champagne glasses and fill with rose petals or mints.
  
  
  

Themed Centerpieces

• You could use wine bottles draped with pearls or army dog-tags.
  
  
• Lay long white gloves in the center of the table and scatter rose petals over them. Place a tall vase with a single rosebud next to the gloves.
  
  
• Buy a large champagne glass for each table and fill with glass beads; place a candle in the middle of each and drape fake pearls along its stem.
  
  
• Create a musical arrangement centerpiece. At a craft supply store, purchase miniature musical instruments (saxophone, trombone, trumpet, etc.), along with a small "music stand" and place an antiqued sheet of music with your songs on each stand.
  
  

Suggested Pewmarkers

Buy the small, plastic horns, drums, etc. available at craft stores (usually I've seen them in the Christmas section). Create small music song sheets and secure the instrument to the sheet with a ribbon. Hang as pew markers.

Wedding Programs

Make your wedding programs look like a music book, with a dark "leather-look" cover with your initials or names on it. On the inside, use a music score sheet for your backgrounds (faded, watermark type background) with your program information written within.

1940's Vintage Wedding Music

Any of the big band music that features Jazz and/or Blues -- basically, think "Lawrence Welk" (for those of you who remember who this is - if not, follow the link for a Wikipedia explanation.) You could hire an actual band or find a D.J. that enjoys this type of music and knows what to play.

Search for the appropriate music by the following artists:

Andrews Sisters Louis Armstrong Fred Astaire Gene Autrey Cab Calloway Nat King Cole Count Basie Bing Cosby Dorris Day Tommy Dorsey Duke Ellington Gracie Fields Ella Fitzgerald Benny Goodman Fletcher Henderson

Ink Spots Spike Jones Sammy Kaye Franky Laine Guy Lombardo Jeanette MacDonald Glenn Miller Mills Brothers Cole Porter Artie Shaw Frank Sinatra Mel Torme Fats Waller Woody Herman

A 1940's Big Band Wedding Cake

• Get a regular wedding cake (2 or 3 tiers) and place small, plastic musical instruments along the edges. For the topper, have two figures standing in front of a music stand.
  
  
• Have the cake shaped into a musical instrument such as a saxophone, trumpet, drums, piano, tuba, guitars, etc. Brass instruments were very popular then.

Beach themed wedding cakes

Asian themed wedding cakes

Photo wall with a difference

From Wedding Obsession

Set up your own picture station with a laptop, digital camera, and photo printer. Have a friend or hire someone to man the booth. Pose, snap, and print! Consider setting up rows of string like the picture above and hold the snapshots with butterfly clips. The photos will be ready to go when it’s time for the guests to head home.

Or, if you prefer, use the ‘clothes-line’ idea to put up any pictures of you and your groom (baby pix, when you first met, first date etc.). I’m sure it will be a great alternative from the usual slideshow presentation.

Jelly centrepieces

From Rachel Ray Magazine

- Combine six boxes of Jell-O powder in half the amount of water specified (to get a more vibrant color).
- Chill the mix in your choice of vase for approximately 30 minutes.
- Push the flowers into the semi-firm gelatin.
- Leave to set

Rose Ice Cubes

From Jonathan Fong Style

Rose Ice Cubes

For a truly romantic evening, whether it’s for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary, show your love with this wine bucket filled with roses encased in ice. They’ll melt any heart.

Is it edible?

Most roses are indeed edible. However, many growers use pesticides on the roses, so I would avoid putting these ice cubes in drinks unless you’re sure there were no chemicals used. Just use the ice to cool the wine or champagne bottle.

What you’ll need:

(per ice tray)
12 spray roses (the small ones)
12 twist ties
2 wooden skewers
1 ice tray
Floral tape

1. To keep the roses submerged in the ice trays, we have to build a framework that will weigh them down. Cut the spray roses, leaving about 2 inches of stem, and use twist ties to attach the stems to the skewers.

2. Place the roses, which are attached to the skewers, upside down in their individual ice compartments of the tray.

3. Tape down the skewers at the ends of the ice tray to keep everything from floating when you add water. Your ice tray should look like the one in the photo.

4. Add water to the ice tray and freeze overnight.

Easy to make chair covers - step by step video

From Charming bows

Parasol Seating Cards - perfect for a beach themed wedding

From Martha Stewart Weddings

These cheerfully colored umbrellas sporting seating assignments dot miniature sand dunes at the entrance to a summer reception.

You'll need a 1-inch-deep tray, a sheet of 1/4-inch foam board cut to fit into bottom of the tray, and some sand. Lay the foam board in the tray, and cover with sand. Drizzle sand unevenly, sifting a bit more here and there to form dunes. Print your seating assignments onto colored paper, and cut them into strips; glue strips to the shafts of the umbrellas. Poke the umbrellas through the sand into the foam board at an angle so guests can easily find their names.

Save the date ideas

From Elizabeth Anne Designs

Scrabble: Spell out your save the date card on a scrabble board. Include the words “Save the Date”, names, wedding date and city, and your wedding website. Take a photo and mail prints as your save the date card!

From Off Beat Bride

I love these save the date cards! Visit a photobooth and use your imagination! Hold up a sign, write on your hand...the ideas are endless

Bookmarks

Remind guests of your wedding with every page they turn. These bookmarks were printed on lightweight card stock, five per sheet, and trimmed to 2-by-7-inch strips. Punch holes; add store-bought tassels. Mail in glassine envelopes with card-stock inserts bearing the address.

From Martha Stewart Weddings

Ribbon Reminder

Open this card, and the details (literally) come spilling out. Cut date from card stock using number punches; pierce tops with a hole punch. Slide onto 1/4-inch ribbon, tying bows before and after each pair. Cut two slits in a note card; thread ribbon through, and tie a bow. Download envelope liner here, or use a word-processing program to cut and paste words in different colors all over a page; print out. Cut to size (use unfolded envelope as template); affix with glue stick.

Fortune cookies

From HomeHints

These are a great idea for a bit of fun at your wedding. The guests will love opening them up to read their 'fortune'

Makes 45

What you will need

• 60g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 2 eggwhites, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
• 45 messages on 1 x 5.5cm pieces of paper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place butter and sugar in a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, combine well. Add eggwhites, 1 at a time, stirring until smooth. Stir in flour and a pinch of salt until smooth.

2. Using an 8cm pastry cutter as a guide, trace 4 circles, 4cm apart, on to a sheet of baking paper. Flip paper over and place on a greased oven tray. Using a metric measuring spoon, spoon a slightly rounded tsp of mixture on to each circle. Use the back of a spoon to spread batter to fill circles.

3. Bake for 6-7 minutes or until cookies begin to brown around edges. Working quickly, slide a spatula under each cookie to loosen, then place a message on top of each. Fold hot biscuits in half to enclose, pressing edges together, then bend in half the other way, over the edge of a glass, to create crescent shapes. Hold for a few seconds. Place on a wire rack to cool.

4. Repeat with remaining batter. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes & tips * Cook's tip: Baking paper can be reused up to four times; any more and cookies won't be as smooth.

Funny messages -

He who throws dirt is losing ground.

You can always find happiness at work on Friday.

Do not mistake temptation for opportunity.

A woman who seeks to be equal with men lacks ambition. Ouch!!!

The greatest danger could be your stupidity.

He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.

He who laughs last is laughing at you.

A closed mouth gathers no feet.

A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.

A cynic is only a frustrated optimist.

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind, and won't change the subject.

It doesn't matter. Who is without a flaw?

The world may be your oyster, but it doesn't mean you'll get its pearl.

Flattery will go far tonight.

Love Messages -

A warm smile is testimony of a generous nature.

A secret admirer will soon send you a sign of affection.

Love asks me no questions, and gives me endless support. Shakespeare

In the end there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.

Don't forget, you are always on our minds.

Love is for the lucky and the brave.

If you continually give, you will continually have.

If you want the rainbow, you must put up with the rain. D. Parton

If you would be loved, love and be lovable.

The one you love is closer than you think.

Love always and deeply.

Your heart will always make itself known through your words.

Love begets love.

We cannot do great things; only small things with great love. Mother Teresa

Love is like wildflowers...it is often found in the most unlikely places.

Love is the only medicine for a broken heart.

Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. H.L. Mencken

Much more grows in the garden than that which is planted there.

One who admires you greatly is hidden before your eyes.

Only love lets us see normal things in an extraordinary way.

The greatest gift is love.

The time is right to make new friends.

There is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.

Those who have love, have wealth beyond measure.

To love is to forgive.

Hearts are not to be had as a gift, hearts are to be earned. W.B. Yeats

Your heart is a place to draw true happiness.

Love conquers all.

Count your blessings by thinking of those whom you love.

Downloadable wedding bits and pieces

Gift boxes

Engagement notice

Photo cubes

Also check out Microsoft Office Templates. They have a heap of invitations, save the dates, programs and more that you can download and print out.

DIY Boutonnieres

From JR Roses

If you are craft-inclined and want to add a handcrafted touch, try making the groom's boutonniere. We suggest using a hardy flower with a big head such as a rose or miniature calla lily; they can survive being handled. You can make a boutonniere the day before the wedding, and be sure to get extra flowers for practice. Here's a step-by-step guide on do-it-yourself boutonnieres.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Blooms for boutonnieres

Bucket

Floral wire

Green waxed floral tape

Ivy leaf, fern frond, or other greenery

Pearl-tipped corsage pins

Pencil

Resealable plastic sandwich bag

Ribbon in a complementary wedding-day color (optional)

Stem cutter or sharp knife

Stem stripper

Wire cutters

STEP 1: Selecting & Preparing the Bundles of Blooms

Pick your bundles of bouquets. Remove excess foliage and thorns, and pull off damaged petals. Fill a sink or bucket with water, and holding the stems underwater, use the stem cutter or knife to cut the stems at an angle about two inches from the bottom. Allow the flowers to drink for a few seconds with the stem ends underwater, then place the stems in a bucket filled halfway with cool water until you are ready to use them. Note: If you are working with roses and the heads aren't open yet, you can force the blooms open by placing the stems in a bucket of hot water; do this only for a couple of minutes just before you are going to use the roses, otherwise you might kill them.

STEP 2: Choosing & Preparing Particular Flowers

Choose a particular stem and/or flower for the boutonniere. Use a stem cutter or sharp knife to cut the stem to a length of approximately three inches. Create a bed for the flower: Take an ivy leaf, fern frond, or other bit of greenery and place it behind the flower. Knot Note: The bed should not extend much beyond the top of the flower and should be visible from the sides. Place a six-inch piece of wire behind the stems.

STEP 3: Crafting the Boutonniere

Prepare the stems: Starting from the top of the stems, begin to wrap floral tape down the stems in a spiral to secure them together; wrap until about 3/4 of an inch is covered. Trim away the excess stem and continue to wrap floral tape around the wire about three inches down, then wrap the tape back up toward the flower head. Once you're back at the top, wrap tape around several times to be sure it's secure. Trim the excess tape.

STEP 4: Securing the Boutonniere

Finish the boutonniere stem: Trim the wired and wrapped stem so the total length is about 1 1/2 inches. Curl the end around a pencil point and pinch the tip to finish it. Attach a ribbon bow (if you like). Depending on the weight of the boutonniere, insert one or two pearl-tipped pins into the stem to use later for attaching it to the lapel.

The boutonniere is now complete! Mist it with water and place it in a resealable plastic sandwich bag (blow a puff of breath into the bag before you seal it to provide airspace around the boutonniere). You can place up to two boutonnieres in the same bag.

DIY Bouquets

From JR Roses

A simple single-flower arrangement is not difficult to make, and the classic dome shape of this round bouquet complements most wedding gowns. Be sure to stick to hardier flowers like roses, which are easier to arrange and can endure a little manhandling. To make a bridal bouquet about 8 inches in diameter, just follow the instructions below. This bouquet takes between 30 and 60 minutes to construct, and about 30 to 60 stems.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

30 to 60 stems of a hardy flower like the rose (20 to 40 for each bridesmaid bouquet)

Bucket

Paper towels

Ribbon (in a complementary color), 1 to 2 inches wide Rubber bands or green waxed floral tape

Stem cutter or very sharp knife

Stem stripper

Straight pins or pearl-tipped corsage pins

STEP 1: Preparing the Flowers
Use your hands or a stem stripper to remove excess foliage and thorns, and pull off damaged or unattractive outer petals. Fill a sink or bucket with water, and holding the stems underwater use the stem cutter or knife to cut the stems at an angle about 2 inches from the bottom. Allow the flowers to drink for a few seconds with the stem ends underwater, then place the stems in a bucket filled halfway with cool water until you are ready to use them. Note: If you're working with roses and the heads aren't open yet, you can force the blooms open by placing the stems in a bucket of hot water; but only do this for a couple of minutes just before you are going to use the roses, or you might kill them otherwise. Keep the stems long while you work with them and trim them to a shorter length when you've finished constructing the bouquet.

STEP 2: Assembling the Flowers

Take one stem at a time with one hand, and use your other hand to hold the flowers in place. Assemble four flowers at an even height in a square shape -- these will be at the center of the dome. Arrange the other flowers one by one around the center flowers to create a dome shape. Note: To better see what the bouquet will look like in your hand, stand in front of a mirror as you construct the bouquet to observe how the shape is progressing.

STEP 3: Securing the Bouquet

Use a rubber band or floral tape to bind the stems at the spot where they naturally join (about 3 to 4 inches below the flower heads). Repeat the binding toward the end of the stems, leaving about 2 inches of excess stem beneath the bind to trim later. Either place the stems in water and wrap them later or continue to Step 4.

STEP 4: Finish the Handle

Cut the stem ends so they are all the same length, about 7 to 8 inches long. Dry off the stems with a paper towel. Cut a length of ribbon about three times as long as the length of the stems. Tuck the end of the ribbon inside the top bind and start wrapping in a spiral down the length of the stem. When you reach the bottom, wrap in a spiral back up the stem. At the top, tuck the cut end of the ribbon underneath and secure with a couple of pins pushed through the ribbon and into the stems. If you'd like a bow, cut a separate length of ribbon and tie it just beneath the flower heads.

STEP 5: Preserving the Bouquet

Wrap the bouquet in tissue. Store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to leave for the ceremony. For ultimate freshness, it's best to make the bouquet the morning of the wedding. Once the bouquet is constructed, keep the bare stems in water as long as you can and mist the heads well. Then when you're ready, wrap the stems.

Chocolate Truffles Topiary

From Betty Crocker

Materials -

• 1 round florists foam topiary with dowel and base, 5 inches in diameter
• 1 flower pot to fit topiary base, about 6 inches in diameter
• Rocks to weight the pot
• Toothpicks
• Around 50 truffles (with firm centres)
  
• Glad wrap or aluminum foil
• 3 cups of fresh raspberries
• White & Gold ribbon

Directions -

• Press topiary base securely into flowerpot (glue if necessary) Fill pot 2/3 full with rocks
• Insert toothpicks into topiary ball and then push the truffles onto the toothpicks.
• Line top of pot with glad wrap or foil and then cover with raspberries.
  
• Tie the ribbon into a bow on the dowel
  

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Hearts and Flowers Topiary

From BHG

You Will Need

• 6-inch block of florist's foam
• 6-inch clay pot
• (2) 9-inch cinnamon sticks
• 7-inch heart-shape plastic foam (Styrofoam) form
• Miniature dried roses
• Glue gun
• 2-inch piece of hanger wire
• Dried moss

Instructions

1. Wedge the florist's foam inside the pot, trimming as necessary to fit.
2. Hot-glue two cinnamon sticks together and push them into the center of the florist's foam.
3. Hot-glue dried roses to heart shape.
4. Push the wire piece halfway into the pointed end of the heart shape. Push remaining end of wire into the top of one cinnamon stick. Secure with glue.
5. Cover the base of the topiary with moss.

Paper Fans

From BHG

What You Need:

• 12 x 12-inch sheet of patterned scrapbook paper
• Scissors: scallop-edge and straight-edge
• Crafts glue
• 1/8-inch hole punch
• 24-inch length of 1/2-inch-wide seam-binding ribbon

Instructions:

1. Trim opposite edges of the scrapbook paper with the scallop-edge scissors. Beginning with a straight edge of the paper, make accordion-style pleats every 3/4 inch across the paper. Firmly finger-crease each pleat.
2. Fold the pleated piece in half to form a fan and then unfold. To eliminate bulk where the unit folds in half, use straight-edge scissors to cut away a piece of the paper about one inch long on the inside pleat.
3. Refold the fan, spreading out the pleats, and slip one edge of each inside pleat over the other; glue in place. Use the hole punch to make a hole at the bottom of the center pleat. Insert the ribbon through the hole and tie a bow.
4. Use the hole punch to make a hole at the bottom of the center pleat. Insert the ribbon through the hole and tie a bow.

Not budget , but still pretty cool

I came across this site while looking for something else and thought I would share. Custom Printed M&MS

It's based in the US but does have a number you can call to enquire about shipping internationally.

You can choose from a heap of different colors and then personalise it how ever you like! One side has a picture of the bride and groom on it and the other side has text. You can also make them with text on both side rather than a picture. They make great favors.

Even if custom printed M&Ms are out of your price range, they do have some pretty cool ideas on how to decorate cakes with M&Ms so check out their page.