Magazines and websites are bursting with the latest trends in wedding ideas and themes - and just trying to sift through them can be as overwhelming as actually planning an entire wedding! So take a deep breath, relax and consider this: some of the most unique wedding ideas can be found by looking back to fashions and trends of days gone by.
If you're considering going the black-tie route, how about an Art Deco 1930s look? It was an era that is reminiscent of elegant Hollywood-style glamour, and you'd be surprised at how much you can accomplish on any budget, large or small.
And for something completely different: what could be more fun than a wedding that evokes the spirit of the groovy 1960s, a time of "peace, love and understanding" - could there be a better theme to start off your married life?
Whether you're going for funky or formal, here are some suggestions to help plan your idea of a retro wedding:
Polaroid Instant Photo Guest Books
Capture
every moment of your wedding day with Polaroid instant pictures and
hand-written sentiments from your guests! Polaroid instant photo guest
books buck the digital trend and are all the rage among brides today.
Polaroid
cameras and photos are definitely retro, and they're making a 'new age'
come back because unlike digital or 35mm photos, the Polaroids develop
instantly. When they're combined with notes from all your friends and
family the instant photo guest book becomes a memento filled with
memories that will last forever!
Hint: Put a couple of
outgoing friends in charge of taking the photos and making sure that all
your guests write something in your instant photo guest book. They can
either circulate during the reception taking the pictures and getting
the notes or you can set up a table for guests to visit. And be sure to
have a back up camera and plenty of film for "do-overs"!
The Honor of Your Presence is Requested ... Retro Wedding Invitations
Set
the tone you're trying to create from the start with wedding
invitations that reveal the theme you've chosen for your wedding. Custom
designs can be easily accomplished with just a few keyboard strokes!
Display 1930s-era sophistication with heavy, cream-colored paper stock
and deco-style type fonts which can be further accented with period clip
art. For your 60s-style invitations, use paper stock in the pastel
colors that were popular then - or go all-out and have tie dyed
invitations! Think about including flowers in the design as well. These
can be printed on the invitation itself - or how about adding some dried
wildflowers inside the invitation envelope?
Hint: You
can order custom-designed stamps from the Post Office that will reflect
the mood you're trying to convey before your guests even open the
invitation envelope! (Some suggested examples: New York's Deco
Rockefeller Center or Empire State Building, vintage cars, a yellow
happy face icon, even a Grateful Dead logo)
Dressing the Part ... Retro Bridal Ware
Dressing the Part ... Retro Bridal Ware
There's no need
to wear a bandana or headband or go barefoot on your big day, but a
lace dress (mini in length if you dare!) will evoke the hippie era
nicely, as will a floral headpiece and bridesmaid dresses in pastels or
bright floral prints. If you want an early 60s look, consider a cocktail
dress or Jackie Kennedy-style sheath with a white pillbox hat and a
netted veil. For a Deco glamour wedding idea, sleek and satiny 1930s-era
dresses can be found in vintage dress shops or even at flea markets or
thrift shops (there are vintage clothes and used clothing boutiques all
over!) They can also be custom made using new or vintage fabric and old
patterns - these are often reissued by pattern manufacturers or easily
found on eBay.
Hint: When planning your retro wedding,
eBay and other shopping websites are terrific resources for all sorts of
period bridal ware, decorations and inspirational wedding ideas.
Flour Power ... Wedding Day Cup Cakes
Nothing
says retro like a tasty, frosting-topped cupcake. You loved them as a
kid, and now they're back in vogue as the height of food fashion.
Delicious, colorful cupcakes can be served as the main wedding dessert
attraction, substituted for the traditional wedding cake or in addition
to a conventional wedding cake. Stack them like a skyscraper or arrange
them in a circle to make a peace sign. Cupcakes can easily be decorated
in day-glo icing colors for your 1960s look or with silvery accents for a
Deco finish.
Hint: Make sure there are enough cupcakes so that your guests can take one home to enjoy later!
A Few of my Favor-ite Things ... Retro Wedding Favors
Since
your wedding is the start of your own personal love-in, treat your
guests to some retro style wedding favors like love beads or peace sign
jewelry. Or how about putting together a custom-made CD of classic rock
tunes? For the 1930s wedding theme idea, linen handkerchiefs for both
men and women will add a nice vintage touch. Or DVD copies of your
favorite old comedy movie are sure to delight your guests - and the
cover can feature you and your groom in place of Cary Grant and
Katharine Hepburn for a fun reminder of your own classic romance!
Hint: If
you're making custom CDs as favors, take a picture with you and your
husband-to-be in some vintage clothes to use as cover art to remember
the day's unique wedding idea "old is new"!
