The rise of vintage weddings
Vintage Wedding
Every bride wants their wedding day to be unique and memorable. Cue the vintage brides, who look to the past to inspire their big day. Stacey Cosens explores this growing trend.
The venue, the favours, the cake, the dress; it can be hard knowing where to start when planning a wedding. The possibilities are endless, and every bride has their dream wedding planned out and a budget to stick to. But there is a growing trend amongst British brides to take vintage inspiration, when planning their big day.
Rowan Hirons, 30, is one of them. Taking influence from a whole host of decades for her summer wedding, “Since my early teens I’ve been into all things 60s, I used to borrow my mum and auntie’s mini skirts, went heavy on the eyeliner and had a twiggy haircut. Now I am much more eclectic with fashion and music and big into decade blending. I love the 50s 60s, 70s and 80s – so there isn’t really an overall theme to my wedding.
“I haven’t gone out of my way to be different, I’ve just chosen lots of things that I like and thrown them all together and hope that it works! I’m not a bridezilla type who needs matching napkins and chair covers, I want everything to be relaxed and fun.”
Rowan’s retro-inspired wedding follows in the footsteps of vintage lovers throughout the country who have decided to let their passion inspire their big day. From the 1900s to the 1980s, women want to bring a sense of nostalgia to their celebrations.
Rowan says; “My dress will probably be 50s or 60s inspired, as I’d like a shorter style as it feels less formal and nicer for a summer wedding, with a small bouquet of colourful wild flowers. My bridesmaids dresses will be 50s style halter necks in all different pastel shades with wrist corsages. My niece is a hairdresser and is going to do the hair in messy beehives while my friend is going to do the makeup – Audrey Hepburn inspired winged eyeliner.”
As for the big day, Rowan is incorporating family heritage and her love of retro music into the service and reception.
“It will be a country church wedding, I’m hoping one of my friends will strum a 60s song on the guitar for me to walk down the aisle to, which will be a short service followed by a big party at a canal side pub with a marquee. I am undecided about whether I want a 60s cover band or a Ska band. Music is important to me and the worst thing would be some crappy DJ playing loads of chart hits.
“I’m sure every wedding is unique but mine is going to be retro, multicultural, brightly coloured, light hearted and fun. I’m hoping my wedding will be remembered for being a really good party where everyone enjoyed themselves.”