Community› Wedding Theme Boards› Retro and Vintage Weddings
Retro and Vintage Weddings
New Discussion

vintage setting, quirky personality

hollandgirl1981hollandgirl1981 member
10 Comments
in Retro and Vintage Weddings
Hi,
I was told you ladies might be able to help me.  A place I am seriously considering for our venue is a restored mansion from the late 1800's.  I can close my eyes and see a wonderfull "antique-y" wedding, lace, flowers etc. but it's not completely ME.  I love all things vintage 20's 50's even the 80's you name it I love it.  My FI is a history teacher and buff so this would be perfect, I am just trying to figure out how to add my "quirky" personality without it looking like a hot pink highlighter vomited all over the  mansion.  The actual dinner etc will be outside in a tent, and I would like to have paper lanters, different vases, and even paisley's etc. The insided isn't big enough for all the guests to sit down and eat, so it will be used for the cocktail hour (and air conditioning since it will be august) the restorers kept the decor authentic, but very neutral so its basically a blank canvas... My mother and I are super crafty (I might be making my own dress) but I am absolutely blanking on how to add my touch to this fabulous setting... any ideas?
Report Reply to Post

Re: vintage setting, quirky personality

  • Lisa50Lisa50 member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    If this venue is not you, perhaps you'd feel better looking at other places before signing a contract/putting down a deposit.

    Best of luck!
    Report Reply
  • Chandler2BeChandler2Be
    100 Comments
    It's all in the small gestures that make it your own. You don't need anything grand or flamboyant.
    *Katie & David* July 22nd 2011 Our Shindig and Blog Updated Weekly! Wedding Countdown Ticker Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Report Reply
  • Just JenJust Jen
    1000 Comments
    vintage & quirky was exactly how I described my wedding!

    It was also in an 1800s house/mansion. My FI and I dressed in 1940s-inspired looks. We had our DJ play "speakeasy"-type 1920s music for the cocktail hour (with some 40s stuff thrown in). We hired a silohouette cutter to work the reception. We were all over the palce, but it all came together as very "us."

    Here's what I did, but it's not exactly the most efficient method: I just looked and looked and looked at like a million photos and ideas. I trolled offbeat bride (and offbeat bride tribe), style me pretty, oncce wed, a practical wedding, ruffled blog and like a hundred other sites.

    Everytime any detail really struck a chord with me, I'd save it. And everytime I saw something that I felt was  really "me,"  I'd know it.

    So we decided to do silohouttes because I loved this cake:
    http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/04/23/silhouette-wedding-cake-by-k-rose-cakes/

    Our STDs were inspired by this:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sleepylovelorn/3270545850/in/set-72157616146773045/

    Our invites a blatant DIY knockoff of this:
    http://metalmother.com/motherboard/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/invite_scan_fnl.gif

    ...with some Mad Libs response cards thrown in for fun.

    etc, etc.

    In other words, we never went for one overarching theme, but just naturally gravitated toward things that felt like "us." And the overwhelming response we got from our guests was that our wedding had a lot of our personality. So mission accomplished.

    Good luck =)
    Report Reply
  • noonescookienoonescookie member
    100 Comments
    Just because your venue is from the 1800s doesn't mean your decor needs to be. Your venue was there in the 1920s, 50s, and 80s as well! 

    Since you have the 3 distinct events (outdoor ceremony, indoor cocktails, outdoor reception), I would have the decor build from more traditional, to more "you." For instance, incorporate white or ivory paisley and some antique-style fixtures into your ceremony with your fun flowers; then in the mansion, switch to colored paisleys and brighter fixtures against the antique backdrop; and finally, outside can be an explosion of paisley/color/whatever you want.
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Report Reply
  • graysquirrelgraysquirrel member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    Ditto noonescookie! The building has seen a lot of styles and eras. There are lots of ways that you can take an 1800s look and put a spin on it. Like, a lot of 80s styles and bands  incorporated 18th and 19th century looks to make something new (am I correct in thinking Sex Pistols?). They used lace and layers but added brightness. I'm not sure how historical you are wanting to get, but you might try watching some movies that are set in one of your favorite eras but in an older house, like Gosford Park, an early 20th century time frame in an old manor house. You will be able to see how they "updated". Your paper lanterns should translate pretty well; there were pockets of people in the early 1800s who were obsessed with Oriental styles.

    All in all, I think your best bet would be to either pick an era and go with it or to pick a style that you enjoy and then fit it into the setting. Doing both at the same time might make things more stressful. Hope this helped you some!
    Photobucket
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards