More and more people are using themes to base their big day on so for my first blog post I have decided to explore the theme Pretty Pastels and Vintage Vows.
Pastels have always been a popular colour for weddings, more so during the spring season where it can be enhanced by the seasonal flowers which are available at the time of year. Once you have decided which pastel colours you are going to incorporate in your big day it’s important to get the balance right and accessorise appropriately.
Walking down the aisle hand in hand with pastels this season is vintage. These themes are the perfect complement to each other and both are widely available from designer boutiques to the high street stores.
So what is available at the moment? Let’s start with the stationery.
Invites are the first thing your guests will see and will set the scene for the big day. Your theme can then be followed through to your Order of service, place cards, favours, thank you cards, favours and table plans. This beautiful example from Cards by Sophie show how subtle touches can still have impact.
Pastel coloured flowers are easiest to source during the spring season. Your choice of flowers are as equally important as your dress choice as it will bring colour and accent to your dress and finish off your table settings perfectly.
Pastel flowers are very popular with the modern bride and can add that subtle hint of colour without taking attention away from your dress.
Perhaps you would prefer an alternative to fresh flowers, something that you can keep and pass on to your children? Why not take a look at Tiny Gems heirloom bouquets. This exquisite twist on a floral bouquet are made to your requirements from approximately 30 vintage style brooches finished with a ribbon handle and collar to match your colour scheme.
To get that true vintage feel why not look closer to home for your wedding dress and ask mums, grannies and aunties about their dresses. True vintage dresses are making a huge comeback on modern weddings with intricate details and that true handmade feel. Not only will it cut out the stress of finding that perfect dress but it’s also a great cost cutter and possibly a way of starting a new family tradition!
Most brides won’t fit perfectly into their mothers wedding dresses but a good seamstress who is experienced in working with vintage gowns will be able to make any alternations needed to give it that extra personal touch.
One bride who did just that is Kyra who wore her mothers dress at her wedding.
Kyra says
"I've always loved the photo of her on her wedding day. 1969 - the grooviest decade in history is coming to a close, man is preparing to walk on the moon and my mother, at 22 years of age is laughing on the steps of a registry office in the miniest-mini-skirted babydoll dress of all time! It had to be a civil wedding - the minister would have been apoplectic at the hemline!
My parents had a terribly romantic secret wedding with only two friends invited to the ceremony. They had known each other for approximately 10 weeks and the general feeling amongst their peers was "it will never last!". The dress typified the craziness of the event, pale pink with a matching (2 inches longer) lace brocade coat. The dress lived as a largely forgotten memory in my auntie's cupboard for 20 years until a 12 year old me tried it on and loved it all over again.
When I got married 12 years later there was only one dress I wanted. Sure, I did what you have to in a couple of bridal shops, I half heartedly thumbed a few catalogues but there just wasn't anything out there that was as daring, swinging, original and flattering as the dress in my auntie's cupboard. I had a very small wedding, i'd got engaged to my fiance on the third time of meeting and no-one thought we had a particularly long future either,what else could i wear?
With my mother's blessing I got a panel of silk sewn in to the front. The lady who made the adjustments for me called her friends over to admire the dress and reminisce about the days when they too had dared to show as much leg.
I am very pleased that the dress got a second outing. Hooray to crazy, hastily organised, small but romatic weddings, in disgracefully short skirts!"
Ally xx
