Add a touch of vintage charm to your most special day with these unique and beautiful decorative elements
“If you are still looking for the perfect blooms for your celebration, Queen Anne’s lace, dusty miller, brunia, and scabiosa all have a great vintage vibe,” suggests Joan Wyndrum, co-owner of Blooms by the Box. Pair your blooms with your favorite hardcover books and consider dressing up your vessels with antique lace. Giving your centerpieces height and texture will elevate the overall look while still paying homage to your vintage theme, according to Wyndrum.
“Incorporating vintage wedding decor is such a fun way to personalize your event,” says Nora Sheils, founder of Oregon-based wedding planning firm Bridal Bliss. Think grandma's broach or a piece of vintage family furniture that has been sitting in the attic for ages. It can really bring a lot of character to your most special day.
Vintage side chairs in soft pastel hues and velvet offer personal conversation spots for your guests while the colors perfectly complement the surrounding gardens, explains Perkins Morgan of Paisley & Jade, a vintage and specialty furniture-rental company.
These glamorous centerpieces ooze an undeniable Roaring Twenties vibe. Remove the feathers and the pearls, and they become your average wedding floral arrangement; with the embellishments, they are the perfect decor elements for a Great Gatsby-themed celebration.
“Add an instant vintage vibe to your garden party with an antique typewriter that guests can use to type love notes for the guest book,” suggests Morgan. “A single piece of decor like this goes a long way without overwhelming the set up.”
A great tip for saving money without sacrificing style? “Choose vintage pieces from your local prop-rental vendor that can play double-duty. A vintage dresser can beautifully display escort cards during cocktail hour and then can be turned into a dessert station toward the end of the night,” explains Britny Drye of Love Inc.
Pull in elegant vintage flatware and china to complement your tabletop setup. Ornate yellow gold flatware brings to mind high-society parties during the Victorian era. Gold-plated candle holders and textured linen in pastel hues will add elegance and formality to the event.
“Search flea markets and garage sales for vintage finds that match your hobbies and style—like old cameras for photographers or sea-glass vases for beach lovers—to add a bit of old-world charm to your day while still reflecting you two as a couple,” says Oakland-based wedding photographer Anna Marks.
“Glass is the new chalkboard! Use vintage mirrors or rustic window panes to display a welcome sign or signature cocktail menu. Hire a calligrapher to put a professional pen to it. Many prop-rental businesses even have an in-house hand-lettering service,” explains Drye.
Turn a vintage mirror into an elegant serving tray. Don’t have one? Then make one. “You can purchase frames and spray paint them with various metallics to create a brassy vintage vibe,” says Euri Wong, lead designer at Bloominous. Then glue the mirror to the frame and voilà.
“Use vintage items to bring a bit of dimension to your dessert table. Old wooden crates and boxes can help bring a creative approach to how you arrange your displays. It also is much more eye-appealing than simple trays laid out on the table and can add a variety of heights. Don’t be afraid to incorporate fun vintage knickknacks to decorate the table—for instance, vintage glass doorknobs to hold the dessert labels for a cake display. It’s the little details that bring all the pieces together for a cohesive look,” explains Danae Johnsen of Perfectly Posh Events.