One Step Forward A Few Decades Back: The Growing Trend Of Vintage Weddings

by Mia Bolaris-Forget (Staff Writer)

Growing up; my mom, grandmother and many of my female family members and relatives of my friends had a hard time giving up perfectly “good”, but somewhat outdated clothing for the fear they’d come back in style again (which they eventually did). Well, weddings have proved to be no different, and are in fact the most current example exemplifying the notion that “what goes around, comes around”.

What’s gone around, and recently coming (back) around is the idea of an “old-fashioned” wedding. From vintage gowns to zoot suits and some very customary traditions, vintage wedding are resurfacing as all the rage. In fact, they are merging history, custom, and tradition with creativity and fashioning a fantastic fete replicating a “small” and “intimate”, (almost) Hollywood style period production, with the bride and groom playing the lead.

Everything from wearing their mother’s or grandmother’s gown to doing research in retro styles, including fashions, colors, décor, culture and fads, and brining family and friends into another time, place and dimension entirely, wedding are tailored to couples’ tastes and budgets.

A good place to start, say experts, is by each (member of the couple) examining his/her ancestry, heritage, background, culture, (family) tradition, and what has been important to each. From where ancestors lived to their occupation, it can all contribute to determining a unique, nostalgic and romantic theme.

As far as finding “authentic” ambiance for your event, professionals point out that your best bets (once you’ve done your research) are vintage clothing stores and Internet auction sites.

Dresses can range from $25 to over $1000 depending on quality, condition, and originality of design. However, experts caution with regard to quality a size. Some materials are simply more durable than others and hold up better over time, and modern-day women tend to vary significantly in shape in size from previous generations (especially since most women got married in their teens back then, and most of today’s brides are “older”), and may not fit comfortable into the (vintage) gown of their dreams.

The solution, according to experts, is to identify the theme and the dress you want, then have your ensemble (as well as the outfits for your groom and bridal party) custom made.
They rest of the (finer) details depend on your imagination and your finances. From cars to halls, décor, etc, you can embellish as much as you want and can afford. In fact, you can even ask guests to dress in the style of the period.

One thing to remember however say experts, is that celebrations of this caliber (regardless of the number of guests) generally take longer to organize, noting that before you can start planning you have to have time to do all the research, as well as allowing yourself extra time for finding period pieces, attire, or having things made to order.
Some additional tips for brides looking for that perfect period gown. Professionals point out that you should not only know what to look for but understand the difference between flaws that you can overlook and reasons a gown should be overlooked.

1. Minor Repairs: From rusted buttons to ripped trains, missing beads, broken zippers, these are all considered “minor” repairs and a good deal on a vintage gown.

2. Nothing To Worry About: Inconspicuous stains, tiny tears, minor scratches, and hem dirt, are not that big a deal.

3. Keep Looking: Split or “shattered” fabric (especially silk), fabric dry rot, badly torn lace, rust stains, visible stains or dirt in obvious places, tears, holes or burns that are visible, as well as visible underarm stains are a good reason to forget it, and keep your search going.