No. 1 | Color Palette
The very first thing I suggest you do is select a color palette. It will make everything else so much easier. It can be tough to choose but once you've made a selection, stick with it - from your Save the Dates to the wedding favors to the flowers - everything will look so much more pulled together and streamlined if it's all in the same palette. This will also help you achieve a better focus when shopping - you'll be able to zero in on your colors creating a much easier process. You'll also know when to say no and won't be tempted to buy antiques that don't fit your palette and vision.
No. 2 | List Making
Next up, it's time to make a vintage wares shopping list. The best way to start this process is to make a list of things that make you and your love smile. Think: traveling, taking photos, creating art, writing, reading, cooking, etc. Next, expand on each topic and think about ways you could incorporate each interest into your wedding. For instance, let's say your love has a passion for photography - maybe you could create your own photo booth for guests and collect several vintage cameras for use or decor. It might be fun to shop for vintage feather boas, spectacles, sunnies from the 60s, etc., as fun props, as well. Now it's time to start compiling your shopping list. In this example, you'd write down: vintage cameras, boas, spectacles + sunnies.
No. 3 | Time to Shop
Okay, so you've made your lists and you're ready to hit the flea markets, Etsy, and those antique shops. If you have a clear focus, this shouldn't be a problem but if you're easily distracted or seduced by items not on your list, stop and ask yourself the following two questions:
- Does this item hold any significant meaning to us as a couple?
The last thing you want to do is buy a bunch of vintage stuff just to have a vintage styled wedding. Instead, slow down and have fun shopping for antique pieces that actually feel special to you and/or your fiance. I gave myself a year to plan our wedding and some of my favorite memories are antiquing all over the South with my Mom and friends.
- Will I want to keep this item after the wedding?
It's okay if you say no to this question on some items but make sure you're answering yes more times than you answer no. Buy things that truly speak to your own sense of style and that you'd be happy keeping house with. When I was shopping vintage for my wedding, I looked at much of what I was buying as investment pieces. Some of my best silver was purchased for our wedding and I completely treasure those pieces today. Remind yourself that it's okay to splurge if you truly love the item and know that you'll grow old with it.
To help get your creative wheels turning, I'm going to share a few of my favorite ideas for incorporating meaningful vintage wares over the next few weeks. Today, I'm going to focus on couples who love books!
Today's Focus: Couples Who Love To READ!
Let's say you or your love is a complete bookworm (I'm totally married to one!). Include that passion in your wedding day by hunting for antique versions of favorite titles ... or just hunt for vintage book titles that reflect your shared interests. They're also fun to include in photo sessions like your engagement! And to make the process even easier, I have a large selection of carefully sourced
vintage books for sale in my wedding boutique so make sure you take a look. But to get your thoughts flowing, here's a peek back at two shoots I styled with some meaningful (to me) books:
These photos are from the
preppy vintage shoot I did with
eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY while I was in San Francisco last fall. I found the red RIP DARCY ADVENTURER book shown above when I was just 12 years old antiquing with my parents. As you may know, Darcy is my last name so this book immediately meant something to me and my family and I loved that it was a story about adventure. It was too perfect to pass up and almost 20 years later, I still adore having it on my bookshelf.
I love cheeky titles so when I spotted
BAD GIRL at an antique shop in Alabama, I knew I had to have it. My friend, T, and I are always joking about the trouble we'll cause on vacations together so it was a no-brainer to include this in our shoot.
ps. BAD GIRL is for sale if it has some meaning to you, too! ;) And there are lots of other cheeky titles in my collection, too!
How can you not love a small book in weathered Nantucket red called THE LITTLE MAN? I haven't had time to stock this one in CBV yet but if you're interested, just shoot me an e-mail at theclassicbride@gmail.com.
If you've been a regular in blogland for any amount of time, you've probably fallen in love with the I MARRIED ADVENTURE book - you know the one. Well, I think this weathered Tiffany Blue BRIDE OF FORTUNE book is just as lovely (and not nearly as trendy). Again, e-mail me if you're interested in purchasing. ;)
These next two photos are from the
inspiration shoot I styled in Paris with
Juliane Berry. I found the lovely French books at brocantes in French towns near where we lived. For a Francophile like me, these romantic books are the epitome of classic French style. I think including them would be a lovely way to pay homage to French ancestry or any fun connection to France. :) They are all for sale - just e-mail me.
Feeling inspired yet? In addition to being fun photo props, vintage books can also be great visuals to
stack by the guestbook; create centerpieces along with florals ... OR, my personal favorite,
creating a custom clutch! Did I lose you? Remember a few years ago when Kate Spade came out with those darling book clutches (The Great Gatsby, etc.). Well, here's a
book clutch tutorial I found that shows you how to turn any vintage book into a sweet clutch! Hello, original bridal clutch.
Tell me your thoughts on including meaningful vintage books in your wedding. I'd love to hear which books mean something to you! Tune in next week for another installment on creating meaningful vintage!
