11 Vintage Inspired Wedding Ideas for a Timeless Celebration

There’s just something about a vintage inspired wedding that spectacularly adds to the romance of the big day. No matter which decade you choose to take inspiration from, or are just going for a general “old timey” feel, there are multiple ways to personalise your wedding with the vintage theme.

Whether you choose to go fully vintage or infuse some antique elements into a contemporary plan, your wedding be elegant and glamorous. Not to mention that by reusing vintage pieces, you will also be sustainable and environmentally friendly – and save money along the way, too!

So if you are the type of person who embodies the vintage lifestyle day to day, or you’re just someone who wants to jump on the popular trend of vintage inspired weddings, there is plenty of inspiration online to get the ideas flowing. Here are 11 vintage inspired wedding ideas for a timeless celebration that is bound to leave you and your guests with a wedding that will be remembered for years to come.

1. Choose Vintage Wedding Stationery

From your save the dates to the RSVPs, there can be a lot of paperwork that you have to prepare for your big day. It’s crucial that your wedding stationery ties into your theme and colour scheme, so that it doesn’t look out of place, and it gets your guests excited for what’s to come!

Choosing vintage inspired save the dates and wedding invitations not only gives you a headstart on incorporating your theme into your wedding, but it also can give your guests a little sneak peak into what your day will look like. You can have a lot of fun designing your invitations, but if you want to leave all the work to someone else, then there are plenty of ideas and inspiration available for you.
For example, this Ticket to Love save the date looks just like an old-fashioned train ticket and would be ideal for any vintage wedding. Or, if you are considering a ‘20s or ‘30s theme, then this Telegram Wedding Day Invitation would be perfect!

2. Have Mismatched Seating

If you are hosting your ceremony or reception in a place where you have to hire your own chairs (often called a “blank slate venue”, then instead of something uniform and traditional, why not mix up the styles for a whimsical look?
Consider a mix of colours and styles, and along with vintage decor for the rest of your venue, and you will leave it looking quirky and magical. To further add to the old-fashioned element, rather than renting from a wedding furniture provider, you could also keep an eye out in any second hand furniture shops for some vintage pieces - or look on your local Facebook freebie groups.

3. Repurpose Antique Furniture

For another way to give your reception a vintage vibe, consider repurposing antique furniture; this is something else that you can keep an eye out for at secondhand furniture shops, or even search for it online. A lot of people are looking to get rid of their old furniture lately by labeling it as an upcycle project!

An antique dresser can look great in your reception as a vintage display, and could be used as a place for your guest book. You could even open up the drawers and fill them with flowers. Or why not find a vintage desk and repurpose it as a dessert table. Like with the chairs, having mismatched furniture can be easily tied together by the way you decorate it. This could even end up as in investment if you find a piece of furniture that you can see yourself keeping in your home.

4. Mix up Crockery and Table Decorations

Another great way to get that vintage feel is the way in which you choose to decorate the guest’s tables for the wedding reception. A popular option is using mismatched china for your wedding reception.
Not only will this make a great impact on your look, but it’s something that you can easily put together yourself by visiting second hand and charity shops.

If you don’t want to opt for prepping this yourself (and dealing with all the washing up afterwards!) then there are plenty of small and local companies that hire out things like this especially, for all kinds of events including weddings! Consider also collecting mismatched vases in the run up to your wedding for a stylish look. Fill them with your chosen flower scheme for a romantic aesthetic.

5. Incorporate Wildflowers

A great way to add to your vintage theme is to add flowers with abundance in your decor. Basing your table centrepieces around these flowers can give a beautiful tearoom style vibe. Or consider using wild flowers everywhere, from your bouquet to the reception table centrepieces to give it a nature themed boho vibe.
You could even have your guests throw flower petals as an alternative to confetti as the couple exits the venue. Consider this real dried flower confetti for your guests to throw, leading to some beautiful photographs. It’s also eco-friendly and will simply biodegrade with the rain!

6. Add Antique Lace Elements

For a dreamy and romantic addition to your wedding decor, lace is a simple, yet great way to make a statement. There are plenty of ways to add touches of lace to your wedding, from the save the dates to the wedding dress, the cake, and many more.

1)Hang a beautiful ivory lace bunting above the top table at your wedding breakfast
2) Choose a beautiful vintage ring pillow with lace adornments
3) Thank your guests with a Vintage Lace Thank You Card

If you are having an outdoor wedding, consider adding some lace parasols for your guests to shade themselves from the sun. Or consider having a vintage lace table runner accompanied with some lace doilies for your reception tables.

7. Include Family Treasures and Traditions

What better way to incorporate the vintage style in your wedding theme than looking to your family past? From a passed down veil, to heirloom jewellery, to the wedding dress itself, there are plenty of things you could add for your ‘something old’ or ‘something borrowed.’
But as well as physical items, you could look into past traditions from your family. Maybe your great grandmother had a much-loved dessert recipe that someone could make for your wedding sweet table - or maybe you could walk down the aisle to a cherished piece of music?

8. Hire a Vintage Band

A vintage wedding band is the perfect way to finish your wedding day and get everybody up and dancing. There are lots of genres and decades to look to for your inspiration when picking the music, from the jazz age of the ‘20s and ‘30s to the rock ‘n’ roll style of the ‘50s.
You could even choose a band that takes modern music and sings them in the retro music style of your choosing! Yes, they exist. Or, for a more traditional and old-fashioned wedding feel, why not hire a string quartet and ask them to play only songs from your chosen era?
If your wedding is going to be inspired by the ‘40s, ‘50s or ‘60s, you could even hire a retro juke box to serenade everyone at your reception – and your guests will even be able to pick the songs!

9. Create a Family Tree

If you are looking for another way to incorporate parts of your family to your vintage wedding, then why not consider creating a family tree using photos of both your families?
Whether you use wedding photos or just everyday pictures of your relatives, making a display with all of them together is a wonderful way of showing the merging of both of your families.
To stick to something simple, consider a small gallery of wedding photos of your parents and grandparents, with an engagement photo of the couple to be in the middle. You could print out the photos in black and white or sepia in mismatched frames for that real vintage vibe.
If you were having an outdoor setting for your reception, you could even use an actual tree to add your photos to, and mix in some vintage details such as buntings and fairy lights.

10. Have Vintage Cocktails

When you think of the style and glamour of the 1920s, then often you think of the cocktail hour. From the champagne towers of The Great Gatsby era, to custom cocktails, to non-alcoholic drinks, there are plenty of ways to create a cocktail bar that will have something tailored for each and every one of your guests.
Consider collecting some antique style bar carts in the lead up to your wedding, and maybe even some vintage style glasses to go with them, either coordinating or mismatched. You could have different style drinks on each bar cart, ready for your guests to help themselves, or even hire some mixologists to create the drinks. For those that find themselves not drinking, you could also dedicate one or two to some non-alcoholic drinks such as a fruit punch or lemonade.

11. Make an Exit in Style

An old-fashioned wedding car is another perfect way to incorporate the ‘something borrowed’ into your wedding, and to celebrate the vintage style. Whether it is the bride arriving in style to the wedding, or the couple leaving the reception to go on their honeymoon, a classic car is a great way to bring that special piece of the past into your big day.
For a classic and effortless choice, you could consider a Rolls-Royce, or an Aston Martin for a bit of elegance. If you wanted something a bit more quirky, then a VW campervan might be a bit more up your street! Or for something that could hold the whole wedding party, then consider hiring a vintage double decker bus, which is bound to leave a memorable impression for your guests.
When you’re ready to start choosing your vintage-inspired wedding stationery and accessories, head over to Bride and Groom Direct. We offer full personalisation, swift shipping and competitive prices on our entire range. Don’t forget the thank you cards!