Summertime Romance: Ideas for a Vintage Wedding: Part 1 Keepsake Sterling {Eco-Friendly Wedding}

June may be over, but there’s lots of time left for romantic weddings this summer.  And, what could be more eco-friendly than using things from the past for a chic and unique modern wedding?  This is something that has been near and dear to my heart for a long time.

I’ve been wanting to share with you some of the ideas that I used for my own wedding and thought I’d change gears on my blog for a bit from décor to lifestyle.  Stick with me….this is the first of  3 posts on vintage-style wedding ideas.

You may recall  I told you hubby and I married in Napa Valley, CA, (read about some of it HERE and HERE) and  we wanted every detail to have special meaning.  We didn’t want to just run out to big box bridal stores and do the typical expected things.  We wanted to put a spin on tradition.  Instead, we opted to search for antique and vintage wedding notions to make our day extra special. 

One of the most fun aspects was that we searched for items together which made them extraordinary when we found them.

I was so inspired by the cover of this Martha Stewart magazine from 2000 that I had to incorporate this idea.  It turned out being one my favorites!

 

 

Idea #1:  Use antique or vintage sterling ring boxes for your wedding rings.

I love how in the past the boxes were elevated to something elegant and they were made of silver.  Things like this just aren’t made anymore.  We searched ebay and antique stores and actually found both ring boxes for a song. 

They are both by the Canadian Birks Co., one is sterling and the other one is silverplate.  We had them hand-engraved and mine says “Marry Me, Kim” and his says, “Yes, Tim”.  I even copied the same font as the inspiration photo.

 

One of the boxes even came with it’s original blue Birks packaging box.  Trés chic!

Sure, there’s a couple dings and the hinge doesn’t sit straight on one of them, but who cares?

I love the old pluffy thickly padded velvet…not the flimsy stuff you see nowadays!

There’s remnants of a gold wash under one of the lids.

 

 

 

Idea #2:  For the reception, use antique or vintage sterling goblets and servers.

We found this pair on ebay for an exceptionally good price.  When you are only looking for two, you can find better deals. 

I found vintage sterling to be lots less expensive than new sterling and it has a certain quality to it that only comes from age and lots of polishing.  You girls know what I mean!

The pale blue ribbon was tied around my bouquet and I love to get it out and use it on tablescapes.  (Another tip: notice the brooch?  Vintage rhinestone jewelry in your wedding colors add unexpected glamour to lots of things.)

 

The cake server was found at an antique store and the other side says “Tim”.

Idea #3:  When you are out antiquing, keep your eyes peeled for pieces that already have your soon-to-be married initial.

Most Victorian pieces were hand engraved and are such high quality.

 

I was fortunate enough to find this antique pewter vase that had our initial “H” already engraved on it.  These pieces look great on the bride and groom table or as centerpieces.   I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used this vase over the years and it always holds its charm.

What about linens?  I have to throw these in here, too.  Beautiful hand-embroidered linens abound everywhere in antique malls and shows so grab some with your married initial.

This was the handkerchief that I carried with me on our wedding day as “something old”.  Mismatched sets would be great for your guests to use at the reception tables.

 

Idea #4: Have your silver pieces HAND ENGRAVED (find someone who does this….it’s worth it)

We found an engraver from NY who practiced this art and it is so such more elegant than machine engraving.  Just do a Google search.  We chose the font we wanted and used a couple different ones on different pieces.

You’ll have to give yourself plenty of time to do this before the big day.  We sent our vintage goodies off to the engraver several months before our wedding and it took about 2-3 months to get them back. 

I’ll be sharing a lot more in the next two posts.  Below is a sneak peek.

Please come back on Monday for more vintage wedding ideas.  You don’t want to miss them!

Blessings,

Kim

Linking up to the following great parties.  Please give them a visit.

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country  Cottage

Inspiration Friday at At The Picket Fence

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground