Vintage Wedding Ideas: Part 3: {Saying “I Do” with an eco-friendly lifestyle}

Well, this is my last post on the ideas that I used during my own wedding in Napa Valley.  If you missed the other two, you can read them HERE and HERE.  If you want to read about wedding, click HERE and HERE.

Three ideas today for Part 3!!!  Today’s tips actually incorporate new and old.

Idea #1:  Dress an antique doll in a replica of your wedding gown.

This was my second wedding so in-line with wanting to do things differently I had my 2-piece outfit custom made by a seamstress and based it on historical designs.  I also added a robin’s egg blue train and the bell/trumpet sleeves were also lined in blue.  This was my “something blue”.

I found an antique china head doll while antiquing and gave her to the seamstress to replicate my dress.  I was so excited when she arrived after the wedding……

What’s she gonna look like…

Is it, is it, my outfit?…….

Yes, she did a wonderful job of sewing a mini version of my outfit.  I guess we can call her "mini me"! LOL  This is one of my most special keepsakes.

Another idea (even though it’s not vintage) is to have a tag embroidered with your name and wedding date sewn into your gown.

Use the same color thread as your accent color.

Idea #2: Put your most memorable items in an antique convex frame.

These are pretty easy to find at lots of flea markets and antique stores. I painted the frame gold and had our framing gallery arrange mementos of our wedding.

It already had the original convex glass in it.

Idea #3: Use a vintage cake topper.

The photo below was my inspiration for our wedding cake. It came from a Mary Engelbreit Home Companion Magazine.  I love it’s diminutive size. We had a very small ceremony so this small size worked for us. For a larger reception, these mini cake beauties could be placed on each guest table with different vintage toppers.

Yep, the cake topper was a no-brainer and so happens to be the first vintage wedding piece we found.  Below is a picture of our wedding cake.

And, a tradition that we did for a couple years was to have this same cake made on our anniversary.

This vintage topper is one of my favorite finds.

O.K. I’m having too much fun photographing this cake topper!!!  The bride and groom are just precious!

Some references are:

Also:  Vintage Wedding by Daniela Turudich

All of these books are available on Amazon.

I hope you have enjoyed my ideas for a vintage wedding.  I’ve had a blast doing these posts.  Create your own memories with pieces that already have a colorful and romantic history. 

Oh, and have FUN. Have lots and lots of FUN with some whimsy thrown in!

Notice the resemblance?  LOL

Happy Hunting,

Kim

 

Linking up to these parties.  Please give them a visit.

WOW! Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

What’s It Wednesday? at Ivy and Elephants

White Wednesday at Faded Charm Cottage

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Vintage Wedding Ideas: Part 2: Say “I Do” {More Eco-Friendly Wedding Ideas}

I’m so excited to be sharing more romantic eco-friendly vintage wedding ideas with you.   I’ll be back to décor posting soon, but I couldn’t resist talking about weddings this summer.

In my previous post, I shared some ideas for using antique/vintage sterling pieces in your wedding to give it a special touch.

Today, I’m gonna give you some more ideas that I used in my own wedding starting with the engagement.

Instead of a new engagement ring, my husband and I searched for a vintage ring that had more character than a new one.

Idea #1:  Opt for a vintage engagement ring.

You don’t have to spend a small fortune on high-end estate jewelry.  We were patient and searched antique stores for those that had descent estate jewelry, but didn’t specialize in it.  Therefore, we got a much better deal and pieces can be had for far less than you can buy a new one.  Instead of a big “rock”, we choose a simple princess style ring.  It is set in platinum and has old mine cut diamonds  (they don’t cut diamonds this way anymore).  We only paid a few hundred dollars and it is worth every penny.  Family heirlooms, such as your mother’s or grandmother’s diamond can have extra special meaning.  Just update it by having it re-set.

Idea #2:  Search for jewelry pieces that have a story to tell.

The Victorians used special bracelets for a pre-engagement symbol?  Who knew?  We found mine for a song at an antique store. Kinda like a friendship ring.

I even wore this bracelet on my wedding day.

Idea #3:  Don’t leave your future husband out of the picture…find him some great cuff links.

Just look at this great pair of Edwardian rose gold cufflinks.  Handsome if I must say so and my husband got to be fashionably vintage as well!

 

 

Idea #4: Sterling lockets and heart charms have tons of uses in your vintage wedding so pick up several.

You can usually find lots of sterling heart charms at antique shows and good flea markets because charm bracelets were so popular with the Victorians and of course, ebay always has a good variety.  I removed the heart charms from a bracelet to use in other ways.

They can be tied onto your bouquet (which is what I did) or on your bridesmaids bouquets.  Use them on ring bearers pillows or on ribbons adorning guest chairs.

Can you even believe the detail on these tiny treasures?  Some are Edwardian and Art Nouveau.

 

You can’t go wrong with lockets.

Wear one yourself with a picture of you and your very soon-to-be husband or insert your parents or grandparents photos.

These make the greatest gifts for your bridesmaids, use small ones for flower girls, or give one to your mother and future mother-in-law.  Everyone’s will be different and unique and hand-picked by you. 

I’m especially partial to the locket pins but the necklace version is just fine.

I found the mother-of-pearl cross to wear the evening before we were married. 

 

I think it is so charming and crosses are such an important symbol for me.

 

How romantic!

 

 

These vintage pieces made my day so much more memorable.  What vintage pieces did you or your daughter use?

Please join me on Wednesday for my final post on vintage wedding ideas.  Remember to check out the first post HERE.

Hugs,

Kim

Linking up to the following great parties.  Please visit.

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at  Coastal Charm

Cowgirl Up! at Cedar Hill Ranch

Tuesdays Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Knick of Time Tuesday at Knick of Time Interiors

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