A vintage themed wedding is always a glamorous affair and whether you choose rustic style décor or opt for more stylish Hollywood glitz, the beauty of such a theme is that you can still put together a gorgeous display but with a smaller budget.
It’s time to scour eBay, the charity shops and your parent’s loft for those trophy finds and hidden gems, for the table decorations and everything in between! Here’s what the vintage bride can add to her list of budget buys:
The dress
You don’t need to fork out thousands of pounds on a dress like some brides do. In fact you can pick up a vintage bridal gown for a fraction of the price and have it altered to fit you. This will not only allow you to truly stick to your vintage theme, it will also save you some pennies for other things (i.e. the amount of wine you can put on the tables.)
Pearls
Draped over floral arrangements and across tables, pearls are very much a classic vintage item and you can pick up relatively cheap strings and necklaces online these days, to use in your décor. Local charity shops or eBay are your best options when it comes to sourcing pretty pearls for use in your wedding decorations and work with anything and everything colour scheme wise.
Pearls are also great to wear of course; don your Gran’s vintage necklace or wear them entwined within your updo to instantly become a vintage bride on a budget.
Rustic signs
Vintage tin signs and billboards are easy to find these days and can help tie in the vintage theme. Look for signs that refer to weddings, chapels and love, they can even work for the perfect engagement gift for a future friend’s wedding.
Birdcages
High street stores, such as The Range, Wilkinsons and even Asda all stock pretty ornamental birdcages that work perfectly for any vintage themed wedding. Fill them with flowers or even tea light candles for simple but elegant decorations you can place around your venue.
Lace
You might need to have it cleaned, but lace instantly adds a vintage feel to any wedding and can be picked up relatively cheaply from sites such as eBay or even John Lewis and Hobbycraft. Local markets will also stock rolls of lace for you to take away.
Here are some items that are difficult to source for a reasonable price:
Teacups
While vintage teacups would look great as part of your theme they can be costly. If you absolutely must have them then pay a visit to Camden market where vintage stores located there stock tonnes of vintage crockery for affordable prices. Online auction sites do not offer the best value for money when it comes to getting your hands on vintage teacups
Vintage table linen
While it might be lovely to use real vintage table linen for your wedding breakfast, don’t expect to find such items for a low price.
Photography
Don’t expect to find a photographer who will drop their price just for you, if you can enlist the help of a friend or family member who is great behind a camera that’s a cheaper option instead of paying for a professional.
A final tip, and if you want to keep prices reasonable, don’t mention the word wedding when booking anything, unless you really have to!
