The Vintage Wedding Checklist Part Two

 

Glitter Death Boutique Pillbox Hat $22 from Etsy 

If you've read the Vintage Wedding Checklist Part One, you are already one third there to planning the best vintage wedding. In Part one we discussed how to pick the best antique engagement ring, how to do your proposal in a vintage setting and tips on find the best vintage wedding dress.

Here you will find part two of the checklist.

 You can find costume people to make costumes for your flower girl (Dance Girl Clothing on Etsy)

Now, we're going to go over: 

• Costumes and or era clothing for the wedding party.
• Venue with an "Old Feel"
• Retro invitations.
• Catering that's Delicious on vintage china!

4. COSTUMES AND/ OR ERA CLOTHING FOR THE WEDDING PARTY 

Finding a dress is not always the final step,  but working it into the theme of your party. For instance, let's say you picked a vintage 1970's dress, then your wedding party, servers, and musicians may want to share in the 1970's theme.  You should carefully plot and plan just what you will need and when.

Historic Shady Lane (York/Manchester County Pennsylvania)  Pic: Facebook

5. VENUE WITH AN OLD FEEL - HISTORIC VENUES

Historic venues with old buildings are perfect for a vintage wedding. So many people are renting farms now, or historic properties.  Take for instance Historic Shady Lane in Manchester, PA the land has many historic buildings perfect for wedding photos and the best vintage feel.  Not to mention it's perfect for a wedding party and reception party.

When selecting a venue find out how many patrons it can accomodate, if there's a place to change (if having a reception and wedding at same venue. Many venues will have catering connections or photography connections!

 

 OfThingsPretty on Etsy has bridal invitations and more great retro style cards!

6. RETRO INVITATIONS

It goes without saying vintage invitations have to work into your theme! Perhaps find invitations for bridal showers, wedding receptions and actual wedding that look retro are needed. In them you can describe your "retro vintage wedding party."

This set of mismatched china is $50.50 on Etsy at Fanciful Tableware.

7.  VINTAGE CATERING STYLES AND TRENDS

Mismatched China

A fun new trend is mis-matching old vintage china for wedding parties.  If you are on a budget, this hip trend makes it easy for all your family and friends to donate pieces of mismatched china for the need, or find sets in thrift stores or on Etsy.  Caterers can also bring in vintage style china to accent your table.

Backyard BBQ wedding parties are getting more popular says Big Fat Daddy's owner Wayne Schafer. 

Paper Plate BBQ Throwdown

If you don't want to go crazy with the china, maybe have a backyard barbecue and break out regular paper plates! This kind of informal catering is getting more popular says Wayne Schafer , Pitmaster of Big Fat Daddy's. 

 "We have a lot of folks who invite us out to their farm and have a big party after the wedding. Traditional caterers often offer smaller portions, but not us, we have the all you can eat BBQ and sometimes that's more budget friendly for your friends and family."

Schafer says they do change first so as not to get the barbecue sauce all over their vintage outfits.  Most popular he says are "old farm settings."  He says, "Mostly this is paper plated, which is more cost effective for them. "

 Pretty in Pink Polka Dot Paper Plates on Etsy at LilPika

So now you are two thirds there planning your vintage and retro style wedding.

Continue to Vintage Wedding Checklist Part 3 

Fine Jewelry Iconic DuetsFineJewelry Vintage Wedding Checklist Part Three

Icons of the past:  Jackie Onassis Kennedy Loved Emeralds. 

Today we look at the iconic styles of vintage celebrities and their love for all things bling , aka, their jewelry choices.  Part of a three part wedding checklist series, we have to refocus on the jewelry. It's not only important for engagement, but for bridesmaids, the bride to be, and even after the wedding as a way to show how much you care.  Women and jewelry, well, they go together like peanut butter and jelly.  Not to mention, Fine Gold Jewelry was worn by the most famous celebrities, so if you could pick, which celebrity are you?  

The Emerald Queen : Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Emeralds, stand for the birthstone of the month of May, (sign of Taurus) as worn by Jackie Kennedy Onassis, above, her famous Diamond and Emerald engagement ring made heads turn. It was hard to catch a glimpse of the ring, as this former first lady always wore dainty gloves!   Funny fact is, Jackie O was a Leo, not a Taurus and born in July. Perhaps she (or John) just loved the pairing of diamonds and emeralds.....  Sadly, she passed in May, the birthstone month of the iconic ring. 

Emeralds are a wonderful way to continue to say "I love you" to your bride.  In lore, this stone opens the heart chakra and the ancients believed it opened and nurtured the heart. 

Emerald Diamond Ring at Duets Fine Jewelry Etsy Shop, $850

Iconic: Princess Diana and her Sapphire Ring.  Raw Sapphire by PNG Arts.

The Sapphire Princess Duo  : Diana / Kate 

This ring was made iconic by Princess Diana, then again in history when Kate Middleton wore it (and wears it to this day.)  Sapphires are usually thought of as blue, and have been made fashionable over time; but they can appear in most every color gray, black, colorless or even an orangey-pink (or pinkish orange, depending on your opinion.) It's the birthstone of September, and the sign of Virgo. Ironically Diana was born in July and Kate in January.  

Get the Look!

Sapphire Statement Earrings, Duets Fine Jewelry on Etsy, click for pricing.

Sapphire and Diamond Ring by DuetsFineJewelry, on sale currently $891

Paired with or without the earrings, the ring is astonishing! I have always been a huge fan of sapphire, perhaps it's just so classy. When paired with diamonds there's nothing better! The earrings are also good for Bridesmaids or weddings, and are set in white gold.  In lore, the sapphire is highly prized, to bring good fortune and serves as a mental stabilizer. Nothing like that to keep a wife harmoniously happy.

Who doesn't love Diamonds?  They ARE a girls best friend...

After All, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend: Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, iconic legendary sultry sweetheart is still alive in our hearts when we think of diamonds. Gwen Stefani recently did a great Marilyn Monroe impression; but she's been impersonated by the best of them over the years by Madonna and some of the best icons along the way. 

Diamonds, are also the birthstone for April, (ironically Marilyn was born in June) and in lore known for balance, abundance and brings clarity to the wearer.  Diamond deposits were formed over 900 million years ago but weren't mined (found) until 4th century BC, where they were used as a form to "repel evil." Diamonds also come in other colors, such as black.  Vintage estate rings contain diamonds sometimes called "mining diamonds" which contain diamonds that are imperfectly cut, not as clear and not as brilliant due to the ways of cutting back in the late 1800's early 1900's but can be prizable possessions among antique jewelry collectors.  Once unheard of, today diamonds are fashionable in many other colors, browns, yellows, and even black!

Get the Look!

What a gorgeous idea! Above:  Monogrammed Diamond Bracelet on Etsy and below, a stunning ring at Duets Fine Jewelry

Duets Fine Jewelry on Etsy : Half Eternity Band. Stunning.

Buy Loose Diamonds!

You can buy your own diamond and have it set in a ring! Many colors at Duets Fine Jewelry on Etsy

It's now a fad to buy your own loose diamond, and have a local artisan set it in a ring for you. This way you can create your own setting and draw your own ring based on a pattern. If this is the case, Duets Fine Jewelry on Etsy above, has loose diamonds in many shapes and sizes.  If you don't see something , just ask!  Thanks to them for working with me for this article!

In Summary: 

So if this article has told you anything, it should be that you don't have to be born in the birth month of your favorite stone. Perhaps something draws a wearer to the particular ring, rock, or gemstone.  The Wedding Checklist is not complete without follow up after the wedding, continue to dress like a diva to make your husband happy, and husbands must continue to treat the wife like a cherished object!

Thanks for reading.

Links you May Enjoy / Sources: 

Duets Fine Jewelry on Etsy  (Links Above in Article)

Wedding Checklist Part One
Wedding Checklist Part Two
Wedding Checklist Part Three 

Antique Engagement Ring The Vintage Wedding Checklist Part One

Apples of Gold Engagement Ring, this one here. 

Vintage weddings are hip, trendy, and in style.  This three part checklist will give you a start to finish step by step process on how to have the perfect vintage experience from start to finish.  Your checklist is simple yet the engagement rings are the most important. This is going to be something symbolizing the love that you carry, on your finger for the rest of your life!   Simply put, here is your checklist:

1. Antique Engagement Ring
2. Proposal in a Vintage Setting.
3. Finding the best Vintage Wedding Dress
4. Costumes and or era clothing for the wedding party.
5. Venue with an "Old Feel"
6. Retro invitations.
7. Catering that's Delicious on vintage china!
8. Decorations, from vintage banners to a retro cake!
9. Wedding music set in the era.
10. The Perfect Vintage Wedding Ring.

Let's start at the beginning.


1. HOW TO BUY THE RIGHT ANTIQUE ENGAGEMENT RING

For your retro wedding, it’s probably crossed your mind to buy an antique engagement ring. Such a thought is dismissed fairly quickly when you’ve seen some the amazingly high price tags displayed in jewelry stores or online. Also many men believe that antique engagement rings are in a class of jewelry that is fit for only the rich and famous.  While this might be true in a lot of cases, you can still purchase a very good quality antique engagement ring without any serious risk of becoming bankrupt. Choosing the right antique engagement ring is just a matter of knowing some of the basics in shopping for antique jewellery.

The following is our shoppers guide for choosing the best antique engagement ring suited to your loved significant other.

• Is The Style Suited? One of the first areas you need to address as you browse jewellery stores is to work out what antique engagement ring style is going to suit best to the tastes or preferences of your loved one. Ask yourself is this going to be something that she’ll adore for the rest of her life? 
• What about quality? Look at the design and craftsmanship of the ring rather than just focusing on the size of the gem. Consider the main aspects of the stones such as the colour, cut, clarity and then carat size. A lot of women find the actual design more important than the sizing of the stone or diamond. Also having a smaller diamond of higher quality is going to be better in some cases as it’s harder to pick up any obvious flaws. You’ll also find a lot of antique engagement rings have very decorative surrounding design it that creates an illusion of a larger size stone or diamond. 
• Focus On Time Periods You can also make some very appropriate choices in antique engagement rings if you focus on the right time period. For example if you know that your loved one is really into gemstones and not diamonds then you focus your search within the Art Deco era. This era consists predominantly of stones that are rubies or emeralds and also include sapphires and amethysts. You also can potentially find some amazing and stunning designs with the Victorian and Edwardian eras. It’s quite remarkable the level of detail and attention that has gone into the designing of rings in these eras. 

Final Steps – Checking The Authenticity 

 After using the above guidelines, chances are you will find what you consider the most suitable antique engagement ring for your loved one. However as a final step, you still must ask the jewellery store for a report or certificate of authenticity that has been done by a gemologist. This will verify if the engagement is as old as the jeweler claims.


As another added precaution you should also get the ring appraised and seek insurance from a 3rd party. This is extra way of getting verification of the quality level of both the stones and metal. Taking these necessary final steps is going to be reassuring for you and will go a long way in giving her the perfect antique engagement ring she’s always been dreaming of.   Get more information here.

 Looks like a romantic setting for a proposal , at least it did circa 1920, this from EphmeraObscura

2. THE PERFECT PROPOSAL

When you think of earlier days, romance was simplistic yet beautiful. A kiss under the moonlight, a walk in the park, sitting on the park bench holding hands, or walking together after getting the best ice cream sundae at the local pop shop.  Perhaps your soon to be hubby needs to find the perfect place to utter the words , "Will you marry me?" , even if it is in a retro car at the top of point lookout, after smooching and listening to some 50's be-bop music.

Edwardian anyone? Great for a vintage wedding. Pic: BeigeVintageCo

3. FINDING THE BEST WEDDING DRESS

Fit and fabric is very important. If you are going vintage, expect to have some minor imperfections from the previous life. You can life with a few minor tears or small rips in the fabric but the big worry is the OVERALL condition of the fabric. Make sure it's not fitting you like a glove because , if it dry rotten you will find yourself making a quick turn and your dress is blown out of the side, leaving your wedding party staring in horror.... How will you know? Make sure to test a small section of the fabric where no one will see, stretch it and pull it with your hand, is it ripping that easy, if so, as much as you'd like the dress, you may not have found the right one.

Lace is extremely fragile, and that's not the main concern, it's the fabric underneath and the seams that you must worry about, and the fabric that holds the zipper in tact.  There are plenty of vintage dresses made within the past century that will look simply lovely.!

Continue Reading: 

Vintage Wedding Checklist Part Two
Vintage Wedding Checkist Part Three 

This page last updated 12.2.18 and checked for good links. If you find a dead one please let us know!