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Vintage Wedding Dresses

What is 'Vintage'?

Vintage, in terms of fashion is used to describe clothing which was manufactured between the 1920s and the 1980s. A pre vintage styled wedding dress by Charlotte Balbier 1920s wedding dress would be considered 'Antique' while a gown made between the 1980s and the mid 1990s would be classed as 'Retro'.

Why a Vintage Wedding Dress?

For the Uniqueness

If wearing a gown that no-one else you know will ever wear or has ever worn is important to you then an authentic vintage wedding gown would be a good way to make sure this is the case.

In order to achieve this you will need to seek out some good boutiques which sell authentic vintage wedding dresses though of which there are a few around the UK such as The Vintage Wedding Dress Company in London or Vintage Dress in Bristol.

For the Love of It

Some brides simply have a love of a specific period in time such as the 1950s which is extremely popular and they want this side of their personality to be reflected in their big day. If this is the case then you don't necessarily need to seek out an authentic and original vintage wedding dress but you can still go to specialist vintage wedding dress companies where you will find gowns designed specifically to suit the various eras. For example Circa Brides based in London have a collection which spans the 1920s to the 1980s which are all designed and produced very much in the here and now to reflect bygone eras. Or you could simply go to some of our best known wedding dress designers such as Charlotte Balbier and Jenny Packham where you will find a range of beautiful dresses that have a vintage feel to them.

For the Fun of It

When you mention 'vintage' people tend to think of something Victorian (which is actually Antique not Vintage) or art nouveau but what about the swinging 60s or the funky 70s? These eras are synonymous with fun, music, outrageous colours and clothing (I have the 70s in mind here). If you really want to get all your guests involved how about going for the fun element and getting everyone to dress up in something for a bygone era?

The most important thing for every bride is that they feel a million dollars on their wedding day. To do this you must stay true to yourself and your personality because if you wear something that goes against your personality you will not be comfortable or confident and that will come across in your demeanour and your wedding photos and ultimately will affect your memories of your big day.

Theme It

The beauty of picking a vintage wedding dress is that you can then carry this across the theme of your whole wedding. You don't need to go to the extreme though if that is not what you want, it can be as obvious or as subtle as you want it to be just have fun with it. Have a look at our Vintage Wedding article for more hints and tips with styling your wedding, from the wedding stationery to the wedding flowers.

So if you do have a love of a specific look such as the 1920s or a specific person in history such as Marilyn Monroe or Greta Garbo then go with it but be sure you take into account your body shape still when choosing your vintage wedding dress.