Creating a Meaningful Vintage Wedding | Focus: Shopping for Cooks + Foodies

I'm back with another installment for the Meaningful Weddings Series! Missed the first post about the framework of creating a meaningful vintage wedding (+ a focus for book lovers)? Just click the link to catch up. ;) Today, the focus is on couples who love to cook (or just eat, hah!). Maybe your love is attending culinary school or is already a chef or maybe the two of you just love to try new foods during your travels ... whatever the draw, your passion is food so why not play that up with your wedding theme? If you're not sure how translate the love of food into a darling wedding theme, fret no more, my loves - I'm going to show you exactly how. ;) To get your thoughts flowing, let's take a look at a few fantastic floral vessels and props that would be both beautiful and symbolic for a chef's wedding:

Vintage French food tins lend style to a laidback affair - I love this red and yellow Bouillon Kub tin!

Antique French enamel salt boxes are incredibly charming - just drop a few peonies or hydrangea heads in and you're good to go!

A small French chocolat tin would look pretty sprinkled among floral arrangements. 

An antique French zinc bottle-drying rack can easily become a beautiful flowering tower!

Vintage wooden crates are just begging for flowers!

Vintage kitchen scales are adorable and would look great holding a bouquet or mixed in with the floral arrangements. Shop all three and several more in my shop. ;)

Hope these ideas got you thinking on how you can make your wedding more meaningful! The thing I love most is that all of these pretties could easily become treasured family heirlooms - maybe you'd just choose one item and gift it to your love as a wedding gift to include in the wedding and later, in your home. Hope you'll share how you would give a chef or foodie's wedding a meaningful spin! xx.

Images by moi, via CB Vintage.

How To Create A Meaningful Vintage Wedding | Today's Focus: Getting Started; Shopping for Book Lovers

Want to plan a classic vintage styled wedding with meaning but not sure how to achieve it? Well, I've outlined a guide for just that! Let's get started! :)

No. 1 | Color Palette
The very first thing I suggest you do is select a color palette. It will make everything else so much easier. It can be tough to choose but once you've made a selection, stick with it - from your Save the Dates to the wedding favors to the flowers - everything will look so much more pulled together and streamlined if it's all in the same palette. This will also help you achieve a better focus when shopping - you'll be able to zero in on your colors creating a much easier process. You'll also know when to say no and won't be tempted to buy antiques that don't fit your palette and vision.

No. 2 | List Making
Next up, it's time to make a vintage wares shopping list. The best way to start this process is to make a list of things that make you and your love smile. Think: traveling, taking photos, creating art, writing, reading, cooking, etc. Next, expand on each topic and think about ways you could incorporate each interest into your wedding. For instance, let's say your love has a passion for photography - maybe you could create your own photo booth for guests and collect several vintage cameras for use or decor. It might be fun to shop for vintage feather boas, spectacles, sunnies from the 60s, etc., as fun props, as well. Now it's time to start compiling your shopping list. In this example, you'd write down: vintage cameras, boas, spectacles + sunnies. 

No. 3 | Time to Shop

Okay, so you've made your lists and you're ready to hit the flea markets, Etsy, and those antique shops. If you have a clear focus, this shouldn't be a problem but if you're easily distracted or seduced by items not on your list, stop and ask yourself the following two questions:

- Does this item hold any significant meaning to us as a couple?

The last thing you want to do is buy a bunch of vintage stuff just to have a vintage styled wedding. Instead, slow down and have fun shopping for antique pieces that actually feel special to you and/or your fiance. I gave myself a year to plan our wedding and some of my favorite memories are antiquing all over the South with my Mom and friends. 

- Will I want to keep this item after the wedding?

It's okay if you say no to this question on some items but make sure you're answering yes more times than you answer no. Buy things that truly speak to your own sense of style and that you'd be happy keeping house with. When I was shopping vintage for my wedding, I looked at much of what I was buying as investment pieces. Some of my best silver was purchased for our wedding and I completely treasure those pieces today. Remind yourself that it's okay to splurge if you truly love the item and know that you'll grow old with it. 

To help get your creative wheels turning, I'm going to share a few of my favorite ideas for incorporating meaningful vintage wares over the next few weeks. Today, I'm going to focus on couples who love books!

Today's Focus: Couples Who Love To READ!

Let's say you or your love is a complete bookworm (I'm totally married to one!). Include that passion in your wedding day by hunting for antique versions of favorite titles ... or just hunt for vintage book titles that reflect your shared interests. They're also fun to include in photo sessions like your engagement! And to make the process even easier, I have a large selection of carefully sourced vintage books for sale in my wedding boutique so make sure you take a look. But to get your thoughts flowing, here's a peek back at two shoots I styled with some meaningful (to me) books:

These photos are from the preppy vintage shoot I did with eLLe PHOTOGRAPHY while I was in San Francisco last fall. I found the red RIP DARCY ADVENTURER book shown above when I was just 12 years old antiquing with my parents. As you may know, Darcy is my last name so this book immediately meant something to me and my family and I loved that it was a story about adventure. It was too perfect to pass up and almost 20 years later, I still adore having it on my bookshelf.

I love cheeky titles so when I spotted BAD GIRL at an antique shop in Alabama, I knew I had to have it. My friend, T, and I are always joking about the trouble we'll cause on vacations together so it was a no-brainer to include this in our shoot. ps. BAD GIRL is for sale if it has some meaning to you, too! ;) And there are lots of other cheeky titles in my collection, too! 

How can you not love a small book in weathered Nantucket red called THE LITTLE MAN? I haven't had time to stock this one in CBV yet but if you're interested, just shoot me an e-mail at theclassicbride@gmail.com.

If you've been a regular in blogland for any amount of time, you've probably fallen in love with the I MARRIED ADVENTURE book - you know the one. Well, I think this weathered Tiffany Blue BRIDE OF FORTUNE book is just as lovely (and not nearly as trendy). Again, e-mail me if you're interested in purchasing. ;)

These next two photos are from the inspiration shoot I styled in Paris with Juliane Berry. I found the lovely French books at brocantes in French towns near where we lived. For a Francophile like me, these romantic books are the epitome of classic French style. I think including them would be a lovely way to pay homage to French ancestry or any fun connection to France. :) They are all for sale - just e-mail me.

Feeling inspired yet? In addition to being fun photo props, vintage books can also be great visuals to stack by the guestbook; create centerpieces along with florals ... OR, my personal favorite, creating a custom clutch! Did I lose you? Remember a few years ago when Kate Spade came out with those darling book clutches (The Great Gatsby, etc.). Well, here's a book clutch tutorial I found that shows you how to turn any vintage book into a sweet clutch! Hello, original bridal clutch.

Tell me your thoughts on including meaningful vintage books in your wedding. I'd love to hear which books mean something to you! Tune in next week for another installment on creating meaningful vintage! 

Are Vintage Weddings Over? [Part Two]

Earlier this week, I asked "Are vintage weddings over?" and I shared my own opinions. Over on the corresponding Instagram post, Megan, of Glamour and Grace, brought up a great point that more people in the industry tend to be more tired of the rustic vintage styles rather than the classic vintage.

Yes, I won't argue that. :) Burlap-wrapped mason jars and bunting have certainly received more than a few critiques. But over the past few years, I feel like I've been seeing less and less bales of hay and quilts in open fields yet I'm still seeing a verbal backlash to the all-encompassing umbrella term "vintage." And that right there is at the heart of what bothers me so much about this backlash. If it's rustic chic you don't like, just say that. But please stop clumping so many varying styles together with the broad term "vintage" and declaring that they're all over.

There's a big difference between rustic vintage, black tie vintage, retro vintage, kitschy vintage, couture vintage, classic vintage ... I could go on and on. To throw them all together in one pile and make a broad remark just doesn't make sense to me.

And that brings me to my next point. I'll readily admit that I have never been a huge fan of the rustic vintage or shabby chic looks. I tend to like my vintage more polished and classic (obviously, I hope?).

While planning our wedding back in 2008, I remember first meeting our florist and trying to describe my vision when he suddenly perked up and said "Oh, so you want a romantic shabby chic look?"

I think I visibly cringed in my chair. I didn't want anything about my wedding to say "shabby." Chic - yes - but shabby - good lord, no. His description seriously sent me into mini-meltdown mode and I started wondering if the polished + timeless look I was pursuing and pouring my life into creating would be interpreted by others as "shabby chic." But somewhere in the middle of my freak-out I realized something. Who cares? It's all just labels. If you create something and love it 100 percent, that's all that should matter. I know it's a fairly elementary thing to say but I think its truth is often forgotten in the highly judgmental world of weddings.

As it turns out, maybe milk glass, french doors and hydrangeas (my floral vision) do create a shabby chic look. But you know what? I'll love that look until I die and I'll never think of it as shabby chic. It will always be timelessly beautiful to me.

So this long rant is all to basically say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

A sad, fleeting trend to one person may be eternally beautiful to another. And a trend that's clearly over to one may be just being discovered by another as something fresh and new. Everyone has a different take on the world and sees things differently - that's what makes our world so interesting and wonderful.

So pursue your own vision (whether it's rustic chic, black tie vintage or ultra modern) and remain loyal to it. Don't let a wedding vendor's personal description of your vision get you down and don't let a snarky wedding blogger's comments on broad styles make you question your own.

At the end of the day, a wedding is more about enduring love than enduring style.

That said, let's close with a few weddings that capture both equally well:

See more from this preppy New England wedding by Kat Hanafin

See more from this Paris elopement by Juliane Berry

See more from this timeless California wedding by Henry + Mac

See more from this retro Berlin wedding by Ashley Ludaescher

Are Vintage Weddings Over?

A few years ago, there was a Huffington Post article proclaiming that vintage was dead. It created both a buzz and a backlash among wedding bloggers and the industry as a whole. At the time, I dismissed the article because I didn't see the point in taking sides. Some people like vintage style, some don't - to each his own, right?

Well, in the past few months I've noticed a resurgence in what I'm going to call 'vintage attacks.' Fellow bloggers and industry pros alike keep letting little snarky tweets, memes + posts fly. They're saying they're (yet again) sick of the vintage trend.

But you know what? They'll be saying the same thing again five, ten, twenty years from now. Why? Because vintage is an ever-evolving + enduring style that never goes away.

A big reason so many vintage items and styles are still popular is because the styles themselves are undeniably classic.

Want some examples?
Full tulle skirts from the 50s.
Popular mod looks of the 60s and 70s.
Sequined frocks from the 80s.

These were all trends of their day but because the looks are so timeless, it doesn't feel dated when they're worn today. In fact, it tends to feel fresh.

Heck, even the plaid flannel J. Crew shirts I wore in middle school in the 1990s are a good example. They're definitely vintage now (as that door is always revolving) but they're just as chic and comfy now as they were then.

My point is that you can apply the word 'vintage' to almost anything that's more than 10 years old.

And while some of it may fade in and out of popularity (think 80s neon), some of it retains an eternal charm because of its inherent timelessness. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who would scoff at vintage Chanel or a vintage Aston Martin.

But let's talk weddings. As a girl whose only aim with her wedding style was to stay polished and timeless, I spent over a year collecting antiques for my wedding. Almost all of the decor at our wedding was vintage or antique and I personally found it (and still do find it) timelessly beautiful. My engagement ring is a combined family heirloom - it has diamonds from my family and from J's family. There's no new ring that would ever mean as much to me as the one I have.

Trends fluctuate ... they ebb and flow like the tides but classics remain constant and antiques and vintage wares are a big, huge part of that genre. They stand the test of time. I promise you they'll continue to be used in weddings long after people look back and laugh about the chalk color they wore in their hair on their wedding day or the paper mustaches they provided guests at their photo booths.

Obviously, not all vintage is created equal. But if you have the ability to distinguish the classics from the commons, you'll be swimming in enduring style.

To the classics!

I thought I'd end this post with a few favorite examples of vintage chic weddings I've previously shared on the blog:

This Southern bride used the same antique tussie mussie to hold her bouquet that all the brides in her family had used in their wedding ceremonies. Meaningful vintage may be the very best kind. See more from this Mountain Brook, Ala. estate wedding. Photo by Leslee Mitchell.

Classic vintage car exit FTW! See more from this preppy wedding here. Photo by Patricia Kantzos.

Family (wedding) photos never get old. And they look even more beautiful in antique frames. See more from this elegant wedding in the Hamptons. Photo by Patricia Kantzos.

A peek from my own wedding - antique silver will always offer a classic and polished look. And vintage cake toppers happen to be a personal favorite. See more from my Mississippi wedding. Photo by Itinerant Studio.

Vintage suitcases may have hit a high in the wedding industry a few years ago but this photo clearly demonstrates how classic and beautiful they can still look. See more from this vintage chic wedding in Columbus, Ohio, here. Photo by Adam Lowe.

Another from my Southern wedding. It just doesn't get more classic than an antique car, does it?

Hope you'll weigh in and tell me what you think about the state of vintage chic weddings. Love the look? Not so much? Let's chat!

FOR SALE | Classic Black (Tie) Typewriter for Weddings

I have another super chic typewriter for sale today! As you know, I just love seeing them featured in weddings (they're perfect for writing love notes; serving as guestbooks; or creating a fun kids station.) Today I'm sharing one of my favorites that I scooped up while antiquing in Germany. The black and white glossy keys scream black tie to me but it would work equally well at almost any wedding as the classic color combo translates easily.

I found that little piece of paper w/Eva's info as I was taking the typewriter out of its carrying case!

About the typewriter:

This is a gorgeous German Triumph Norm-6 Typewriter which features the beautiful blue Triumph shield on the upper-right corner. The shiny glass +chrome keys are in perfect condition. On the front of the typewriter just below the space bar it reads "Triumph Werke Nurnberg A.G. Nurnberg. It also has a small plaque above the number keys reading "Leo Goertz | Saarlautern | Telefon 2978." I believe the plaque was put on by the shop which sold the typewriter. And the slip of paper shown in the photo above contains the info of the person I believe owned the typewriter - talk about history - this little machine has it! I was told by the vendor that the typewriter dates back to the mid-1930s. The serial number is 182188.

This deliciously retro typewriter is in excellent vintage condition and has no chips or cracks. The painted metal casing is a shiny black and is in pristine condition with the exception of a little rusting in the very front (seen in photos).  All keys are working but a few are sticking a bit - I think after a little bit of use they would work just fine. The return bell lets out the most delightful ring. The typewriter comes with its original hard carrying cover/case (which shows a little wear) and has a cute leather handle that makes transporting a cinch. The typewriter measures approximately 10.5" wide x 12.5" deep x 4.5" high.

Note: Because this is a German typewriter, the keys are in a different layout than American typewriters (called QWERTZ rather than QWERTY). However, all keys are fully functioning. Also, the typewriter ribbon has dried out a little bit so it will probably need to be replaced with a fresh universal ribbon to produce crisp letters. The current ribbon is still working but the ink is slowly fading.

Price: $248.00 + shipping
If you're interested in the typewriter and would like to request a shipping quote (or have any questions!), just message me your zip code at theclassicbride@gmail.com! First come, first serve.

ps. Here's another classic black typewriter for sale. Or if you're looking for more color, I also have a  Tiffany Blue colored typewriter for sale! 

All photos by moi.

How to Use Antiques in Your Wedding: Love Locks for Engagement Sessions (+for sale!)

As part of my antiquing series, I've been sharing some of my favorite ways to incorporate antiques in your wedding. I've shared how to use vintage French enamel pitchers, watering cans, French champagne buckets and French vintage baskets as vases ... and today, I'm going to share another favorite: Vintage Love Locks! 

I've had a small obsession with vintage locks for years. They just tend to be so pretty and so much cooler than modern locks. I think they're a great little prop to use for engagement sessions - whether you're adding the lock to a love lock bridge like the ones in Paris {which is what J&I did in this shoot} or simply holding the lock while your love holds the key ... a beautiful shot for Save the Dates! Anyway, I thought I'd share two pretty locks I currently have with you. If you're interested in either {or would like more info/measurements/photos}, just e-mail me at theclassicbride[at]gmail[dot]com! :)

I love the art deco-y lines of this lock and that it says "MAIL" - fun!
Note: The MAIL lock is in the locked position and does not have its key.

And you may recognize this next heart-shaped lock as it was featured in CB's Parisian Love Shoot - if you scroll down, I'm sharing a few excerpts from the shoot so you can see it in action. ;)

Can you get over this little lock?! The heart shape had me at hello and I just love that charming design around the keyhole - it couldn't be cuter if it tried, amirite?!

Note: The heart lock opens and closes easily but is missing its key.
ps. Even though this lock is missing its key, I think it would be darling paired with a petite-sized skeleton key for a Save the Date with your honey! No one has to know the key doesn't fit. ;)

Here's a few photos of the heart-shaped beauty looking pretty in Paris from our shoot with Juliane Berry:

"Attached" to the Pont des Arts ... but not for long! ;)

I also have one other lock for sale which you can check out right here. I call it my cupid's arrow lock. ;)

Again, if you're interested in anything {or would like more info/measurements/photos}, 

just e-mail me at theclassicbride@gmail.com!

And if you missed my series on flea marketing for your wedding, catch up here!

All color images by moi; all black and white images by Juliane Berry.

Intimate Columbus, Ohio, Wedding by Adam Lowe Photography

There's something magical about today's wedding. I'm absolutely in love with the vintage glass box Violet and Jason used as a ring box {and the beautiful tradition they incorporated with it - you'll see}; the earthy natural palette of greens and whites; and the super cool urban + industrial venue the couple chose. Everything flows together so organically and seamlessly. It's beautiful in the best kind of way because everything feels oh-so-natural. Oh, and don't get me started on that lovely cake! / Gorge photos by Adam Lowe Photography.

Says Violet, "Style wise, my favorite touches were my accessories. I wanted a modern but vintage feel to my dress so I loved my vintage-looking earrings and veil, as well as the pop of color in my red shoes. 

My favorite memory of the day was actually spending time together before the wedding, taking pictures with our photographer ... it was the most time we were able to spend together. Once the wedding started we were too busy talking to all of our guests so it was nice to have that time together.

The vision for the day was to have an elegant but simple wedding. Mood wise, we wanted to keep it simple by not having bridesmaids or groomsmen, we wanted to keep it intimate with just the two of us. We only had Jason's sister and my brother read at the ceremony in order to include a few people we cared about in the ceremony. Decor wise, I really loved the aisle markers my mom made for the ceremony they gave it a whimsical feel. I also loved our cake topper and vintage suitcase we used for the place cards.

Since we didn't do a religious ceremony we were worried about our ceremony being too short. We wanted to add some depth or level of significance besides 'I do' so we researched different non-religious ceremonies and how to beef them up. We came across a ceremony called 'warming of the rings' where the guests get involved and pass the rings around and wish you good luck and bless them. Here is a link with more info.

We chose The Venue at Dock 580 because we loved the exposed brick and open feel of it. It had the industrial/vintage feel we were going for. We also knew we wanted the ceremony to take place at our venue and it had a very nice courtyard that still felt separate from the reception part of the venue. We preferred an outdoor ceremony and we definitely didn't want to get married in the same room as our reception. They also had a very simple pricing structure per head as opposed to per item which kept it simple.

Decor wise, I wanted our wedding to be classic and elegant as well as a little vintage. I chose mainly whites with touches of grey, beige and green, which are very earthy colors. I thought the white flowers, tablecloths/chairs looked nice against the brick of the venue.

We wanted to attend our cocktail hour since we were paying for it ;) and that also enabled us to have more time with our family and guests, as the day flies by so quickly.

I loved the silver mint julep vases we used for the flowers. I felt they added a classic touch to the tables."

Violet + Jason's Love Story:

Jason and I met at our place of work at the time. We were only friends for a few years, even though we were both attracted to each other ;) After awhile, we both figured out we liked each other and the rest is history.

Thank you so much to Violet and Jason for sharing their endearingly beautiful wedding and to Adam Lowe for sharing his always gorge photos with us! xx.

Violet leaves us with the one piece of advice she would give herself back when she was a bride-to-be {you know, if time travel were possible and all}: "I think it would be to relax more and not stress out. I tend to be a perfectionist so I stressed all the way till the wedding and on the day. Somehow at the end of the day it all works out no matter what little hiccups there might be."

ps. Did you miss Violet and Jason's engagement session? It only included the prettiest tulle skirt on Earth! See more here. ;)

Credits: Venue: Dock 580  / Photographer: Adam Lowe Photography / Cake: The Cake Studio / Flowers: DIY (Violet and her mom) through The Floweman / Hair: Jacob Neal - Garrett / Dress: Ramona Keveza - La Jeune Mariee / Earrings: Haute Bride, style EC907 / Shoes: Badgley Mishka / Veil: Twigs and Honey / Jason's Suit: DKNY / Jason's Shoes: Kenneth Cole / Aisle decor: made by Violet's mom from curly willow, tree trunks, and hydrangea