30 Vintage Wedding Ideas for a Timeless Look

Bride and Groom Standing in Front of Old Theater — Photo by Brogen Jessup

Modern weddings with monochromatic color palettes, minimalist décor, and sculptural shapes are a popular aesthetic choice at the moment, but retro nuptials will always transcend time. Since vintage weddings channel the look and feel of a past decade or time period, these overarching design concepts will infuse your big day with a sense of nostalgia and escapism. Whether you’re a history buff, an antique collector, or an oldies music lover, taking your guests all the way back through your décor and attire will reflect your personality and interests and provide an unforgettable experience for everyone in attendance.

Depending on the time period you want to replicate, vintage weddings can have many different interpretations. That’s why it’s important to narrow down your favorite decade first and foremost before conceptualizing your design. Whether it’s the romance of the Victorian era, the opulence of the 1920s, or the groovy vibes of the 1970s, there are so many reference points to draw inspiration from—and each has a totally distinct feel. Vintage can also take on more of a general meaning, generating an overarching old-world feel at your event.

To bring your chosen era back to life, let the historical period inform every detail behind your affair, from your invitations to the cake. If you’re executing a bohemian-chic, 1960s-inspired wedding, for instance, focus on decorating your venue with bold colors and geometric shapes. You can even let the era inform your wedding look, like your wedding dress, makeup, and hairstyle.

Wondering how to turn back the clock on your big day? Here are 30 vintage wedding ideas for a timeless affair.

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Choose a Retro Font

Palm Springs Themed Wedding Invitations — Photo by Move Mountains Co

Your invitations play a significant role in communicating expectations for your upcoming wedding. Since the text will make up the bulk of these pieces of stationery, one vintage wedding idea is introducing your theme by picking a retro font style and color. For instance, at this 1950s-inspired nuptials in Palm Springs, the couple chose block letters and bold hues to relay the details of their affair. They also incorporated phrases, like “Hey, cool cat,” and mid-century modern illustrations to reflect the vernacular, architecture, and style of the decade.

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Add a Hand-Torn Edge

Whimsical Wedding Invitations — Photo by Liz Banfield

If you aren’t recreating a particular time period with your vintage wedding, intricate calligraphy on hand-torn paper will elicit an old-fashioned feel. This bride and groom invited their guests to their celebration at a museum in Illinois via neutral stationery with gold script and a deckle-edge, which were reminiscent of an announcement on a paper scroll.

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Incorporate Vintage Stamps

Invitation suite with black, white, and emerald color palette and vintage stamps — Photo by Heather Waraksa

Vintage stamps will add a realistic touch to your invitation suite. Choose postage with symbols, landmarks, and people that represent your chosen time period, whether it’s Katharine Hepburn in the ‘40s or a boombox in the ‘80s. Just a note: Because these older stamps have a lower value, you may have to use several of them to successfully mail your invitations.

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Reference the Time Period With Your Attire

Bride in a high-neck silk satin slip dress featuring a cowl back, paired with lace gloves — Photo by Paula Jackson Photography

Using former fashion trends to inspire your wedding attire will help reproduce the intended era. Do some research on the most popular fashion of the decade before choosing an outfit accordingly. Whether it’s an Edwardian-style silk wool gown with a cowl neck (like this bride wore at her high-fashion wedding in Miami) or a flapper-inspired fringe mini dress, your look will help create an authentic experience. Bonus points if your garment is a second-hand piece—it can even function as your “something old.”

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Accessorize With a Birdcage Veil

Bride putting on birdcage veil with pearl accents — Photo by Chris & Ruth Photography

With a cropped length and netted tulle, birdcage veils are a chic accessory to pair with your vintage wedding dress. Since these face coverings were first introduced in the ‘40s, this piece is best for nuptials inspired by that decade, like glamorous old Hollywood aesthetics. Choose a style with embellishments, such as pearls or florals, to give the item an extra flair.

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Wear Heirloom Jewelry

Close Up of Brides Accessories — Photo by Megan Noll Photography

For a vintage wedding idea that’s on theme and sentimental, round off your look with heirloom family jewels that have been passed down for generations. Maybe you want to accessorize with your grandmother’s antique bracelet, or perhaps your engagement ring is an old valuable. Either way, wearing these special pieces on your big day will make you feel a strong connection to your family’s history.

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Embrace Old Hollywood Glam

Portrait of Bride in White Strapless Ball Gown — Photo by Andre Brown

In addition to seeking inspiration from the time period’s fashion trends, embody a past beauty look. For an old Hollywood soirée, like this timeless celebration in Atlanta, style your locks in a sweeping side part with cascading curls and embrace a flawless complexion with defined eyes (and a red lip if you’re feeling bold).

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Carry a Muted Floral Arrangement

Moody bridal bouquet with roses and purple flowers — Photo by Ana Hinojosa

Dark, moody flowers will help reinforce your vintage wedding theme, especially if you’re executing a Victorian-inspired function. When you walk down the aisle, consider carrying a bouquet of dried foliage and deep purple-colored blooms. Then, use those blossoms to comprise the rest of your floral elements, such as your bar décor and centerpieces.

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Take Portraits in a Vintage Vehicle

Bride and Groom posing in front of vintage convertible — Photo by Brooke Miller Photography

A vintage car is a wonderful way to portray another age, and it makes a fun prop for a photo shoot. For instance, this duo rented a 1970 Lincoln Continental for their earth-tone Joshua Tree fête, but there are so many options to explore. Have your photographer snap pictures while you’re propped up on the hood and seated in the interior before driving off to your ceremony. You can also use the retro automobile as your getaway car at the end of the evening.

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Arrive in a Horse-Drawn Carriage

bride, father of the bride, and flower girl arriving to wedding in horse and carriage — Photo by Megan Robinson

Not only is arriving at your ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage reminiscent of a bygone era, but it’s also a memorable way to make an entrance. We love this idea for vintage weddings at a ranch, pasture, or farm—such as this function at a Utah ranch—where horses run wild.

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Display Signage in Antiquated Frames

wedding welcome sign in gilded frame with custom monogram on an easel — Photo by Unique Lapin Photography

Instead of welcoming guests to your event with a simple paper sign, present it in a gilded frame with a distressed gold hue and an intricate border (like the one at this French-inspired wedding in Delaware). These ornate decorations suit Art Deco celebrations particularly well. If you’re looking for another creative project to tackle, you can even go the DIY route and find an antique frame from a thrift store.

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Enter Your Ceremony Through a French Doorway

French door wedding entrance decorated with flowers and greenery — Photo by Scott Clark Photography

Assembling an antique French door at your outdoor ceremony, like the one at this lakeside soirée in Hudson Valley, will make guests feel like they’re traveling back in time as they walk through it. Stepping through this vintage decoration will also create an even more compelling walk down the aisle for you. For a lush touch, trim the piece with greenery and seasonal fresh flowers in hues from your color palette.

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Adorn Your Altar With Collector’s Items

Candles, Eggs, and Fruit Decor at Wedding Altar — Photo by Jose Villa

To bring a vintage flair to your ceremony setup, decorate your altar with antique objects. That's what this couple did when putting together their take on the sofreh aghd; an ornate candelabra and engraved silver urns filled with fruit enhanced the traditional component of their Persian ceremony. If, like this duo, you’re tying the knot in a garden service, complete the site with plenty of vibrant blooms for texture and color.

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Arrange Antique Garden Chairs

White Garden Chairs at Wedding Ceremony — Photo by Niven Weddings

Want to transform your venue into the Palace of Versailles in late 18th-century France? Choose antique garden chairs for your guests’ ceremony seats, which is what these grooms did at their opulent wedding in Michigan. For another old-world touch, place a handheld fan on each one.

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Feature Gold-Painted Furniture

Gold and glass vintage bar cart with antique phone and bouquet of white roses — Photo by Heather Waraksa

Gilded furniture will help bring your vintage theme to life, especially fêtes that echo the Roaring Twenties. Use a table with worn gold paint and wooden wagon wheels to display important items, such as your guest book or wedding cake, to evoke glitz and glamour.

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Swap Your Guest Book for a Typewriter

vintage typewriter guest book — Photo by Bonnie Sen

Before the modern-day computer, typewriters were the go-to tool used to write and record information, which is why it’s the perfect alternative to the traditional guest book. Take cues from this pair, who set up the device at a table near the entrance of their vintage wedding in the Virginia countryside for guests to type their messages and well-wishes.

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Assemble a Victorian Lounge Area

cocktail hour lounge vignette — Photo by Shelly Anderson Photography

If the elegance of the Victorian age grabs your attention, one vintage wedding idea is setting up a lounge area that coincides with the interior design trends of the previous era—while providing comfort, of course. A velvet emerald green couch with a dark wood finish, a gilded coffee table, and a floral-printed chair featuring a scalloped edge hit all of the common design themes of the time period.

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Give Your Bar an Art-Deco Flair

black wedding bar with gold geometric design and gold shelves — Photo by Adriana Rivera

Black-and-gold color palettes were a staple in art, architecture, and interior design that dominated the 1920s and 1930s. For an Art Deco-inspired wedding, bring this color scheme to your bar. A gilded geometric pattern, black fringe lamps, and gold shelves will help build this vision.

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Integrate a Caravan Photo Booth

cocktail hour with caravan photo booth — Photo by Katherine Marchand Weddings

Photo booths are a fun, engaging activity that guests always enjoy, so why not give it a retro makeover? Set up your photo station in a vintage Volkswagen for ‘70s-inspired weddings. To provide a cohesive feel, turn back the clock with an old font that’s reminiscent of that decade.

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Look to Mirrored Décor

Seating chart on vintage gold mirrors on a greenery wall and floating candles — Photo by Courtney Simpson Photography

Mirrored décor is one of the best ways to channel a vintage vision reminiscent of 17th-century Europe. If you’re planning a wedding with this theme, for your seating chart, consider enlisting a stationery designer to calligraph baroque mirrors, like the ones at this garden affair in New Jersey. Hang the items from a boxwood wall and trim them with floating candles for an upscale feel.

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Create Ambience With Brass Lanterns

Escort card display with lanterns and dried foliage — Photo by Michelle Beller Photography

If you’re looking for another decoration idea for your seating chart or escort card display at your vintage wedding, scatter brass lanterns around the area. Choose ones with a battered exterior and opt for flickering candles to convey an antiquated feel. For an added touch, combine the fixtures with overgrown, wispy foliage, which was part of this organic event at a ranch in Montana.

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Suspend Disco Balls from the Ceiling

A sweetheart table framed by a floral arch and beneath an installation of disco balls and flower chandeliers — Photo by Sophie Lin Berard

Disco balls are the epitome of the ‘70s, so if you’re throwing a Studio 54-themed reception, suspend these glittering spheres above your dance floor. For another groovy note, accompany the reflective decorations with colorful flower chandeliers. As you and your guests dance beneath the glitzy objects, make sure to play throwback hits from popular bands of that decade, such as ABBA and the Bee Gees.

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Drape Your Tables With Lace Linens

gold-rimmed chargers, gold flatware, blue glassware, and moody florals on lace linens — Photo by Jenn Emerling

Lace tablecloths will give your reception a romantic, antique air that’s ideal for Victorian-inspired nuptials. Top the textured fabric with moody flowers and jewel-toned glassware, like the ones at this coastal affair in Santa Barbara, to drive your theme home. If simple linens coincide with your vision more, you can always incorporate a subtle nod by draping the material over your cake table.

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Decorate With Classic Literary Works

stack of leather-bound vintage books as centerpieces — Photo by Michelle Shiers Photography

To bring an element of time travel to your big day, display classic pieces of literature by some of the most famous authors in history, from William Shakespeare to Emily Brontë. Instead of the traditional floral centerpieces, stack a few leather-bound, intricately-decorated books published decades ago. You can even use the novels as a base for gilded lamps and table numbers with old script, which were on display at this literature-themed wedding in Malibu.

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Opt for Geometric Patterns

Table numbers with latticework and circular graphic — Photo by Jana Williams Photography

Interior design in the ‘80s was filled with unique shapes and bold patterns, so why not emulate the former trend? One vintage wedding idea is rethinking your table numbers by integrating the standard décor of the time period. For example, at this floral-filled fête in Palm Springs, the bride and groom used latticework and bold, circular graphics to identify each table.

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Spotlight Candelabras

Table Tops with Green Plant Life and Candles — Photo by Giuseppe Marano

Want to replicate a scene from the Renaissance at your vintage wedding? Line the center of each reception table with antique candelabras, like this couple did at their glamorous nuptials in France. Taper candles dripping with wax and candle holders with worn gold and intricate carvings will reenact a historical moment. Gold flatware and crystal chandeliers will also help build credibility.

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Consider Unique Shapes

Unique candle holders with mustard taper candles — Photo by Brogen Jessup

Since unconventional shapes and bright hues were defining features of the ‘80s, if you’re alluding to that decade at your vintage wedding, incorporate those elements into your reception tables. Mustard yellow taper candles extending from a squiggly, sculptural piece, like the setup at this retro soirée in San Diego, will pay homage to the time period while creating visual intrigue. To augment the eye-catching display, complete the spread with blooms in tangerine and lilac.

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Set Each Place With Textured Plates

place settings at reception with scalloped plates and gold-rimmed chargers — Photo by Jeremy Chou

Creating place settings with ornate plates and chargers will infuse your tablescape with an old-fashioned style. Plates with a textured design and scalloped edges and chargers with gold rims will yield the class and sophistication of the Renaissance period or Victorian era. To spotlight these pieces of china, opt for neutral linens and centerpieces.

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Trim Your Cake With Old-World Piping

4 Tiered Pink and White Wedding Cake — Photo by Liz Banfield

For a nod to the early 1900s, present a wedding cake embellished with piped buttercream. Not only will the intricate details reference the time period, but they’ll also implement depth and dimension. For the cherry on top, display the tiered confection on a gold carved cake stand, which is what this couple did at their museum wedding in Illinois.

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Select an Arched Design

wedding cake with arched designs and colorful flowers — Photo by Katelyn James

If you want to throw it back to the ‘80s, another alternative for your dessert design is trimming your cake with colorful arched illustrations. The layered, linear shapes will create a 3D illusion and capture the bright, playful feel of the decade. At their fusion wedding in Austin, this couple even adorned their display table with matching vibrant flowers.

20 Vintage Wedding Invitation Ideas to Inspire Your Own