Finding Vintage Items for your Wedding

We are reaching the 5 months mark to our big day! (eek!) Where has the time gone..? Since the moment I started planning my wedding, I knew that I wanted to incorporate as many vintage pieces as I could, while still keeping my 'modern man' happy. For months now, I've been searching far and wide for great vintage details that I could add in to my special day. 

This process has proved to be a little more difficult than I originally thought it would be - especially considering that I own a vintage business myself. After many months, I do have most of my items in place, but I continue to search for more. 

If you're also looking to add in some vintage touches, here are my top 4 places to search!

Stop #1: Estate Sales / Garage Sales

Hauls from a great estate sale!

This is where I started my search. Each weekend, I can usually be found driving around stopping at every yard sale I see or standing in line at 7am for a great estate sale. Now, you may hit a few of these and find nothing, but all it takes is that one great find to make it all worth while. Garage sales and estate sales are a great place to find unique pieces at a fabulous price! Every week, I search through our local newspapers, online ads and specific estate sale companies that I like to see what sales are happening that weekend. Most will provide descriptions and even pictures so you can choose to go to the ones that offer items you're interested in. Don't forget to bring cash and your patience! 



Stop #2: Vintage Shops or Thrift Stores

I have several amazing vintage shops that I frequent - both online and in store. Look online for shops that might be in your neighborhood. Staff are so knowledgeable and can help you find what you are looking for - even if they don't have it in stock. The great thing about buying from most vintage shops is that you can still barter no matter what the sticker price is. Buying multiple items? See if they'll give you a package price! Some vintage stores will even let you rent the pieces rather than buy them. I also like to hit up my local thrift stores for some great deals! Don't forgot to look online! Etsy has some amazing vintage shops that offer unique finds that might just be perfect for your special day. 


Stop #3: Vintage Rental Companies
These companies have been growing in abundance of the past few years as more and more brides are going 'vintage'. Some offer decor services on top of the vintage rentals and others offer simply an opportunity to rent their pieces. These companies can make your life a lot easier! Simply go through their catalog or visit their in person studio, pick out what you want, pay for it and that's it! You don't have to rummage through garage sales or online ads - they do it all for you! 


Stop #4: Friends & Family

My mothers beautiful milk glass!

One of my first stops was my mother's kitchen cupboards because I knew she had some amazing vintage milk glass bottles. I immediately stole them! Yoink! Ask around with friends and family - especially grandmothers and aunts. They might have some great pieces that could just add a really special touch to your day like an old vintage frame or dish. You can't beat free and it would be nice to feature some family heirlooms.

How to Create a Vintage Style Ceremony

So, we are officially just under 8 months away from the wedding (Yikes!) Since the very beginning of this process, I knew that I wanted to bring in as much vintage style as I could to this wedding without making my modern and sleek fiancee cringe. I've been searching far and wide for ideas and pictures that will help me figure out how to perfectly blend in a vintage feel to a modern, yet romantic wedding style.

Right now, I'm really focused on my ceremony. I think there are a lot of very simple and beautiful vintage details that can be added to a ceremony. Lucky for us, we're getting married outdoors at a beautiful castle so some of these vintage touches are going to be perfect! Here are some of the ideas that I've narrowed down as my top 'must haves' for my upcoming summer wedding. 

Must have #1: A romantic signing table 

I don't know about you, but I've seen my share of not so pretty signing tables & chairs. I often feel like this is something we just don't think about or simply leave up to the hall or ceremony location to put together... I mean, after all, it is just a table that you sit at for a few minutes to sign your official wedding document.. so no big deal right? Wrong!

Take this opportunity to add some vintage flair to your ceremony by adding a beautiful rustic table along with some high back vintage chairs. You will feel like royalty and your guests will be impressed! Remember, this is a great photo opportunity! Wouldn't you rather see yourselves sitting in something like this rather than some old plastic table with plastic chairs (scary.. but yes, I've seen it). This set up looks like it just belongs in the outdoors.. like Mother Nature herself created it! I want it!

Must have #2: A stunning backdrop

This ceremony decor makes the setting feel so romantic and warm. It is very similar to what my location looks like. At the end of the aisle, there is a bit of green space and then there is a huge cliff (seriously!). I really feel as though I need to decorate that space so it feels more closed in and inviting. 

I love the use of a vintage style dresser or table as a backdrop for the ceremony. I realize that it will probably be blocked for most of the ceremony seeing as though we will be standing in front of it, but it really helps to close off the space and gives your guests a beautiful view while they wait for the ceremony to begin. It probably isn't within my budget to use that many flowers, so I would probably go with some flowers and fill the rest of the space with other vintage decor pieces.

Must have #3 - Vintage signage

The thought of spending any part of our wedding budget on printing programs, which in my opinion, are skimmed over and rarely ever kept (mine usually end up at the bottom of my car or scrunched up in my purse) makes me very unhappy. I do think it is nice to have something that people can read which tells them a little about what they can expect from the ceremony, but let's be honest.. a ceremony is a ceremony.. what do you really need to know? 

I love this simple yet beautiful idea! Write all you need on a chalkboard and put it in a lovely vintage frame. Even if you don't use a chalkboard, there are many amazing companies which will print something similar out for you and you can just put that in a frame. Place it at the front where everyone will enter.. and that's it! No paper, no big printing costs and let's face it, less waste! We're saving the planet here folks!

So this may not be a true 'vintage' inspiration, but there is something about this sign that feels very old fashioned to me. This little boys outfit also makes it feel timeless and sweet. We are blessed to have our two little nieces acting as jr. bridesmaids in our wedding and we were struggling with finding something that they could do for the ceremony and I think I may have found it. 

I love the idea of having a little one walk this sign down the aisle just before you come out. The burlap is very simple and gives it a very rustic feel - perfect for the outdoors. I'm lucky there are two ends to this stick so the girls won't have to fight over who gets to carry it down the aisle! They can just hold either end and hopefully walk (without fighting) down the aisle! 

For more vintage style wedding ideas, be sure to check out my Pinterest board!