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08th Dec 2006

It’s official; weddings are going back in time as the 50’s are being relived. Of course, many of us marrying soon, don’t remember the first time they came around so our experiences are through the media and our parents and grandparents.

How can you get a 50’s flavour into your big day?

The key to the 50’s style is elegance, glamour and fun – focus on these ideas and you can’t really go wrong.

As the invitation is the first idea that guests will have about what wedding style you are having, it is important to get this right. Polka dots, stripes, lace, ribbons and pearls are all 50’s flashbacks along with glamorous black and white photographs. Centre your wedding invite design around one of these key areas. If you are having your invitations made especially for you, share your theme ideas with your stationer who will probably be able to help you with a design.

When it comes to your groom, straight leg trousers and coloured suits would fit the bill perfectly. This may mean that you need to shop around in vintage clothes shops in order to find exactly what you are looking for. If this is not for you, keep your man in keeping with everyone else by insisting on lashings of Brylcream on his hair!

As far as dresses are concerned, your bridesmaids should be in knee length dresses with full skirts with a little bit of net petticoat cheekily poking out from under the hem. Ideally, dresses should be belted and hair should be scooped back in a bouncy ponytail. Whatever your upbringing and however fantastic your legs are, it is never elegant for a bride to show her legs. You can incorporate the 50’s style in a more subtle manner. Pearls and lace are daringly vintage, so a lace gown or lace shawl over a silk gown will be enough for you. Alternatively, anything with a bow on it is classed as very much this era. Best advice though, is to keep the gown long and elegant.

Anything elegant is archetypical for this époque so try to add some elegant accessories somewhere in your big day. For example, long gloves are oh so cute as well as very vintage. Bows were big too around this time, so anything that has a bow on it is perfect. Bows on dresses, bows on shoes, bows on handbags and bows on invitations.

Don’t forget your feet!
Glamorous footwear is also central to creating this look successfully. Cutesy kitten heels were all the rage in the 50’s so encourage bridesmaids to wear them to complete the look with their short dresses.

Jewellery should once again focus on glamour – pearls are fabulous and look great. Pearls and nets can be incorporated into vintage style hair decorations. These look sensational with high fronted backcombed hairstyles on which decorative pieces sit perfectly.

Pearls and nets are also ideal accessories for your wedding cake. The 50’s saw an explosion in totally elaborate and completely over the top wedding cakes. There is no such thing as too much decoration on a vintage wedding cake, so make sure you go to town.

When planning your evening entertainment, get a band who are familiar with lots of 50’s style jiving. Ensure they play lots of tracks that will get your family and friends up on the dance floor having a jive and a bop. Your first dance song has to be a Sinatra number or another rat pack favourite to get guests in the mood.

Of course, you do not have to incorporate all of these ideas into your 1950’s style wedding unless you really want to. Introducing a few key items to the day may suffice to give your guests the elegant, glamorous and fun 50’s themed wedding they were expecting.


Article written by Emily Tanner from "World of Wedding Favours" - Where all customers are guaranteed superior customer service and quick delivery times on their quality - and competitively priced - wedding favours. Why don’t you browse their amazing range of beautiful products at: Personalised Wedding Favours