Everything You Need for a 1950s-Themed Wedding
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- Updated: 06th April 2023
If you're getting married soon, congratulations! It's time to start the fun of planning your big day, choosing your dress, and styling your special event.
There are many different themes that you can choose for your day. One of the most popular wedding themes for vintage and retro-style fans is to have a 1950s-themed wedding.
A '50s wedding gives you a way to style your party so that you have a hint of retro elegance while still maintaining modern glamour. If you're ready to get some vintage ideas for weddings so that you can plan the perfect day, keep reading! We've put together a guide on planning the perfect 1950s wedding.
Bridal Attire for a 1950s-Themed Wedding
Part of planning a '50s wedding setup is choosing what you'll wear on your big day. Your bridal attire can really help set the theme and show off your vintage and retro style!
To help you pick the perfect outfit, we've put together a few styling tips. Here's how to handle your bridal look for your 1950s-themed wedding day.
The Dress
One of the first things most brides buy is the wedding dress. After all, there's nothing quite as magical as slipping into your glorious dress and knowing that you've found the one.
To help you keep with the theme of a 1950s wedding, there are a few tips that can help you find the perfect dress. That's because wedding dresses and bridal attire were a little bit different in the '50s.
For one, during the 1950s, tea-length dresses were all the rage. These dresses feature tea-length hems, cinched waists, and full skirts. The style looks glamorous, timeless, and is extremely flattering. Plus, the full skirt looks gorgeous on the dance floor!
Another way to take your wedding dress to the next level is to choose a belt or petticoat that adds a bit of colour and brightens your wedding look. And, you can look around vintage stores to find a dress that really is straight out of the 1950s!
The Shoes
Now that you've got your dress under control, it's time to pick your shoes. One of the best things about a tea-length dress is that it shows off your shoes, giving you a chance to pick something that really pops.
You can either choose custom wedding converse for a retro '50s look that's comfortable or you can opt for a pair of heels. Heels were the popular choice back in the day, but whichever you chose, you're bound to look stunning.
Don't be afraid to choose a bright colour such as red or to don a pair of statement shoes. Doing so will take your outfit to the next level.
The Veil
The finishing touch on your bridal look is the veil. The veil can be a great way to complement your look and give it a gorgeous '50s look.
During the 1950s, many women opted for birdcage veils and fascinators. These give a small, subtle look to your bridal attire but are a great way to really bring home the retro theme.
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1950s-Themed Hair, Makeup, and Accessories
Now that you've got your bridal attire sorted out, it's time to start planning your hair, makeup, and accessories. For a vintage wedding, there are a few different hair and makeup styles that you can choose from.
The Hair
If you're wanting to really take your 1950s theme to the top, victory rolls are a perfect choice. These tight curls were popular during World War II and are a great way to bring your vintage theme to life.
For brides that want a more subtle vintage look, you can go for soft curls or waves, or you can use vintage accessories. Scour your local thrift and vintage shops so that you can pick up some pieces that are straight out of the era your wedding is based on.
The Makeup
Makeup trends in the '50s were a little bit different than they are today. For one, women tended to use pale, ivory foundation to make their skin look lighter.
Secondly, beauty marks were very popular. Many women painted beauty marks onto their faces to give the appearance that they had one naturally. You can follow this trend to get a classic 1950s look.
Finally, one of the wedding trends that is perfect for a vintage event is using red lipstick. Choose a shade of red that complements your skin and that brings out your natural colouring.
The Jewellery
Now, you're ready to accessorize your look with jewellery. One great option for vintage jewellery is to use pearls.
You can select simple strings of pearls to wear around your neck or opt for simple pearl earrings. You can also choose simple gold necklaces paired with heavier, statement earrings.
Take a look at flea markets and antique stores to find pieces of jewellery that are authentic and that pair well with your outfit. You can pick up some really incredible jewellery just by visiting thrift shops and secondhand markets!
The Flowers
Once you have your hair, makeup, and jewellery planned, it's time to start organising your flowers. The flowers are the final accessory for your wedding day look.
To create a beautiful, 1950s shape, choose rounded bouquets that are hand-tied. Roses and peonies give your bouquet a big, beautiful look that gives your outfit a classic vintage effect.
You can also opt for paper, felt, or wooden flowers. All of these options give you an alternative way of bringing your vintage theme to life and let you hang onto your bouquet long after the day!
How to Create the Perfect 1950s Themed Event Space
Now that your bridal look is perfectly planned out, it's time to shift gears and start focusing on your venue. Your venue can transform your space and make it truly feel like you've stepped back in time into the 1950s.
To help you create the perfect '50s wedding setup, there are a few things you can do to get the perfect decor. Here are some tips on decorating and organising your venue for a retro wedding.
The Venue
The first step to organising the decor for your vintage wedding is to choose a venue. You'll want to select a venue that's historic so that it can bring your 1950s theme to life.
Think about what type of vibe you're going for. For example, are you wanting a laid-back, sock-hop style wedding or are you going for a glamourous, luxury-style day?
No matter which rendition of the theme you're choosing, you'll want to make sure that your venue matches the atmosphere of your wedding. When booking your venue, look for a space that enhances your vintage theme.
The Car
You can make your entrance into your big day with a beautiful, vintage vehicle. You'll want to choose cars that were common in the 1950s.
Here are a few vehicles that were common during the time that you could choose:
- 1950 Crosley Station Wagon
- 1952 Buick Roadmaster
- 1956 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1958 Ford Thunderbird
- 1951 Studebaker Starlight Coupe
Any of these cars would be a great way to show up in style to your vintage-themed wedding!
The Colours
One benefit of 1950s-style weddings is that you can match them to your dress. How? All you have to do is add a petticoat under your dress that corresponds to the colours that you choose!
One colour scheme that works perfectly for a 1950s wedding is to use a nautical colour palette. You can go for blues, reds, and whites as your colour scheme and can match petticoats and lipstick to the colours of the day.
Another colour scheme that was popular during the 1950s was to use pastel colours. You can also choose floral prints to bring your theme to life. Once again, fun petticoats under your dress can help make your day truly vintage.
The Favours
Part of your wedding planning should involve favours that you can give to your guests. It can be tough to figure out how to make your wedding favours match your vintage theme.
One way to do so is to use vintage handkerchiefs as your wedding favours. You can decorate these with the initials of you and your partner. And, you can choose colours that match your vintage theme.
Another fun favour could be to create custom records. You can choose songs that have meaning to you and your partner so that you can get the perfect vintage party gift for your guests.
The Decorations
There are many ways that you can create a vintage theme on your big day. One way to do so is to use vintage books as centrepieces on the tables.
Even if you don't love to read, vintage books look elegant and take your guests back in time. You can tear out pages from the books and paint calligraphy on top of them to mark the table numbers.
You can also use sprays of wildflowers to add some colour to your centrepieces. Choose flowers that were common in the 1950s and that match your chosen wedding colours to help keep your decor uniform.
Planning '50s-Themed Wedding Entertainment
The last piece of the puzzle is planning the entertainment for your big day. After all, you want to keep your guests excited and engaged with your wedding!
Remember, entertainment was a little bit different back in the 1950s. To give you some assistance, here are a few tips to help you plan your wedding day entertainment for a truly retro experience.
The Music
In the 1950s, many couples chose to hire a rock 'n' roll band for their wedding. Using pre-recorded music or DJs wasn't really done.
To help you get the party going at your retro wedding, you can hire a live band just like they would have back in the day! Plus, this is a great way to get the party started and keep your guests in the mood.
There are a few different styles of music that you can choose from. You can either opt for big band music and take a swing dance approach to your wedding or you can go for a bouncy rock-and-roll vibe.
Whichever you choose, make sure to pick lively and upbeat music. You want to select songs that will encourage people to keep partying and that won't be too slow.
The Photos
One fun activity that is perfect for a vintage wedding is to have a photo booth! However, this booth is not your typical type of photo booth.
You'll want to choose a fun, retro-style photo booth. You can opt for a booth that provides you with instant printouts from your wedding day. This also makes for a great addition to your party favours for your guests!
Just because you have a photo booth, however, you'll still want to hire a professional photographer. Your professional photographer will make sure that you've got images of your big day that you'll cherish for a lifetime.
Plan the Perfect 1950s Wedding
With these tips and tricks, you're ready to plan the perfect 1950s-themed wedding. Now you're prepared to dance the night away like they did in 1953, swaying to the sounds of big band music and twirling your tea-length skirts.
Speaking of big band, if you haven't booked your wedding band yet, it's time that you did! At Bands for Hire, we'll help you get a band for your big day so that you and your guests can dance to your hearts' content.
Reach out to our team and we'll help you get set up with the festive music that you need. Together, let's make your '50s wedding a magical day that you'll remember for the rest of your life.
