A blog dedicated to small and intimate weddings. Step inside for wedding venues, DIY wedding ideas and real weddings with 75 or fewer guests.
Looking for vintage buntings for your wedding day? We just listed some new ones in our Etsy shop! All are handmade and sell for $24,
I love the warmth and richness of this color combination. See it here.
This grey and white bunting would go with just about anything.
This elegant rose bunting would be perfect for a bridal shower.
If you are having cobalt blue as one of your wedding colors, this bunting might just be a perfect fit.
Come and see all of our handmade buntings in our Etsy shop.
Vintage buntings are a perfect way to add whimsy to your wedding day decor. You can drape them across the front of your sweetheart table, above your dessert table, or use them as props for wedding photos. After the wedding, you can hang them in your home as a remembrance of your Big Day!
We’ve just opened up an Etsy shop with handmade buntings. These buntings are NOT made in China. They are not slapped together in a factory. These are lovingly made by my mother-in-law, who has been sewing 50 + years. (Just call her ‘Bunting Barb!’) At $24 each these are a steal! Seriously. I know how much work has gone into them.
Most of the buntings have been made with vintage fabrics. We love upcycling!
Do take a look at our new vintage wedding buntings shop. Here are some of the gorgeous buntings currently available:
Love this pretty retro floral look!
Is yellow one of your wedding colors?
This one is extra long – and extra fun!
Love the olive and hot pink in this bunting.
Having a fiesta wedding? Wouldn’t this bunting be perfect?
There are plenty more patterns to choose from in our shop.
Vintage doors are such a fantastically simple way to add rustic or vintage charm to your wedding decor! They’re great for so many different uses too: backdrops, table tops or even use them as actual doors!
I’ll go with simple first. These are just propped up doors, but their simplicity is beautiful. Garnished with flowers or a precious saying, the doors can shine with very little altering.
Another general door usage is, well, a door. These vintage doors are set up so that the couple can walk through them. I like the unexpected use of them outside as well as the symbolism they provoke.
Vintage doors are also a great item to display things from, menus and seating charts are both great!
I also adore vintage doors being used for altar backdrops. Here couples used sets of vintage screen doors as well. A grouping in various complimentary colors is simple but beautiful and makes an impact.
Doors also make great table tops! Fun for your dessert bar, or drink stand, you could even get really ambitious and make all of your tables out of vintage doors!
Finding cool vintage doors shouldn’t be too difficult. Architectural salvage yards and building supply re-use stores are you best bet. Vintage doors range in price from $10-$200 depending on their size, age, thickness, quality, etc. Remember, if you find a door that has a perfect shape but you don’t like the color, you can always paint, or even wallpaper it! Standing the doors up can be done by propping them up between something heavy (planters for example) or just by purchasing simple materials from the hardware store and making stands. Enjoy!
Photo One: stylemepretty.com; Photo Two: weddingchicks.com; Photo Three: stylemepretty.com; Photo Four: 100layer.com; Photo Five: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com; Photo Six: wedding-cheesecake.com; Photo Seven: julieharmsenphotography.com; Photo Eight: oncewed.com; Photo Nine: stylemepretty.com; Photo Ten: greenweddingshoes.com; Photo Eleven: 100layercake.com; Photo Twelve: dwellingsanddecor.tumblr.com
Rebekah is a DIY obsessed, wedding and event design wizard who loves hunting her bay area homeland for clever craft ideas, vintage gems, bargain buys, new pieces for her vintage rental line and blogging inspiration. She and her husband live and write in Oakland. Read her blog.
If you’re out junkin’ and you happen to find some antique oil lamps, you might want to consider picking them up. They make for excellent vintage wedding centerpieces. They look especially awesome grouped together. You can find oil for the lamps at hardware stores.
Photos: Karin Lidbeck
Being a vintage junkie I couldn’t be more happy that vintage inspirations in wedding and event design seem to be here to stay! One of the more recent vintage elements that can be seen throughout weddings today are vintage furniture pieces. While some people may be collectors or have pieces that they can borrow from a friend or family member, others may see a small desk that features favors or a rustic farm table for a dessert buffet or a fun vintage sofa perfect for their pictures that they dream of creating but don’t know how to go about finding these key pieces.
Thanks to this trend, vintage rental companies are starting to pop up to meet the demand of brides wanting one of a kind pieces and props that will add unique interest to their big day. I recently started my own vintage furniture and farm table business based out of Oregon. My business was inspired by how I felt when my husband and I were planning our Golden Era wedding. There were so many pieces that I wanted for our wedding decor, but it simply wasn’t in the budget to buy these furniture pieces when I would only be needing them for one day.
Vintage furniture rental companies offer options that the regular event rental companies don’t. Whether it’s a velvet couch perfect for photo ops before the wedding, a lounge area for guests, a photo wall, or the perfect dessert table, vintage furniture can really help to showcase a couple’s style.
Simply having the option of using rustic farm tables rather than fold-up tables that you would normally rent offers much more of a natural and intimate feel. The best part of all is that you don’t have to invest in scouting out and purchasing antique and vintage furniture pieces, you can just rent them for the day!
All furniture from A & B Creative rental line and all photography by Tara Leigh.
Rebekah is a DIY obsessed, wedding and event design wizard who loves hunting her bay area homeland for clever craft ideas, vintage gems, bargain buys, new pieces for her vintage rental line and blogging inspiration. She and her husband live and write in Oakland. Read her blog.
I recently styled this inspiration shoot and it is the perfect answer for an affordable, casual (yet stylish) rehearsal dinner option. One of the first visions that I had for a summer inspiration was using Sno balls. I love their pink color and fluffy shape. Using grey icing is not only a nice color juxtaposition but also brings a formality to the sugary nostalgia of the Sno balls.
The striped straws tie the icing and paper runners together and are another fun, yet sophisticated element. I used vintage cake carriers as centerpieces that would cover your dessert, or dinner, and a collection of vintage teapots and vases to house the simple flower arrangements. Fun yellow swirl enameled plates and blue and white gingham napkins add more color and pop to the simplistic elements of the table.
We used a rustic farm table and benches from our rental line (if renting them isn’t possible, a collection of nice picnic tables would also work). Depending on how many guests you have, investing in mismatched china, or vintage plates from thrift stores and flea markets, would be a fun way to build your dish collection. If you’re not opposed to it, this company Once Upon A Party actually has some stylish paper plates that would be affordable and still give a sophisticated and vintage inspired look.
One of my favorite parts of this tablescape inspiration are the mismatching elements. While I love the streamlined look of the matching plates, napkins, snowballs, flowers and straws, I especially love the look of the different cake carriers and the mix of vases and flower vessels. Having elements that do not match add to the look being simple and stylish and most of all successful. By having things be a little different on each table makes finding something like a bright red teapot underneath the simple white flowers exciting. It makes your eye wander around the table to see what other surprises you might find!
Having a rehearsal dinner’s theme that was inspired by this shoot would be classic, sophisticated and modern while still feeling intimate with the vintage and rustic elements. Picking local flowers, borrowing or collecting plates, or using stylish paper ones will all keep costs down, while not sacrificing the look that you desire for your last dinner before you get married!
Photo shoot styling by Rebekah of A & B Creative and all photos by Tara Leigh Photography.
Rebekah is a DIY obsessed, wedding and event design wizard who loves hunting her bay area homeland for clever craft ideas, vintage gems, bargain buys, new pieces for her vintage rental line and blogging inspiration. She and her husband live and write in Oakland. Read her blog.
Are you still searching for the perfect gift for your bridesmaids? Do you want a keepsake that your bridesmaids will use for years to come? I’ve collected some unique, vintage inspired DIY gift ideas that you can make for your bridesmaids, and heck they’re so cute, maybe one for yourself too!
These vintage bridesmaid thank you hankies are so sweet, and they can be personalized for each of your maids.
Vintage brooch bouquets are so popular now and is another great use for vintage brooches. Each vintage brooch necklace can be be made with your friends favorite color and style.
These DIY handbags are so chic, and have simple sewing which is great, and the only way I could make them!
The necklaces and vintage headbands headbands are both gifts that could be worn during the wedding too which I love.
DIY bobbi pins are so cute and they would be easy enough to make extras for your flower girls too!
Adding flowers like these fabric flowers are a great way to make modern shoes look more vintage, they’re also a great way to make affordable shoes look more expensive!
These vintage-inspired earrings vintage inspired earrings are so cute, and easy to make! I love that in the tutorial she suggests that you can use anything, even vintage miniature fruit from old doll houses!
Lastly, continuing with my slight fixation on vintage brooches, here is a great way to make brooches (such a thoughtful keepsake gift!) with an antique inspired look!
Your bridesmaids are one of your best assets during your wedding, so thanking them with something special from the heart and that you’ve handmade shows just how special they really are. Follow the links below for the full tutorials on each of these adorable projects!
Photo One: ohhellofriendblog.com; Photo Two: thebrokeassbride.com; Photo Three: thelongthread.com; Photo Four: projectwedding.com; Photo Five: blackbirdsandbumblebees.comPhoto Six: fiftieswedding.com; Photo Seven: blog.bygumbygolly.com; Photo Eight: weddingchicks.com
Vintage teacups and teapots are a great affordable detail to add a little touch of whimsy to a tea party wedding.
The patterns of the china immediately add visual interest before you’ve even put anything in them! Their delicate shape make them perfect pieces to add feminine details to whichever area you’re dressing up.
This teacup cake topper is so adorable, not only is it creative, but adding the topper and flowers makes the simplistic cake stand out more and helps pop the detailing in the china pattern and colorful flowers.
I love mismatched china, mixing it together makes shopping for it a lot easier! You can pick basic color palletes that you like then search at thrift stores and flea markets and not be held back by a particular pattern. These cupcakes in the teacups are great for a tea party wedding because you don’t have to cut any cake and it makes serving so easy!
I love ring pillow alternatives, and this is one of my favorites!
These are fantastic teacup place settings and they can be used as favors for your tea party wedding!
Stacked teacups with mismatched patterns and only a few flowers make for great centerpieces. Teapots make fantastic vase alternatives! Again, with the patterns of the china the flowers can stay very simple.
These teacup candles and succulents are amazing DIY favor ideas! They’re memorable, unique and if you shop around can be affordable.
And don’t forget this tutorial for homemade bird feeders make from vintage teacups. These fit in perfect with a tea party theme!
For the best use of vintage teacups and teapots mix patterns, start ahead of time so that you can stock up enough for your guests and chose only a few areas you want to incorporate them into. Thrift stores, ebay and flea markets are best to find great teacups and teapots. Flower arrangements can be affordable and simple when used with vintage teacups and teapots, they make great favors, or an amazing way to start your own collection for after the wedding!
Photo One: ruffledblog.com; Photo Two: wedding-cupcakes.org; Photo Three: emmalinebride.com; Photo Four: theweddingcommunityblog.wordpress.com; Photo Five: ProjectWeddding.com; Photo Six: greenweddingshoes.com; Photo Seven: designspongeonline.com; Photo Eight: sandiegoabc.com; Photo Nine: MarthaStewart.com; Photo Ten: Intimate Weddings
Rebekah is a DIY obsessed,wedding design wizard who loves hunting her bay area homeland for clever craft ideas, vintage gems, bargain buys, and blogging inspiration. She and her husband live and write in Oakland. Read her blog
Looking for an awesome wedding bunting tutorial? Well, crafty ladies, you have come to the right place!
This wedding bunting is made from vintage sheets found at resale shops.
You can hang this from your dessert table, above your reception table or line your ceremony aisle. How you use your wedding bunting is only limited to you imagination!
This wedding bunting measures nine feet end to end. It has twelve 5 “x 7″ flags. There is one foot of bias tape on each end to use for tying the bunting.
Here is what you will need for your wedding bunting:
in color of your choice
I love the look of vintage floral patterns. They’re perfect for a vintage wedding. Here are some ways to add vintage florals to your wedding day.
Vintage floral bridesmaid dresses. (Photo: Sweet Tea Photography)
Vintage floral paper tags. (Photo: Eat, Drink, Chic
Vintage floral bunting. (Photo: Tamara Kuzminski)
Napkins. (Photo: Life Content)
Vintage fabric neckties. (Photo: kitschcafe)
Vintage sheet backdrop. (Photo: Perfect Bound)
If you’re having a small wedding you can can cut out all of the nonsense and unnecessary flub that gets added onto enormous affairs. With an intimate wedding, you get to trim the fat so to speak and get down to the essence of what makes you and your future spouse unique!
A really fun element to show your uniqueness is the card receptacle. I say receptacle because it’s not just a box, or even a birdcage anymore. Now you can see card boxes made out of everything from a vintage suitcase to a log!
Here are a few of my favorite vintage suitcase card boxes:
This log card “box” is so imaginative! I love how how it shows how you don’t have to be held back by anything but your own creativity when thinking about the design of your wedding!
I leave you with last, but not least, a dreamy vintage mail box as a card box. I love how logical it is, while still seeming so unique and creative.
Photo One: landlockedbride.com; Photo Two: estherlouise.com/blog; Photo Three: ruffledblog.com; Photo Four: amysallthingswedding.com; Photo Five: weddingbycolor.com
Your odds are still pretty darn good for the Vintage Hair Fascinator Giveaway from Blair Nadeau Millinery. Head on over here and leave a comment to enter! You have until Saturday March 26, 2011 at 11:59 pm. Contest open to U.S and Canadian residents only.
