Like everything good in life, the best trends come and go - and I'm so jazzed that the trend of having a mid-century modern wedding is back! It's literally one of my favorite aesthetics and for good reason - the rich colors, the geometric designs, the classic hair styles and the outfits? Ohhhh yes please!! If you're planning a mid-century modern wedding style, this is definitely a blog to pin on to your wedding planning Pinterest board because I'm going to share my top 6 vintage wedding ideas for planning the ultimate mid-century modern wedding!!!
Easy Ways to Have the Ultimate Mid-Century Modern Wedding
There are a few pretty easy things that brides and grooms can do to achieve the mid-century modern wedding aesthetic, from hair styles and attire to the flowers and decor. The best part yet? You can absolutely up-cycle amazing finds from antique stores or even your grandmother's attic!
1.) The Bride's Look
First: let's really narrow down what the "mid-century modern bride" look is! Tea-length dresses (which falls right below the knee) or dresses with satin material are an obvious style choice for a wedding gown, but there's a lot more that you can do to achieve the aesthetic. T-strap heels, or heels in fun bright colors are a great way to look a bit more vintage.
Jewelry should also be carefully curated to achieve the mid-century vibe. Chunky, jewel-toned colored jewelry, along with metallic and geometric design, was all the rage way back when.
Hair and makeup is the final step to completing the mid-century modern bridal look. Sleek pony tails with hair parted down the middle is an easy hair style and then combine it with a vintage makeup look (think cat-eyes and red lipsticks).
Mix all of these vintage ideas together and BAM! You got yourself a beautiful mid-century modern bridal look.
2.) The Groom's Look
Now, we all know that bride's tend to get the most attention on wedding days, but let's not forget the groom! Men can absolutely do their part in achieving the right vibe, and the groom's look is essential to completing the package. Adding in some mid-century flair to his modern suit is super easy: all you have to do is either add in a skinny tie or make it a bright, cheery color that ties in to your wedding palette!
And of course: don't forget the cufflinks!
3.) The Decor
Before your guests even see the two of you, the first thing they're going to notice is your decor. There are a ton of Pinterest-and-swoon-worthy mid-century modern wedding decor ideas, but my favorites are the simplest:
Incorporate geometric design into your overall decor and design. Everything from the invitations you send out to the cake topper can incorporate geometric designs.
Think bright, jewel-toned and metallic colors. Nude pink, coral, teal, deep blue, burgundy and gold are a the most commonly used in the mid-century color palette. Add splashes of color and metallics where you can - linens, keeping ivory as the base color to keep it clean.
Rent vintage furniture. If your venue doesn't have furniture to match the vibe you're going for, renting vintage furniture is an easy thing to do to set the tone. When looking for mid-century modern furniture to accent the space, think hairpin legs, chairs with geometric shapes, and furniture in your color palette. Bonus points if they're mismatched! (One of our favorite is Velvet Rentals in Madison, Wisconsin)
4.) The Florals
Obviously, florals tie in to the overall decor but I wanted to specifically talk about flowers separate from decor. Why? Because there's so many options when it comes to mid-century modern wedding florals! Small, but dynamic floral arrangements will help add a modern touch to your vintage inspired wedding.
Blooms in coral to rust & even red will complement the common mid-century wedding color palettes, but can also be mixed with ivory and even orange tones. You can also ask your florist to use clusters of blossoms to echo the popular star burst patterns of the 1950s & 1960s.
5.) The Food and the Booze
Nothing screams 1960s than a solid martini, ammiright?! Ask your bartender to help you come up with some signature cocktails for your big day, and you can even incorporate some cute signage in retro font to tie it all together.
The wedding cake is often a staple piece of the reception, so ask your baker to keep it vintage looking. The easiest way to do that is to keep it simple: white with some geometrics and pops of color, and then finish off with a cute wedding cake topper!
6.) The Vibe
Now, this might be a crazy idea: but what if you asked your guests to wear certain colors? Or invited them to join in on the fun of the mid-century modern wedding theme and dress like their favorite characters from Mad Men?
What if you put together a killer cocktail hour and reception playlist, and had your DJ rock the night away to the dulcet tunes of your favorite jazz, soul and rockabilly musicians? Or, taking it a bit extra - hire a band to play so your guests could dance all night to live music?
The vibe is all about tying all the loose ends together, and making your wedding the most fun it absolutely can be!
I'd love to give a shout out to the vendor team that came together for the photos in this blog!
Planning & Design Blondie Events Venue Rose House LLC Florals Greens Flower Farm Bar & Beverages Copper & Pines Cake Wiza’s Baby Cakes Make-up Artist The Blushing Bride by Anastasia Gowns & Tuxes Circle the Date Wedding Rings Brody Designs In need of a mid-century modern wedding planner? Becca at Blondie Events is your girl! Are you looking for a mid-century modern wedding photographer in Wisconsin? Let's chat!