Thursday 11 November 2010

The 'vintage' backlash?

I'm going to use the phrase 'wedding trends' in this post warily, as I am well aware I'm making grand statements here! Plus, this is kind of a wordy post but bear with me, and let me know what you think!

So, we all like to think we're a little bit unique but when it comes to style, fashion, design, and wedding planning, amongst many other things, we are definitely influenced by trends. Where they come from and why they're popular is another matter but I think we'd all agree, that they exist is unquestionable.

And whilst there are very different style weddings taking place all over the world there are certain 'trends' that any subscriber to all the big wedding blogs will be familiar with.

The 'vintage' (and I use this term loosely) style wedding is still hugely influential. And chances are if you read a lot of wedding blogs and magazines, you'll know exactly what I mean by a vintage wedding without much explanation. Soft, dreamy photography, pale pastel colours, cupcakes, bunting, the whole 'shabby chic' thing - you get the gist.

Perhaps a key to it's success is that it's also easily obtainable for DIY weddings or budget weddings. It can look amazing for relatively little money which was maybe influenced and therefore so popular, by the world wide economic situation. Being flashy was somehow uncouth. It was all about quirky, personal weddings and the shabby chic, vintage wedding was a perfect fit.

I have to say personally I do love this style. I like the romance, the dreaminess. And for this matter I think it naturally suits weddings. And when it comes to wedding trends, whilst we might all be influenced that doesn't mean we should necessarily pay attention. Like in fashion, if something is popular and it suits you - great - but you shouldn't buy into something if it isn't you. So if vintage weddings start to become less prevalent that doesn't mean you shouldn't have one if it's what you like.

But I've been wondering lately what's next. The wedding industry is like any other it shifts and changes shape, reflecting moods and cultural happenings. Maybe in this new post recession world things are going to change and I've been wondering what this will mean in weddings.

Change is good. In any industry and in fact in your personal life change is important. It shakes you up a bit and makes you reassess what you like, what's important. That's not to say I think vintage inspired weddings will die a sudden death, I just think they're going to adapt and develop, like everything does and I'm kind of excited about what will come.

I'm interested in what you think. Is a 'vintage' wedding your thing or will you be glad to embrace a new style? What do you think the Next Big Thing will be? Or what do you want it to be?

I'm going to save my opinions about what's next for another post but I have to say, I hope it involves bright splashes of colour., a little bit of edge. I'd love to plan or style a wedding with a bride telling me she wants it BOLD!

11 comments:

  1. I am all about the vintage look. To me the look meant a romantic, intimate, and timeless one. I have no idea what will come but having more unique wedding themes and nontraditional options is awesome!

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  2. Interesing post. I too love the vintage look but it has been around for a while now and is in danger of becoming 'overdone'. I have also been thinking about what comes next. Would be interested to hear people's thoughts

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  3. Vintage is great for keeping such an important event 'classic'. However, one IS in danger of creating a look that is overdone and looks like a throw back. The key is to carefully select pieces that will be vintage for example the cutlery or the dress... it will stand out much more effectively.

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  4. Vintage is great for keeping such an important event 'classic'. However, one IS in danger of creating a look that is overdone and looks like a throw back. The key is to carefully select pieces that will be vintage for example the cutlery or the dress... it will stand out much more effectively.

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  5. I agree that vintage is definitely a big trend these days. What I don't agree with is the fact that sometimes people just throw the word around and don't really appreciate the real aesthetic behind it. I also think that because vintage is a huge trend at the moment - it's going to slowly go away, trends do come and go. Yay for bright colours and personality!

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  6. Great post Josie!

    Vintage is everywhere at the moment and has been for a while. I am a wedding planner planning my own wedding and we are having an afternoon tea reception so therfore vintage crockery works great here, however, this will be the only part of the wedding that is 'vintage'... the rest will be bright and colourful!

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  7. I do love vintage but I've also been wondering what's next. It's definitely be done many times before and you know that something new has to be coming up.

    Hope you're having a fabulous week! :)

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  8. I think vintage style will always remain in weddings a little bit, because the event is traditional, some brides wear family jewelry or even the dress of their grandma.
    For me that's the point, if it has some connection or story to it it will always be a great choice-
    trying to follow a trend and designing a whole wedding like decades ago makes the whole thing looking a bit like a theme party and not an actual wedding.
    As soon as the economy is doing well again people will look for new styles in general.

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  9. I couldn't agree more with this...I wonder about what's next as well...what could POSSIBLY be next? Although, I wonder that about almost everything, and usually, what comes next is the logical next step. touch phones...touch screen computers...no computers - just projectors. make sense sort of...i think a lot of shrinking back is gonna happen...people are gonna focus more on intimate weddings with close family and what not..what do you think?

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  10. Thank you for your comments ladies, good to know what you think! Be interesting to see what comes next.

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  11. Trends. I would do anything to avoid them. So much so I am drifting towards the uber traditional wedding.

    Hopefully, it will be a reflection of us.

    However I'm just a bride, thinking about me, well, us.

    I love a wedding which is deliciously juxtaposed but is that the Holy Grail?

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