Retro Weddings

Article written by: Cigdem Tanrioglu

If you’re looking to do something a little bit different, then have a retro wedding. The bright colours and quirky details used in these weddings will make sure that your big day is incredibly fun, so nobody will forget about it.

Retro weddings are all about having fun, so bring out your inner child when you plan your wedding and make sure you have lots of sweets! Sweets are becoming more and more popular, from pix and mix bars to big jars of marshmellows, so make sure you get plenty of bright sweets around your venue. If you want to go a step further, then try to hire an ice cream van so everyone can enjoy a classic 99p Flake.

The key to having great retro flowers is to keep them as bright and colourful as possible, so aim for a colour palette of vibrant oranges, purples, hot pinks and lime green. Gerberas are perfect for retro weddings and come in a variety of bright colours (such as the pink ones in the image below).Or try Gloriosa flowers with an orange tip for a slight touch of elegance. Shamrock is great for adding bursts of lime green into your bouquets.

Cakes are becoming quirkier everyday, so finding the right cake for a retro wedding should be no problem. If you want to stick to a traditional, tiered cake then make it an exciting one using colourful icing or by adding quirky decorations.

Cupcakes are also great for retro weddings, you could have piles of muffins or a cupcakes with brightly coloured frosting, or patterned icing. Or for something a little more different, then why not have some Cakepops? Cakepops are small cakes which are made to look like lollypops, and are set to be the next big thing. They are incredibly cute and quirky, making them ideal for a retro wedding.

If you’re using sweets in your wedding, then why not use your sweet jars as decorations or centerpieces? Just find a lovely vase and fill it with a certain sweet ready for your guests to pick at.

But, if you don’t have such a sweet tooth, then try and find some retro trinkets like cute jewellery boxes or old fashioned tea sets. Balloons are also great for retro weddings- like this ‘Just Married’ balloon. Or if you want to have flowers then make sure they are bright and decorate vases with bright ribbons.

Don’t ruin the retro theme by arrive in a modern car! There are loads of great little retro cars, like a 1960’s Volkswagen Beetle, which will make sure that people don’t forget how you got to your wedding.

As with all aspects of a retro wedding, play around and have fun with your dress! Short dresses are great for retro weddings, and everyone will remember how you looked on your big day.

Those would rather have a longer and slightly more traditional dress should look out for unique fabrics or prints, as this will create the funky, retro feel of the outfit. We love the amount of metallic lace used on this Ian Stuart dress, and the gathering on the waist adds to the quirkiness of the gown.

If you still want a traditional wedding dress, then make sure you wear the right shoes and accessories to create the right look! Bright shoes are great for making any white dress look like it’s from the 1960s, so why not try a pair of pretty red shoes.

Or why not turn to one of the queens of quirky-Vivienne Westwood. The Vivienne Westwood for Melissa range is perfect for a retro wedding.

While you can be as creative as you like with most aspects of a retro wedding, it’s best to keep your hair pretty simple. Try pinning your hair into tight curls to create the ‘pin-up’ girl look, or put your hair up into a beehive style with lots of volume.

The most classic look to go for when doing your wedding make up is the 1950’s ‘pin-up’ look-so get your eyelashes fluttering with some false eyelashes, line your top lid and show off your lips in some red lipstick.

With special thanks to our photographers at

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