The wedding season is upon us and whether you are a blushing bride to be, attentive bridesmaid, proud mother of the bride or a excited wedding guest; the theme may well be vintage inspired.

For many people having a vintage wedding evokes feelings of nostalgia, tradition and romantic gestures. Weddings allow us to indulge in our most wanted dreams and draw from the past, with such traditions as “Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe"

As well as the all important dress, wedding jewellery can really make a huge difference on the big day; this is the time to dress top to toe.

We explore through the archives some of the traditions around past weddings and wedding jewellery and how they can be interpurated for a modern day event.

Weddings in the 1920s tended to be weekday events. They were customarily held in the afternoon, which gave the bride and groom enough time to get ready whilst still getting them to the courthouse before it closed for the day. Flappers would spend less money on rings and wedding day festivities, opting to instead put more of there resources towards honeymoons and starter homes. 

Brides chose to put their bridesmaids in skirts and blouse combos. Womens liberation in the 1920s meant women were enjoying showing and drawing more attention to themselves rather than veiling their faces. Traditional wedding diaries offered brides to record their love story, write about any future goals and insert any photos of future homes etc. 

1920s brides often carried garlands of greenery which draped nearly to the floor. Wedding bouquets were big and unruly, which was the perfect expression of the fancy free ethos of the time. Bridal wedding jewellery trends took inspiration from the most popular looks of the time. Simple silk plain dresses that skimmed the body in sheer nymph style layers allowed the wedding jewellery and accessories to add that special interest. Long necklaces, gemstone brooches, bracelets and bangles were also popular wedding jewellery as well as a real focus on the head with modern day greek style bands with nature inspired design was very popular.

The 1950s was an era of post war optimism, economic growth and a return to tradition. Bridal fashion in the 50s was characterised by graceful and feminine silhouettes. The iconic style of the time was a A line gown, often adorned with lace and tulle. Brides wore elbow length gloves and veils were typically short and attached to a hat or headpiece. Wedding jewellery was typically pearls and crystal styles it was a time were you would probably raid your mothers jewellery box to find that something special to wear.

 Religious ceremonies were the norm in the 50s with couples marrying in churches, synagogues or other places of worship. Receptions were typically held in formal settings like banquet halls and ballrooms. Leading ladies at the time such as Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn defined fashion at the time with lots of brides taking inspiration from their looks and also their wedding jewellery. The 1953 wedding of Jackie Kennedy and John F Kennedy and Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III influenced many weddings of the time. Pearl jewellery was the most popular choice but this time pearl chokers looked more modern and allowed for a dramatic necklace to create impact.     

As a bride, it may be good to start looking up popular weddings during the decade that you have chosen and taking inspiration from there. Pinterest is also a great place to brainstorm ideas and find lots of different options/variety you can look for in terms of dresses and wedding jewellery. Look at photos of popular celebrity weddings of the time for ideas about wedding dresses and wedding jewellery.

Great places for Bridal dress inspiration are:

True Bride, Rixo London, Days of Grace Vintage, Heavenly Vintage Brides

The job of a Bridesmaid is very important one and the idea is to compliment without 'out shining' the bride. So therefore bridesmaid wedding jewellery often has a colour theme or is a more subtle style of what the bride is wearing herself. We have a fabulous selection of matching items and gift ideas.

The Mother of the bride or groom is equally important, it's a time to be proud and confident with your style. We have a stunning collection of wedding jewellery pieces that will make you stand out from the crowd.