Ideas for Vintage Wedding | Travel Themed Weddings
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Vintage Wedding Ideas - Travel Themed Weddings
Vintage style weddings are becoming more and more poular these days. Finding ideas for a vintage wedding that isn't "overdone", is becoming harder and harder. Enter Travel Themed Weddings. This take on the vintage feel wedding is still newer and fresher than other vintage ideas.
From Save the Dates to room decor (vignette) ideas -- themed centerpieces to wedding seating chart ideas -- and a few other ideas to help your vintage travel themed wedding come together.
Hang on... it's going to be a bumpy -- but informative -- ride!
Image Credit: DecoratingforEvents private collection
From Save the Dates to room decor (vignette) ideas -- themed centerpieces to wedding seating chart ideas -- and a few other ideas to help your vintage travel themed wedding come together.
Hang on... it's going to be a bumpy -- but informative -- ride!
Image Credit: DecoratingforEvents private collection
Contents at a Glance
Vintage Suitcase are great Decor for a Travel Theme
This suitcase is 16.2" x 12.8" x 6". The perfect size to use in a variety of locations at your wedding -- centerpiece, escort card table, cake table, as a card holder for gifts from your guests, on a buffet or drink table, at the bar, or in vignettes you make around the room to bring the theme alive -- anywhere really!
What Direction to go for your Vintage Travel Theme
Making it Personal
Weddings are very personal by nature. A theme can be chosen and then made more unique by incorporating personal elements. You've chosen a broad theme, where do you go from here?
Have you and your fiance traveled a lot (together or separately)? Use those destinations in your theme decor -- tables can be named for countries or cities you have visited. Place photos of you and your fiancée at the namesake table.
Maybe you two dream of "Seeing the World" together. Name your tables after places you want to visit. Use items that evoke the culture or history of the destinations you choose for your centerpieces.
Maybe just traveling -- anywhere -- brings a smile to your face. Use vintage travel ads for trains, buses and airplanes in your decor plan. You could use songs or titles or ads that are familiar to all to name your tables. (If you need to, change the words a bit to fit the wedding theme).
For instance, say:
"Come Fly with Us" instead of "Come Fly with Me"
"On the Road Again"
"Travelin' Man (and Woman)" instead of "Travelin' Man"
"Another Town, Another Train"
"Chattanooga Choo-Choo"
"Take the A Train"
"Around the World"
or any others that fit your personalities or situation.
Have you and your fiance traveled a lot (together or separately)? Use those destinations in your theme decor -- tables can be named for countries or cities you have visited. Place photos of you and your fiancée at the namesake table.
Maybe you two dream of "Seeing the World" together. Name your tables after places you want to visit. Use items that evoke the culture or history of the destinations you choose for your centerpieces.
Maybe just traveling -- anywhere -- brings a smile to your face. Use vintage travel ads for trains, buses and airplanes in your decor plan. You could use songs or titles or ads that are familiar to all to name your tables. (If you need to, change the words a bit to fit the wedding theme).
For instance, say:
"Come Fly with Us" instead of "Come Fly with Me"
"On the Road Again"
"Travelin' Man (and Woman)" instead of "Travelin' Man"
"Another Town, Another Train"
"Chattanooga Choo-Choo"
"Take the A Train"
"Around the World"
or any others that fit your personalities or situation.
What's a Vignette?
Vignettes are small areas you decorate within your theme at your event. They could be table tops, dead space, a stage, entrances and more.
Keywords for Your Decor Ideas
Finding Your Direction
I love a centerpiece that is different, out of the norm -- unique. Putting things together in an attractive manner while still having the underlying theme is a challenge but the result is well worth it.
I find that coming up with keywords that bring to mind the theme I am decorating for is a great starting point. It doesn't have to be literal (though it can be). Emotions or feelings the theme evokes can be just as helpful.
For a Vintage Travel Theme, here is a short list of keywords that are brought to mind:
I find that coming up with keywords that bring to mind the theme I am decorating for is a great starting point. It doesn't have to be literal (though it can be). Emotions or feelings the theme evokes can be just as helpful.
For a Vintage Travel Theme, here is a short list of keywords that are brought to mind:
Suitcases/Luggage
Passports
Globes
Compass
Travel Posters
Mailboxes
Postcards
Maps
Luggage Tags
Train Stations
Bus Stations
Airports
Cameras
Stamps
Jewelry Boxes
Hats
Gloves
Vintage Cars
Old Travel Books
Old Travel Photos
Themed Travel Journals
Binoculars
Cigar Boxes
Copper Vases
Travel Themed Wedding Poster
Image Poster available:
New York Grand Central Station Poster at RetroPlanet
Vintage Travel Postcards
Vintage Postcards are a great item to use for many different areas of your event. For Example:
- Use them in place of a guestbook. Have your guests choose a postcard and write a note to you and your fiance and drop it in an old, leather suitcase.
- Frame them and add to your cake table, buffet, your head table or sweetheart table as theme decor.
- Incorporate them in your centerpiece design.
- Use them as a "thank you" for your guests or attach them to your favors with a cute, hand written note on the back.
Save the Dates -- Invitations -- Response Cards and more...
with a Vintage Travel Theme, of course
To set the mood for your travel theme, make sure your Save-the-Dates and invitations have a vintage travel motif. This is the first inkling your guests will have of what is to come at the event. Start them off right! A couple of examples below:
Click on any of the images for more information.
Your keywords list should be made prior to making any final decor decisions. This can keep you from veering off in a different direction. Stay on track!
Mini Suitcases for Centerpieces
for a Travel Theme
Add some Old-Fashioned Luggage Labels (Stickers)
to get the vintage feel. Use them stacked together and accented with other items like postcards, maps or a camera or open one and add a small floral arrangement or greenery with a hat, compass, gloves and a postcard. Either way, you have a wonderful centerpiece.They are made with 100% recycled materials so they are eco-friendly too! Sizes of each case are as follows:
Small: 3"H x 8"W x 6"D.
Medium: 3.25"H x 10"W x 7"D.
Large: 3.5"H x 12"W x 8"D.
Available in colors: Banana, Purple, Red, Pink Blush, Soft Blue, Brownie (shown above), Soft Green and Pinkberry.
Coming Up with Themed Centerpieces
Vintage Centerpieces
Now, take your keywords and translate them into items you can use for vintage centerpieces. Group things together in odd numbers (1, 3 or 5) as this is more pleasing to the eye. Make each table unique and different from the others. This will also encourage your guests to mix and mingle as they "travel" around the room to see the centerpieces at each table.
Let's say your chosen theme is "Around the World". Each table will have modes of travel items, tourists sites or cultural pieces that represent a certain city or country. You will probably use black and white photos or postcards on each table. You can frame them in vintage frames or mount them on card stock and set them on plate holders or in table number holders.
Places Table Examples:
Paris Table - Use Eiffel Towers, decorative perfume bottles, Fleur de lis figurines, wine, cheese Arc de Triumph or maybe a beret.
Rome Table - Use red and white gingham fabric at the base of the vignette, Decorative Wine Bottle Candle Holder
, small replica of Venus (Goddess of Love) and a post card, photo or statue of the Coliseum.
New York Table - Have a small Statue of Liberty
, a USA flag and a post card or black and white photo of Broadway or Times Square lit up at night.
London table - Statue of Big Ben, binoculars on top of a stack of travel books about London and the binocular case standing behind.
Marrakech/Moroccan table - Use gauzy fabric at the base of this centerpiece. A Moroccan lantern, genie lamp or bottle, palm tree figurine, or even an Arabian Sheik's headpiece, rich colored faux jewels in a wood treasure box. The Arabian/Moroccan possibilities are endless!
General Travel Table Examples:
"Come Fly with Us" table - Small, Vintage Style Suitcase
with a passport, tickets and jewelry box opened with costume jewelry arranged on colorful silk fabric.
"Travel the World" table - A Small Globe
with vintage airplane, train, bus, autos or Compass
surrounding it.
"See the World" - A Tree Photo Holder
with your travel photos or vintage post cards displayed on it.
Let's say your chosen theme is "Around the World". Each table will have modes of travel items, tourists sites or cultural pieces that represent a certain city or country. You will probably use black and white photos or postcards on each table. You can frame them in vintage frames or mount them on card stock and set them on plate holders or in table number holders.
Places Table Examples:
Paris Table - Use Eiffel Towers, decorative perfume bottles, Fleur de lis figurines, wine, cheese Arc de Triumph or maybe a beret.Rome Table - Use red and white gingham fabric at the base of the vignette, Decorative Wine Bottle Candle Holder
, small replica of Venus (Goddess of Love) and a post card, photo or statue of the Coliseum.New York Table - Have a small Statue of Liberty
, a USA flag and a post card or black and white photo of Broadway or Times Square lit up at night.
London table - Statue of Big Ben, binoculars on top of a stack of travel books about London and the binocular case standing behind.
Marrakech/Moroccan table - Use gauzy fabric at the base of this centerpiece. A Moroccan lantern, genie lamp or bottle, palm tree figurine, or even an Arabian Sheik's headpiece, rich colored faux jewels in a wood treasure box. The Arabian/Moroccan possibilities are endless!
General Travel Table Examples:
"Come Fly with Us" table - Small, Vintage Style Suitcase
with a passport, tickets and jewelry box opened with costume jewelry arranged on colorful silk fabric."Travel the World" table - A Small Globe
with vintage airplane, train, bus, autos or Compass surrounding it."See the World" - A Tree Photo Holder
with your travel photos or vintage post cards displayed on it. Ideas for Vintage Weddings
Vintage Centerpieces
Ideas for Vintage Wedding | Vintage CenterpiecesIdeas for vintage weddings are growing as the popularity increases. Vintage centerpieces are part of the decor for your vintage wedding. Make them different!...
Find Items for Your Tables on eBay
More Items for Centerpieces
Get Creative!
Use vintage hat boxes to create unique centerpieces
Room Decor - Ideas for Vintage Travel Weddings
Creating vignettes that continue the theme is not that hard. A few, well placed vignettes is much more subtle than being hit over the head with lots and lots of props through out the room.For a travel theme, the first vignette idea that comes to mind is suitcases. Stack them in a dead space like someone just left them for a moment at a train or bus station. You could add a potted sign with arrows pointing in all different directions labeled with the names of cities.
- 1A large world map with red X's over the international places you want to visit. Add a small table with push pins and flags and let your guests add their name and world travels to the map.
- 2Rent a vintage "Photo Booth" for guests to have their pictures taken.
- 3Create a photo backdrop yourself and add some costume items in a trunk for guests to use. Masks for Mardi Gras, top hats and tiaras for London, berets for Paris, sheik's head dress for Morocco -- you get the idea.
- 4Vintage black and white photos of Grand Central Station, Heathrow Airport, NYC cabs, Street Cars of San Francisco, double decker buses from London, Gondolas from Venice, Camels for the middle East, etc...
- 5Decorate with Vintage Travel Posters for destinations all around the world.
Remember:
Check out thrift stores, garage/tag sales, antique malls/booths and flea markets, eBay or auctions when looking for vintage items. Lots of times, you can find just the item you wanted, inexpensively.
Suitcases to Use in Vignettes
Make a "Destination Board" like at train, and bus stations or airports in lieu of escort cards.
Destination boards info below.
Favors, Escort Cards and More...
Favors for your guests in not a "have-to" but if you chose to do them, select something that goes along with your theme. They do double duty as well by adding to your tablescapes and overall decor. Using them as the napkin ring is a great way to display them.
Luggage tags are something almost everyone uses. A lot of us use the cardboard, generic ones given out by the airlines, train and bus companies. How blasé. Travel is a part of most everyones lives so luggage tags would be a useful favor as well.
They can do triple duty as well -- use them as your escort cards. Simply slip a piece of paper inside with something like:
and then set them on your escort card table. Guests will find their names, and their table name and get to keep it as a gift!
Candy and snack are another favor that is always appreciated! With a travel twist, they can add greatly to your event!
Luggage tags are something almost everyone uses. A lot of us use the cardboard, generic ones given out by the airlines, train and bus companies. How blasé. Travel is a part of most everyones lives so luggage tags would be a useful favor as well.
They can do triple duty as well -- use them as your escort cards. Simply slip a piece of paper inside with something like:
Mrs. Jane Doe
is Traveling to:
Marrakech
and then set them on your escort card table. Guests will find their names, and their table name and get to keep it as a gift!
Click on any image for more information.
Candy and snack are another favor that is always appreciated! With a travel twist, they can add greatly to your event!
Placecard Holders for your Tables
These could all be the same for every table (unifying element). Or, if you are a bit more daring, they could be themed to go along with the place the table is named for. You could let the linens be the unifying basis for all the tables. Either way, below are some suggestions to get you started.
Using the same placecard holders for each table:
For Themed Tables:
Using the same placecard holders for each table:
For Themed Tables:
Destination Board in Lieu of Escort Cards
DIY Wedding Seating Chart Ideas
Very simple idea that can save you some space, money and time.
You will need:
a picture frame -- no glass
Project Board in your color choice (or cover it in any wrapping paper you like).
Card Stock for printing from your computer
Miscellaneous paper to mount table and guest names on
You will need:
a picture frame -- no glass
Project Board in your color choice (or cover it in any wrapping paper you like).
Card Stock for printing from your computer
Miscellaneous paper to mount table and guest names on
- Using scrap paper, layout all the components in the proper size for your project board size. Make sure you allow for a bit of overlap from the frame onto the project board edge. Nothing should be mounted too close to the edges.
- Using word processor or desktop publishing software -- design and print out your "Destinations" title and the table names with guests names on card stock. Cut to size if necessary.
-
Cut your chosen background paper for each table and the title 1/2" larger than the printed card stock to allow for a 1/4" border all the way around. Center and mount your title and table names onto the background paper.
Image: Before mounting on background paper.
Image: After mounting on background paper.
-
Now mount your card stock on the project board in the design you layout in step 1.
Load the project board into the backside of your frame and secure with tape or staples.
Finished!
No need for the expense of escort cards. This destination board can be placed on an easel in the cocktail area so guests can locate which table they will be seated at during dinner.
Vintage Chalkboard Seating Charts
Cool ideas for a vintage look using chalkboards for your seating chart.
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More Ideas for Vintage Weddings and Vintage Centerpieces
Get Inspired!
- Centerpieces for Weddings | Containers | Wedding & Event Decorating Blog
- One way to have a vintage feel or touch without going overboard is with do it yourself centerpieces with unique or different containers. Think outside the box, of you will.
- DIY Centerpieces | Weddings and Events | Wedding & Event Decorating Blog
- Move with the times... florals are great but use them as the supporting cast instead of the main feature. Here are some ideas for you...
- Vintage Centerpieces | Centerpiece for a Wedding | Wedding & Event Decorating Blog
- Vintage weddings | themes with a vintage flair deserve equally vintage centerpieces. But, what can you use to make vintage centerpieces?
- Vintage Weddings | Themes and Centerpieces | Wedding & Event Decorating Blog
- Vintage weddings themes and centerpieces gives you some ideas and suggestions for creating unique and different elements for your vintage wedding.
What do you think of travel themed weddings?
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picnicideas
May 21, 2012 @ 11:22 pm | delete
- What an interesting concept! Thanks for this brilliant idea.
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FashionMommy
May 11, 2012 @ 2:53 am | delete
- Travel themed weddings is a great idea. You can customize everything according to a certain theme.
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CustomWeddingInvitations
Apr 23, 2012 @ 8:58 am | delete
- Great info! Another keyword for vintage wedding, to look up, is scroll.
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tymaster
Apr 15, 2012 @ 5:53 pm | delete
- Woa.. I have heard about a lot of different ideas for weddings and such, however, never have I heard anything about a vintage travel themed wedding. I think that is very interesting and pretty neat! I am getting married soon and I will be bringing up the travel theme idea to my fiance, because we both LOVE to travel! Thanks for creating this lens!
TimeoutForTravel.com
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Loveboncyboutique
Mar 16, 2012 @ 9:47 pm | delete
- Great ideas about vintage weddings
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- Load More
Who is DecoratingforEvents (aka Mandee)
With 20+ years in the event industry as everything from a venue manager and owner to caterer and decorator, Mandee is now sharing some tips and tricks so you can host the best themed wedding or event your guests have ever attended!
Vintage With A Twist | Vintage Booth Blog
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Vintage Weddings
I hope you have enjoyed Ideas for Vintage Weddings, specifically Travel Themed Weddings as much as I enjoyed putting it together! by DecoratingforEvents
I love all things Vintage and Retro. Ideas for Vintage Weddings with a travel theme can make your wedding unique, custom and have the style and sophistication... more »
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Miniature Luggage for Decor
Cargo Cool Euro Suitcases, Brownie, Set of 3
Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 06/01/2012)
Set of 3, perfect sized for centerpieces and table props! Recyclable and uses a water based lacquer finish. Make the most of your travel theme and set these around the room or stack them to make a statement.
