Our buying team has the enviable job of researching and selecting wedding products from all over the world, and one trend that we’ve noticed that never goes away is the traditional, country-style theme. In our increasingly high-tech, fast-paced world, it seems that when it comes to weddings we hanker after the romance of the past and remain entwined in a love affair with all things vintage and retro. Even when we choose to marry in contemporary surroundings – a modern registry office rather than a crumbling village church, for example – traditional themes still hold strong, with many brides opting for country-style flower arrangements and vintage themed décor. When it comes to the all-important wedding dress, classic shapes that have a timeless quality continue to be a more popular choice than contemporary, fashion-led styles. This year fashion insiders predict the traditional will be even more evident in dress choices, as many brides are expected to be influenced by the 1920s silhouett, thanks to the release of the eagerly anticipated film The Great Gatsby. Vintage-style lace and 50s era peplum styles are also expected to be big in 2013.

We have two gorgeous ranges that work well with the traditional look. Our VintageRomance and Vintage Rose products can be mixed and matched with your other items, as well as other pieces from our product range. We offer rose petals, a pretty addition to your table settings, in wide variety of colours or pink rock sweets that hint at the 1950s and would look lovely popped into traditional-style candy-stripe bags for a different approach to your wedding favours.

If you’re one of the brides looking to create a traditional theme for your own wedding, there’s no end of inspiration to tap into, which can help you conceptualise flower arrangements, décor and catering. If you are going all-out on the vintage theme a good place to start is by visiting the Vintage Wedding Fair, an annual event that takes place in London each year. The next fair takes place on the 23rd June at Chiswick Town Hall in London – visit http://www.vintageweddingfair.co.uk for more details about this fun event where you can get expert advice on catering, browse over 400 vintage wedding dresses and jewellery, and find out about translating the theme to your hair, make-up and photography.

If you’re working to a tight budget, a traditional, vintage-themed wedding allows plenty of scope for getting creative without the exorbitant price tag. Vintage is inextricably linked to ‘home-made’ so if you (or someone you know) has a special skill that can be utilised in your wedding preparations, make good use of it! You don’t have to be a sewing whizz to run up some unique fabric bunting for example, which can be crafted from authentic vintage fabric in colourways that compliment your floral arrangements. Speaking of flowers, we love the idea of placing country-style posies in jam-jars tied with a simple length of natural string – simple, pretty and an effective way to keep costs down without compromising on style. For candy-coloured decorations that offer a gorgeous compliment to your shabby-chic bunting, vintage crockery and other traditional touches, we love tissue paper balls. Hung from marquees or ceilings, or attached to bannisters, these delicate paper spheres add a fairy-tale quality to your setting, and can be bought in a range of colours to fit your theme. You can even try making your own if you’re feeling ambitious – take a look on YouTube for online tutorials.

If you want to blend the traditional with the contemporary our Vintage Romance provides a range of products that are timeless without being strictly vintage in theme. Featuring a sophisticated design in silver and white this range is perfect if you’re looking for something with enduring appeal that won’t look dated when you look back at your wedding photos in years to come!
For more wedding inspiration take a look at our full site here.