Classic engagement

It all started when Mr Ruby Slippers and I decided we wanted to incorporate more classic film type stuff into our wedding. We already had the general Old Hollywood feel (well, hopefully we do) and the table names being classic stars. But what that table name discussion led to was a realisation that we couldn't agree on the perfect name for our head table! I, of course, was all for Judy Garland, but Mr Slippers had a point when he said that it would just look like I made every single decision about everything to do with the wedding (Um, didn't I?). Anyway, so that was off the table (haha), as was BM-Best Friend's suggestion of using a classic couple like Fred & Ginger (which I really loved, but apparently it was also too much Miss and not enough Mr Ruby Slippers). So anyway, at some point, Mr RS suggested that we just name the table after ourselves. Which I immediately vetoed, because how was it going to fit into the classic movie theme without a picture of classic movie stars on both the table and the table listing?


Aha. Here's how:


We take our engagement shoot (which is included in the photography package we chose) and make it Old Hollywood Style.


Sometimes I am just too brilliant.


Not only will it serve the purpose of being used at the wedding and fitting in with the theme, but I love the idea of having photos of me in that screen goddess, 1940's style.


Bring on this:

Ok, I know I've just picked the three most beautiful women in classic film, so there is no WAY I am ever going to look that good, but pictures of me that even begin to emulate this style will be A-ok by me! (by the way, the three are Veronica Lake, Lauren Bacall and Gene Tierney. They are my absolute top classic film beauties. I won't be using any of them at the wedding, though, partly because none of them are in my top favourite four actress list, and partly because, hey, I don't wanna look bad!)

So then I started hunting around for pictures of engagement shoots done in this style. I found a couple, mostly by accident, so there might be more out there...but it's good, because it means it's not a whole big wedding rage, idea of the moment thing! I want to do something slightly unique!

What I did find a lot of was pictures of Katherine Heigl (man, that girl looks good in Old Hollywood!) Look at these two pics from a great Vanity Fair shoot she recently did:

Smokin' hot! Pictures of me looking like this would also be pretty A-frikkin-okay!

And yes, I know Mr Slippers has to fit in there somehow too. Which is why I found actual couple e-shoots in this theme too:

Image source on Weddingbee

Two pics above by Tanja Lippert

Photo by Julie Mikos

Photo by Angelica Glass

And these, which aren't specifically e-shoots (some are weddings, and some aren't even really "themed", but the photographer has conveyed the look I want:

Photo by Christina Craft of Funkytown Photography

Photo by BlueDaisy Weddings

Photo by Neil Van Niekerk

Photo by Victor Sizemore

Photo by Kelly McCord

How stunning are these? I can't wait for September! - which is when, after speaking with my photographer, Tanja, we've decided to do it. The weather will be better and any outside shots will look greener and just generally prettier. Now all we need is a location! At first I was thinking an old-style hotel, with chandeliers, wood-panelling and a grand piano (Ha, I'm just picturing myself stretched out on it!), but then both Tanja and my friend Henni suggested Gold Reef City. My first reaction (and Mr Slippers'!) was, "Um, theme park? Rides? In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary, "Come again??"" But when I thought about it, it made sort of sense. There will be olde buildings and, best of all, an old theatre! Love the ideas of photos in an old theatre! But I haven't been there for at least eight years so I can't really remember. Also we'd have to pick the quietest day we possibly could, because a theme park is, well, BUSY, to put it mildly! Any suggestions?

Uniquely you

Mr Ruby Slippers and I love movies - I'd go so far as to use the term "Movie geeks". Seriously, I first started fancying him after I saw what movies he had in his dvd collection. So when it came to our wedding, it was easy to decide what theme would be running through the day. Originally we were going to use movie titles as the table names, but we couldn't agree on anything clever or interesting enough, so then we decided, because of the Old Hollywood feel I wanted to bring to the day, to put an emphasis on the classics. I cleverly got Mr RS to think he'd thought of the idea of using our favourite classic stars as table names, so on each table there'll be a framed photo of them with their name on a clapper board next to the photo - because, heck, few people are going to be able to recognise what table they're at just by the photo! (And because we already bought the clapper boards so we'd better darn well use them!)


We are having eight tables, possibly nine, so we each got to pick four actors or actresses. Funnily enough, I picked the girls and Mr RS picked the guys! (With one spare in case of that ninth table). Here they are in one pic - a virtual bouquet to anyone who can namethem all! Go on, I dare you. ;-)


Aren't they just too cool? Man, I love those oldie guys (and gals).

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Oscars. They always choose the wrong winner (No Country for Old Men? Seriously, WTF?) but I can't help it, I love 'em anyway. I have oodles of Oscar statistics in my head. It's a great party trick. Anyway, our favours are going to be little chocolate Oscars that I'm making, painted gold - hopefully - with a little card saying "And The Oscar Goes To...MARY" which will double as the guest's placecard.

If only mine could be made by celebrity chef Wolfgang Petersen...

We don't want to go too overboard with the movie stuff, because then it could easily descend into themed kiddies birthday party territory, which is NOT what we're going for!

Bring on the black, red and white!

Originally my wedding colours were going to be crimson and white. Simple, right? I'd be in white with dark red flowers, and my girls would be in dark red with white flowers. The end. Why would I need something else? Then I got worried. Was it too blah? Did I need an accent colour? OMG, did I need TWO accent colours??

After a brief dalliance with purple, I decided that to bring in the Hollywood glamour feel I would need to add a bit of black. The flowers will still be crimson/dark red/burgundy/claret whatever you want to call it, but the black is going to come through in ribbons (bouquets, programs, etc) and borders on the place cards, menus, and other stationery.I've made an inspiration board for this colour scheme! All inspired by thetop left-hand picture of the red tulips on the monochrome damask cloth.


I am toying with the idea of getting black or black & white damask table runners (the tablecloths are white in our venue), but to be honest, it just feels like yet another expense that hardly anyone will notice anyway. I have to know when to stop! Little things add up in a horribly frightening way. Anyway, I'm using this pattern as the border to my placecards and menu:






And I'm using this look for my programs. I love the idea of it so much morethan a normal book-shaped program.



I'm also going to have the confetti cones, proably half in crimson and half in black. More paper to buy, oh dear....

Old Hollywood Inspiration

Well, at the rate I am chopping and changing with this wedding theme & decor stuff, I will probably change my mind the night before. My latest inspiration is Old Hollywood Glamour. I adore old classic films - give me Bette, Judy, Katharine, Cary, Fred and Ginger and I’m in heaven. (That’s Davis, Garland, Hepburn, Grant, Astaire and Rogers for the uninitiated).


Anyway, I luuurve the look and feel of this theme. I’ve also recently discovered inspiration boards on some wedding blogs (as if I wasn’t spending enough time on wedding websites). So I thought I’d try my hand at my own “Old Hollywood” inspiration board! This is what I came up with:

To be honest, I’m not sure where I got all those pics from. I never thought, when I started collecting ideas and inpirations, that I might need a record of where I found them! Line 2 pic 2 is a still from the film “Swing Time”, and the last pics on lines 3 and 4 are from a real wedding you can see here.

I'm loving the idea of feathers in my bouquet, as in the last pic on line 2. How vintage and romantic! Just scrumptious. Look at these other beautiful ones I found:

(Photo by Jennifer Skog)

Another suggestion I've heard is to have a classic romance playing on a big screen (silently, one assumes!) during the reception. While I like the idea in theory, in practical terms it would be too much of a hassle to set up and play, too much of an unnecessary expense, and too much of a distraction for the guests, who will probably sit and stare blankly at it instead of enjoying the damn party I'm throwing for them! So.... no classic movie in the background, much as I love the idea of sharing my obsession with everyone!