Gatsby Glamour: Gorgeous 1920s Wedding Ideas

When you think about the 1920s, what comes to mind? Flappers in knee-length dresses dancing the Charleston with abandon? Prohibition, speakeasies and cocktails? Glorious Art-Deco designs and details or the golden age of Jazz? Whatever springs to mind, you can’t fail to love the exuberance and energy of a decade that was committed to celebrating life in a post-war world. The Roaring Twenties were just that – vibrant, loud and impossible to ignore. It’s so easy to see why the glamour of this era is inspiring so many wonderful weddings so let’s take a look at some fabulous 1920s wedding ideas…

Firstly, perhaps the most easily recognisable elements of a 1920s inspired wedding are the outfits and accessories. The elegant silhouettes of longer bridal gowns are so often combined with elaborate embellishments, plunging necklines, dropped waists or iconic fringing. The Twenties were very glamorous; a natural response after the dour war years, and luxury was back in fashion. However, with women unwilling to return to the confines of their prewar lives, fashion was used to make a statement and hemlines rose accordingly. Putting your bridesmaids in short dresses is a fabulous way to reflect the styles of the time.

Images: Top Row Left via Love My Dress | Top Row Right via Style Me Pretty | Second Row Left via 100 Layer Cake | Second Row Right via Mod Wedding | Third Row Left - Twenties Charm Hair Band by Glitzy Secrets | Third Row Right via Ruffled | Fourth Row Left via Wedding Chicks | Fourth Row Right via Pinterest | Bottom Row Left via Nom Nom Sweeties | Bottom Row Right via Pinterest

Bringing Art Deco detailing to your accessories is an absolute must so round toe T-bar shoes with appropriate embellishments look great with Twenties inspired jewellery – think sparkling forehead bands and side tiaras worn with decadent drop earrings and statement cocktail rings. The range of 1920s inspired jewellery from Glitzy Secrets is perfect for brides and maids who are looking to bring the opulence of this era to the wedding day.

Grooms can also indulge their love of the 1920s and again, the formality and tradition of early Twentieth Century fashion was left behind. Young men, post war, scandalised the old guard with by preferring waistcoats and ties for parties instead of wearing traditional white ties just as much as women did with their short dresses. Happily for us today, we love to see grooms and guys looking brilliantly relaxed with a less formal wedding look!

A 1920s inspired wedding certainly needs plenty of decadent metallic touches. Black and gold is a fabulous colour scheme and but you can lighten this up with whites, blacks and natural greens if you prefer. I have to say that black backdrops with golden, 1920s fonts for wedding day signage is perfect and there can be no denying what era your inspiration comes from with those details on show.

Images: Top Row Left via Sara Elizabeth Cakes & Sweets | Top Row Right via Wedding Party | Second Row Left via Brit & Co | Second Row Right via Love My Dress | Third Row via Style Me Pretty | Fourth Row Right via Buzzfeed | Bottom Row Left via Junebug Weddings | Bottom Row Right via You & Your Wedding

Another must-have has to be cocktails and drinks of all kinds – that speakeasy vibe is an essential element of a 1920s wedding, Play jazz from gramophones and pour cocktails from Art-Deco decanters to encourage your guests to feel that they’ve stepped into a totally different time period.

The Twenties also heralded the start of a new kind of literature and The Great Gatsby had become the iconic title from this period and as a bit of a bookworm, I have to say that I love the way that literary quotes are included in weddings. Taking snippets from novels of the period is a wonderful idea and with F. Scott Fitzgerald at your side, you can certainly relive the decadent Roaring Twenties.

So if you’re considering a 1920s wedding theme, then I shall leave you with the words of Fitzgerald himself - “Can’t repeat the past?... Why of course you can!”