At market you connect with people in all layers of the bridal business from designers to retailer to publishers. Last weekend I kept having a similar conversation over and over again.
When will the vintage trend in weddings be over?
In my mind, this trend should have already died and I said so, but it got me thinking more deeply about what is driving it.
- First off, I think it is really in their hearts less about vintage than it is about ‘casual’. Vintage is just the name that got hung on it. Couples today are more concerned about having fun and seeing to the comfort of their guests than they are about being aspirational. Many see the more traditional hotel or banquet hall wedding reception as stuffy and constrained. In an effort to reduce stress they are abandoning that look for something they perceive as more casual and laid-back.
- Second, I think the economy is driving it. Today’s couples are reaching out to alternative venues because they believe, correctly or not, that they are less expensive than a traditional wedding venue. These alternative venues are seen as unique and edgy. The venues, also effected by the economy, are reaching out to the bridal world as a new source of revenue.
- Third, the vintage trend is seen as a Do-It-Yourselfer’s paradise. They can search flea markets and thrift shops for mismatched vases and mason jars and plop in a single daisy rather than rent beautiful silver vases and bowls from a rental company or a florist for over the top arrangements.
- Perhaps the most important point, they are at heart copy-cats. Designing a wedding is something they have not done before. They search Pinterest and the wedding blogs not just for ideas but validation. If someone else has done it successfully they feel validated in their choices, even if it was done in a style shoot.
- Which brings me to my last point. The blogs and style shoots, in an effort to “give the brides what they want” keep styling and showcasing vintage. It is stuck in a loop.
So how do we stop it?
As designers and stylists, you first have to understand what is driving it and then fill those needs. Today’s couples want highly personalized wedding with a casual, easy feel at a cost-effective price point. That doesn’t by default mean “Vintage”. It just means that is all they have been shown.
So put on your thinking caps, find some new inspiration, design your little hearts out and give them some alternatives. In your style shoots, don’t default to either vintage or over the top bling, find a middle ground. Understand their needs and desires and find new ways to execute them.
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