Shabby Chic Weddings: A Guide To This Unique Wedding Style

Shabby chic is a wedding theme that has gained popularity in recent years. It is characterised by a romantic, vintage, soft, and feminine aesthetic that blends rustic and worn elements with elegant and opulent details. The result is a heartwarming, creative, and timeless atmosphere. To achieve this look, one might use vintage accessories, soft colour palettes, mismatched antique furniture, fresh flowers, and subtle touches of lace.

Vintage accessories and styles

For decor, consider using antique furniture pieces such as old dressers, armoires, or vintage suitcases. Vintage china, silverware, and teacups can add a charming touch to your table settings. You can also display old family photos or antique frames as part of your reception decor. For a romantic and timeless atmosphere, include vintage candelabras, candle holders, and lace fabric. Soft pastel colours, such as pale pink, peach, and mint green, lend themselves well to this theme.

When it comes to your wedding attire, you can incorporate heirloom pieces such as a family wedding dress or a vintage veil. A vintage-inspired wedding dress, such as a lace or tea-length gown, will also fit the theme perfectly.

Don't forget the smaller details! Vintage-style wedding invitations, postcards, or stamps can be a lovely touch. You can even use vintage cars as your transportation to and from the wedding.

The beauty of a shabby chic wedding is that it allows you to get creative and DIY many of the elements. By mixing and matching vintage accessories and styles, you can create a unique and memorable event that your guests will adore.

Soft colour palettes

For a chic and rustic vibe, a combination of teal and berry can be a beautiful take on light and dark colour schemes. Gold shades, such as matte gold, champagne, and vibrant hues, can complement these colours and bring them to the forefront. White, rust, and peach can also be incorporated for an autumnal setting. Silver or mother-of-pearl accents can add a striking offset to the colours, making the shades more vivid.

Shabby chic weddings often feature vintage items and handcrafted treasures. The colour palette can be enhanced by vintage floral patterns, which can be included in invitations, decor, and attire.

For a summer wedding, a soft colour palette of peach, blush, and lavender can be a playful and rustic duo. These colours can be incorporated through natural elements, such as fresh lavender centrepieces and peaches, creating a farm-to-table vibe.

A unique and modern twist on a shabby chic wedding colour palette can include turquoise and white, with gold accents for a whimsical touch. For a more elegant and luxurious feel, amber gold and salmon tones can be paired with gilded details, such as gold-rimmed water goblets and candlesticks.

Rustic wooden signs

Shabby chic weddings are all about combining vintage elements with the rustic, natural appeal of a country wedding. This style is known for its unique details, soft and feminine touches, and organic textures in a natural warm colour palette.

Welcome Sign

Greet your guests with a large wooden sign that sets the tone for your special day. You can add a sweet message like "Welcome to our beginning" or a witty line like "Let's get this party started". A welcome sign can also be a great way to showcase your names and wedding date in a beautiful font.

Directional Signs

Directional signs are a practical and chic way to guide your guests to different areas of your wedding, especially if you're having an outdoor celebration or a wedding with multiple areas. Use wooden arrows or simple chic signs to point guests towards the ceremony area, reception, bar, or photo booth.

Seating Chart

Wooden seating charts can be both functional and decorative. You can use a large piece of stained wood with delicate calligraphy or pair a wooden chart with abundant florals for a show-stopping installation. For a rustic touch, consider using a vintage truck or wooden crates to display table numbers or seating assignments.

Quotes and Lyrics

Add a personal touch with a favourite quote, song lyric, or book excerpt. Include this on your welcome sign or as a stand-alone feature. For a rustic look, consider using a chalkboard sign or a wooden plaque with elegant calligraphy.

Escort Cards and Guest Book

Escort cards can be displayed creatively using rustic shelving or wooden boards. For a unique guest book, consider a wooden alternative, such as a 3D wooden guest book sign or a rustic wooden crate with cards.

Bar Sign

Add a playful touch to your bar with a wooden sign featuring a fun message. Offer your guests a drink with a "Take a Shot, Take Your Seat" sign or set the scene with a rustic chalkboard sign, dressed up with a rustic frame and stunning lettering.

These ideas can help you incorporate rustic wooden signs into your shabby chic wedding, creating a memorable and unique celebration for you and your loved ones.

Distressed furnishings

Shabby chic is a style that evokes a sense of faded elegance. When it comes to furniture, this means creating a distressed, worn look.

There are several ways to distress furniture to achieve the shabby chic look. One method is wet distressing, which involves using a damp object to wipe away paint, often while the paint itself is still wet. This technique is gentle and does not require power tools. Another method is dry distressing, which is the opposite of wet distressing and involves allowing the paint to dry completely before removing some of it with a dry object. This technique often requires tools and will likely leave dust behind.

For wet distressing, the first step is to tear a piece of newspaper, printer paper, or construction paper into multiple uneven pieces, depending on the desired sizes and shapes of the distressing. The paper is then thoroughly soaked and applied to the surface of the piece of furniture. After painting, the pieces of paper are removed, taking some of the paint with them. Baby wipes can also be used to wipe away wet paint in areas where distressing is desired.

For dry distressing, the entire piece of furniture is painted and allowed to dry completely. Then, tools such as steel wool or sandpaper are used to remove some of the paint, revealing the colour underneath. This technique allows for more control over the final design.

Another option is to use a hammer and nail to create a more intensely distressed look. This involves gently hitting areas such as the edges and bottom of the furniture with a hammer, and then using a nail to apply pressure to the already distressed areas. This technique requires striking the right balance to ensure that the paint is removed without damaging the furniture itself.

The resist method is another technique that involves applying a waxy material, such as candle wax or Vaseline, between two different coats of paint. The wax allows the top coat of paint to be removed more easily, creating a distressed effect. This method is slightly more unconventional but produces remarkable two-toned distressed results.

When distressing furniture to achieve the shabby chic look, it is important to consider the overall design and think about where the wear on the piece would naturally occur over generations of use. For example, on a chair, most of the wear would be on the edge of the arms and the seat, while on a chest of drawers, it would be on the front edge and around the knobs or handles.

Vintage-style photo booths

Shabby chic weddings are a popular choice for couples wanting a romantic, vintage, soft, and feminine aesthetic with rustic touches. To achieve this style, couples can use antique decor pieces, such as lace tablecloths, vintage vases, and old doors or windows as backdrops.

The Photo Booth Itself

Vintage photo booths are becoming rarer, but some companies are committed to restoring them to their original condition. These booths, from the 1940s to the 1980s, have been updated with modern technology, allowing for black-and-white or colour photos. The booths can be customised with logos and backdrops to fit the wedding theme.

Props and Backdrops

In keeping with the shabby chic theme, consider a lace curtain as a backdrop for the photo booth. This adds a vintage, romantic feel to the photos. You could also provide props such as vintage hats, glasses, and other 'dress-up' items to enhance the fun.

Booth Design

For a truly unique touch, design a vintage-style photo booth in the shape of an old-fashioned car or van. This will provide a talking point for guests and add to the charm of the day.

Vintage-Style Prints

The prints from the photo booth can be customised with a text logo and a black border to enhance the vintage feel. You could also offer guests the option to have their photos in a vintage-style frame.

Polaroid-Style Photos

Vintage chemical photo booths produce beautifully imperfect photos that are one-of-a-kind. These photos, with their unique colour and light effects, will be a memorable keepsake for guests.

Frequently asked questions