An Argument for the Classic Wedding

I hear it all the time: “We want a wedding that will stand the test of time. A wedding that our children will look at and not wrinkle their noses.” 

Timeless and classic. I’m all for it! But the truth is, there will always be some tell-tale signs of the decade. Contemporary details will make their way into the day subconsciously- especially with the fast-changing trends being fed to all of us on Instagram and Pinterest. We cannot avoid trend even if we try! 

That’s OK though. Isn’t it fun to look at your grandparents’ wedding photos and marvel at the gorgeous Chantilly lace Nana wore? Or interesting to talk about how your great grandmother simply just wore her cousin’s best church dress because it was the Great Depression and she couldn’t afford a gown? Or see your fresh-eyed Grandpap looking handsome in his Dress Whites because he and your Gran got married the day before he shipped out? Let’s not forget about mom’s feathered hair in the 70’s!

If you truly want to keep your wedding mostly-classic however, here are a few suggestions:

1. Pick a neutral color palette. Stick to tonal shades in the same family. White flowers with greenery are always in style. 
2. Go seasonal when possible. Choose peonies in spring and dahlias in the fall. Roses available at any time of year.
3. Look to the Crown. Even trend-setter Meghan Markle kept it fairly classic for her wedding to Prince Harry. Centuries of tradition and expectation have thwarted passing trends for the most part. 
4. It sounds obvious, but be mindful of what is “trendy”! If suddenly you can find shoes, purses, shirts, jeans, couches and hand-died French silk ribbon in mustard color, it is likely a trend and in two years we’ll be on to the next (Marsala, anyone?).
5. Embrace traditions. They give meaning to those details in the photographs that you’ll show and pass on to your children some day. Use a piece of your grandmother’s dress to tie your bouquet, or adorn the stem with your mother’s locket. Traditions don’t get old, they only get sweeter as time goes on. 

Check out a few photos below of weddings we’ve done that I would consider “classic”.

Photo credits (L-R):

Row 1 Eva Lin Photography, Megan McGreevy Photography

Row 2 Hannah Hicks Photography, Loren Demarco Photography, Maria Palermo Photography

Row 3 Levana Melamed Photography, Eva Lin Photography, Maria Palermo Photography

To see more of our work, check out our Gallery.