Romances and trends are everywhere and can come from absolutely anywhere. Some start between the cover of a book, others are designed for the silver screen, and many sail into our consciousness afloat the digital stream of an original series. Suddenly, what was “once upon a time” is once upon a wedding! Check out our selection of influential weddings that never really happened.
Once Upon a Time
Jane Austen (1775-1817) wrote books, movies were made, and Regency style reigned at weddings. Think: garden settings, traditional English garden flowers such as roses and lavender, empire waistlines, and romantic cascades of soft curls.
The Princess Bride (published: 1973, film: 1987) gave us miracles, romance, and many, many quotable lines about “wuv, tru wuv.”
The 1920s
Downton Abbey(2010 to present) reacquainted us with all the Edwardian, art deco, English garden party glory attributed to the aristocratic class in the 1920s. Then, the show gave us icing for the cake in the form of two romantic and refined brides. Both Edith Crawley and Lady Mary wore an antique tiara with 45 sparkling carats by U.K. jeweler Bentley & Skinner, which you can now rent for your own nuptial celebration.
The Great Gatsby(2013 remake), adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s enduring work, offers wedding planners the template to 1920s opulence on a golden platter alongside crystal champagne flutes. Okay, so there wasn’t actually a wedding in this tale, but there were plenty of parties and what’s a wedding if not a celebration? Though set in roughly the same era as Downton Abbey, Director Baz Luhrmann showed us a looser, more indulgent roaring ‘20s characterized by cocktails, crystal, gold, feathers, and miles of pearls.
The 1950s
Father of the Bride(1950) introduced us to Elizabeth Taylor. For this, her first (albeit fictitious) wedding, she and costumer Helen Rose introduced and popularized the sweetheart neckline. In fact, the gown designed for the character Kay Banks had it all: sweetheart neckline, Peter Pan collar, gathered waist with a full skirt, and yards of lace.
Funny Face (1957) staring Audrey Hepburn started it, Mad Men (2007 to present) brought it back, and Lea Michele (2012) made it accessible: the wasp waist, full-skirted, tea-length style of the 50s and 60s. I suspect Hubert de Givenchy drew inspiration for the tea-length wedding confection from Hepburn’s ballet background, which she drew upon for many of her dance numbers with Fred Astaire. Today’s brides can get the same look with a vintage frock or, like Michele’s character Rachel Berry, opt for the same classic style from a modern designer.
The 1980s
Dynasty(1981-1989) gave all America a peek into the tawdry lives of the very wealthy. I assume director Aaron Spelling would know all about that, right? Of course the Carringtons put on a most fantastic wedding among other black tie affairs. To keep up with the ladies in their teased bouffants and beaded gowns, each leading man had to appear quite dapper. As a result, the eighties saw a short-lived resurgence in the popularity of men’s formal wear, including cutaways, morning suits, and strollers, and gave us this commercial gem.
The 1990s and Beyond
Melissa McCarthy has had an amazing influence on wedding style twice in the past decade: once as Sookie St. James on Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) and again when, as Molly Flynn, she got hitched on Mike and Molly (2010 to present). Both times, McCarthy rocked the bridal look in ways willowy dress models never could.
Sex and the City gave us four (and a half) weddings with enough enviable details to fill a thousand “dream wedding” Pinterest boards. The 2008 movie tapped every luxurious nuance of the Downtown Chic wedding scene by combining a confection-like gown, dramatic headpieces, and red carpet-ready bridesmaids. The TV series helped make hard-to-pronounce fashion designers into household words — especially when it came to shoes. After Carrie Bradshaw said “I do” in a pair of blue satin Manolo Blahnik pumps, eye-catching wedding shoes became an “it” accessory often worthy of their own bridal portrait.
Twilight: Breaking Dawn had Tammy Polatsek designed the perfect wedding for Bella Swan and Edward Cullen with breathtaking results. Polatsek drew on every element of the forest setting — trees, stone, ferns — to craft a woodland paradise. The scenes overflowed with white blossoms which arched overhead, fell from the trees, and seemed to grow right out of the tables. Bella’s gown, a figure-hugging white creation from Carolina Herrara, also seemed to have grown right on the bride as opposed to being made for her. The overall effect was one of wild, ethereal elegance.
It is amazing how many different times and places hold wedding inspiration. In just one post, we’ve drawn from 263 years and two continents. We didn’t even cover the influence of Disney princesses! It seems, then, that the best place to start dreaming up your perfect wedding is snuggling in front of your flat screen with a bowl of popcorn and a bottle of wine.
Photo Credits: Faylyne, timberlace designs, Carnival Film & Television, Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Justin Alexander Bridal, TheWB.com, CBS Broadcasting Inc., Duan HUA, and Summit Entertainment.
Source: Plum Deluxe