The inspiration for Eric and Gina’s wedding came from their mutual love of music and the 1980s in particular. “When we first sat down and started to plan it, the one thing we knew we wanted for sure was live music during the reception” began the bride. “Our first choice was Rewind, an ‘80s cover band from Seattle. We both wanted a fun, engaging celebration with friends and family. That led us to choose the ‘80s rock theme, which felt so right the minute Eric suggested it. I mean, who doesn’t LOVE the ‘80s?!”
“We tried to pull in aspects of the theme that we both love, including the music and bright colours. I incorporated as many cassette tapes and records into the décor as I could. We also tried to incorporate some ‘80s ideas into our attire, such as a blue tux for Eric and a ruffle-filled asymmetrical dress for me. We also put together a candy buffet with all of our favourite 1980s candy.”
“We tried to keep things authentic to us both as a couple and as individuals”, she continued. “We didn’t feel some of the typical wedding traditions made sense for us, so we either altered them or left them out completely. We did want something symbolic during our ceremony, so we had a whiskey ageing ceremony which involved each side of the family pouring un-aged whiskey into a mini barrel, topping it off with a splash of water, and sealing. Eric and I will then re-bottle the whiskey once it has properly aged, and will enjoy it together on our future anniversaries.”
There were plenty of craft projects in the wedding, including most of the décor at the reception. “I love to do DIY projects!” explained Gina. “We had 14 months to prepare the wedding so I was able to make many parts of it myself. Once we decided on a theme and general look for the day, I scoured every blog and wedding website for inspiration and ideas. I made the stationery in a retro style, printing record labels and record sleeves using photo sticker paper sheets and my home inkjet printer. I also made our ceremony programs using the photo sticker paper sheets applied to chipboard and finished with a black and white striped ribbon.”
“The things on the table were also all DIY. The centrepiece vases were made by hot gluing together cassette tapes and then putting lights inside. They looked amazing with the arrangements added by our florist. We also had a big version as the stand for our cake. The plate chargers were made from spray painted old LPs.”
“I was particularly proud of my escort card idea. I created cassette tape holder liners personalised for each guest which indicated their table seating on the inside. I used photographs of us in 80s clothes for the covers!”
“I also did the boutonnières because I wanted something fun for the guys to wear”, she said. “I found these amazing miniature wood guitar keychains online that were perfect. I added some colourful wire and guitar picks and then tied it all up with a black and white ribbon. Our florist then added pink roses and greens to complete the design. I had to order the keychains in bulk lots, so I ended up having about 30 remaining, which we used in our floral centrepieces! I drilled a small hole in the bottom of each guitar that fit a piece of floral wire. Our florist was able to use them in the arrangements. I also attached one to each of my bridesmaids’ bouquets. It turned out to be a really cute touch!”
“One of my favourite moments was when the team mascot from our local American football team showed up!”, she laughed. “Eric is a huge fan so I organised him to come and interrupt our first dance. The excitement it created for our guests was amazing. It really helped to transition the night from wedding to celebration too.”
“There is nothing we’d do differently”, Gina concluded. “While many aspects didn’t go as planned, in the end, none of these things mattered to the overall experience. We loved our wedding. My advice for future brides and grooms would be to spend the time upfront finding vendors that you genuinely want to work with and want to give your money to for their services. We took the time to interview and meet many vendors, and I can tell you I had complete confidence in all of the vendors we selected.”
The Gallery
Suppliers
- Photography: Lloyd Photographers
- Wedding Planner: Manette Gracie Weddings & Events
- Venue: Georgetown Ballroom
- Bride's Dress: Sottero and Midgley
- Bride's Shoes: Enzo Angiolini
- Hair & Make Up: Spectrum House
- Groom's Attire: Black Lapel
- Bridesmaid Dresses: White by Vera Wang
- Cake : Baked
- Flowers: Geneva Diane Designs
- Band: Rewind