Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

Who doesn’t like to travel? And putting a vintage spin on a travel theme is incredible. Beautifully woven into this inspirational shoot are images of vintage travel items from a camera to luggage.

And the bride is gorgeous, of course! From modern to retro, the photos of these beautiful brides are sure to inspire anyone who loves vintage, travel or both! Have fun planning your wedding with this guide on many of the points you’ll be considering.

What to Look for in Venue for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

There’s probably no better place to hold a wedding than outdoors for travel-loving couples and adventure seekers. You’ll want a wedding venue that makes you feel alive and a place to feed your wanderlust. That’s why it’s not surprising to find travel lovers tying the knot on beaches, farms, woodlands, vineyards, gardens, and resorts.

However, it doesn’t mean you should ditch indoor wedding venues altogether. For a vintage travel-themed wedding, spaces like museums, art galleries, and libraries are excellent options to consider. They provide striking backdrops and unique structures, so there’s minimal decoration required to achieve a chic, vintage feel. You can also rent a studio or have a reception at an old train station for an elegant and dreamy setting.

Colour Palettes for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

A vintage travel-themed wedding has a romantic colour palette. Think of dramatic hues like moody purples, simmering silver, bold navy, dark green, and shades of cream. But don’t limit your imagination with these wedding colours. Try experimenting with other whimsical yet classic retro shades, like dusty yellows, wine-coloured reds, mauve, and indigo, ideal for spring, summer, or fall weddings.

If unsure, stick to muted shades and pastels, as these colours are synonymous with a vintage theme. Combine them with your travel-inspired invitations, floral arrangements, centrepieces, and decor for a seamless look. You can also mix light and dark hues for a glamorous vintage wedding style.

Details for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

Vintage travel-themed weddings are now all the rage. So it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with this theme if you want to incorporate your love for adventure into your old-world celebration. You can also personalise the design by mixing modern elements with classic and retro glam.

Start by adding globes, maps, and photos of your travels in the decoration, or include pictures of famous attractions and cities from around the world to your table setting. Greet your guests with themed signage, frame your favourite travel phrases, and make fabulous centrepieces of candle lanterns, vintage books, and antique cameras. Seriously, your imagination is the only limit to what you can do with this wedding style.

Dresses & Accessories for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

Classic lace wedding dresses offer timeless beauty that requires no additional embellishment to amplify every bride’s shine and grandeur. It’s feminine and modest, perfect for a vintage wedding. And when it comes to accessories, we love to keep it subtle and simple instead of loud and flashy.

It’s a good idea to wear a statement piece like a pair of stud earrings for a delicate touch of sparkle. A bridal fascinator headpiece also provides a perfect finish to your look and adds a vintage feel to your attire. It matches almost any hairstyle and can transform your pretty girly image into something sophisticated and ladylike.

Reception Decor for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

You can do so many things to highlight a vintage travel theme to your wedding reception. An old lamp and camera can add an antique vibe to your space, while retro signage with names of places meaningful to you as a couple can be a fun decor piece at the venue's entrance.

Of course, we can’t talk about travel reception decor ideas without mentioning suitcases, maps, and globes. You can use these staple pieces almost anywhere. They can become focal points in the photoshoot area or simply fill an empty corner at the venue. Combine them with colourful and bold wedding flowers to complete the look.

Table Setting Style for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

Pick a key element you want to highlight on your tablescape. It could be your favourite blooms in a sleek wooden vintage vase or an elaborate floral arrangement accentuated with candlesticks or antiquated candelabras. Then add a splash of colour to your reception tables with vintage glasses of varying heights and hues.

Instead of numbering your tables, how about naming them after your favourite destinations or the places you’ve visited together? Put a place card on every table with the city’s name and illustration, or use old books to highlight both the travel and vintage elements of your wedding reception table.

Wedding Cake Ideas for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

Semi-naked wedding cakes are perfect for vintage travel wedding styles with their unique texture and old-school appearance. Instead of frosting the cake's exterior with layer upon layer of buttercream, you leave the cake semi-exposed with less frosting. Its ‘messy’ or ‘undone’ look is full of personality, perfectly reflecting your rustic wedding reception and venue.

Plus, it’s ideal for those who aren’t too fond of sweets with its minimal filling and glazes. You only need a few decorative details to turn your cake into an eye-catching reception dessert. Add a bundle of peach blooms and baby’s breath, or adorn it with fresh fruits and greenery for a picture-perfect dessert.

Wedding Invitations for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

A wedding invitation is more than just a written request to your guests to be part of your big day. It should give them a preview of your event and something to look forward to and be excited about. So make sure it reflects your wedding theme by incorporating travel-inspired décor elements and vintage designs and colours.

We love the idea of a postcard-style wedding invitation where you can put all essential information on a single card without needing an entire wedding suite. On the picture side, you can feature your favourite couple's photo or an image of the venue. A passport and a boarding-pass-inspired invitation is also a brilliant idea to consider.

Portrait Props for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

Take a trip to the thrift store and find precious pieces like old clocks, novelty barware, vases, and glassware you can use as photo props for your wedding. Various travel-related items to welcome your guests to an adventure-inspired celebration you can also add to the collection are old maps, cameras, and binoculars.

For a photo shoot idea, take a photo beside a stack of vintage suitcases with a globe and wedding bouquet on top to show your love for travel in your wedding photos while keeping the old-world charm. If it’s sturdy enough, you can also take a few shots sitting on one of the suitcases while holding a bouquet of colourful flowers without looking at the camera.

Favours & Gifts for a Vintage Travel Themed Wedding

Many couples would gift each other a matching watch on their wedding day. But a camera is undoubtedly an excellent present for your travel-loving significant other. A personalised compass with your wedding date or favourite phrase engraved on the back is also a unique wedding gift worth considering.

For wedding favours, vintage map coasters are a great addition to your guests’ homes. A luggage tag with the guest's name written on it is also a creative idea everyone will love. They can use it on their next adventure, and they’ll definitely remember you wherever they go each time they catch a glimpse of this fantastic wedding favour.

Vintage Travel-inspired Wedding

After yesterday’s wanderlust engagement session nothing could be more fitting than a gorgeous, old-world travel themed wedding inspiration shoot! Sarah Goodwin Photography captures the jet-set lifestyle perfectly along with classic, glamorous wedding style.

From Sarah Goodwin Photography – “The theme for this inspiration shoot arose out of a love for travel – specifically the luxurious, glamorous jet-setting lifestyle of world travels of days past.

Inspired by the geography, natural and architectural European destinations such as Paris, the French Riviera, Tuscany & Vicenza in Italy, we incorporated maps, luggage, globes, binoculars, and cameras along with our favourite French desserts. Modern elements are mixed in with retro glam and utterly classic style. There are also a few very subtle references in the invitation suite to our favourite ‘Old World’ TV show – Game of Thrones!”

Credits: Photography: Sarah Goodwin Photography // Floral Design & Coordination: Haley Tobias Events // Invitations & Paper Goods: Little Bit Heart // Hair & Makeup: Jordan Winn & Co // Wedding Dress & Veil: Amy’s bridal Boutique // Badgley Mischka Sequin gown: Rent the Runway // Cake, Macarons, & Cupcakes: Sweets by E // Vintage Rentals (suitcases, cameras, binoculars, place settings): Ginger and Spice // Hand-Dyed Ribbon: Silk & Willow // Models: Evan Sanderson & Amanda Schmitt // Venue: Stone Tower Winery in Lessburg, Virginia.