Wedding decoration in the Gatsby style: outfits, cake, decorations

Bride

Dress. During The Great Gatsby, low-waisted dresses became fashionable. Women abandoned corsets and fluffy crinolines. All the luxury turned into shiny fabrics and bright makeup. Therefore, the wedding dress must correspond to the spirit of those times. Decorate your outfit with frills and fringes. Enhance your silhouette with smooth satin fabrics. Hemlines are also welcome. Today, it will be difficult to find similar outfits on sale, so immediately make a dress to order. Or buy a long straight cut and decorate it yourself.

Hairstyle. In the 20s, short women's haircuts (bobs, bobs) came into fashion, which always featured Marseille waves. Wear long hair in asymmetrical hairstyles, which were popular in those days. Smooth curls look great at any length (bouffant hairstyles were not in fashion), decorated with large hairpins with rhinestones or headbands with feathers.

Girls of that time loved to wear various hats. Therefore, instead of veils, give preference to small hats, nets, caps or headbands decorated with pearls.
Shoes. The best option would be shoes with low thick heels with a rounded toe. In addition to the fact that such shoes will fully correspond to the spirit of those times, they are also very comfortable (and this is so important for the bride). To make shoes look more graceful on your feet, choose shoes with a small strap.

Bouquet. White and pink flowers (roses, lilies, freesias, hydrangeas or lilies of the valley) are perfect for this composition. Modern floristry allows you to decorate bouquets in various ways (gold plating, stones, etc.). The composition will look gorgeous if you add a few green elements and feathers to match the bouquet itself.

Accessories. Complete your look with a fur cape, pearl jewelry (long beads, layered bracelets) and gloves.

On a note! An excellent combination in the style of the 20s would be a dress embroidered with gold sequins/rhinestones/beads and black velvet gloves or small mesh gloves that cover only the wrist.

A handbag is an indispensable attribute of a girl of that era. Small accessories on a long chain decorated with feathers or beads, which you could easily make with your own hands, were in fashion.

Dress code

The Roaring '20s style features an emphasis on finishes and fabric types.

The overall impression should be of luxury and chic.

The female image has the following details:

Dress . Ladies should give preference to models with a low waist. You should pay attention to outfits that have a short length. The decoration should be rich, including fringe, sequins or beadwork. There are no restrictions on colors; the model can be either sand or gold. The fabric should be luxurious, to make the image memorable, you need to choose dresses from thin velvet, light chiffon or translucent silk.
Shoes. For a Gatsby-style evening, shoes with stable heels are suitable, which will be comfortable to dance in.
Accessories. As additional accents, you should choose a boa or a small handbag with a thin chain strap. For jewelry, long pearl beads and a headband are suitable.

The evening male look is characterized by severity. After all, the gentleman must set off the richness of the lady’s appearance, without losing his own chic. For this purpose, men of the 20s preferred classic tuxedo models equipped with a vest. Color – coal black or snow white. When choosing shoes, you should choose Oxfords with a round toe. A bowtie and scarf in the lapel pocket complete the look.

To ensure that guests do not forget about the dress code, it is necessary to make a corresponding note in the invitations.

Dress code for a Great Gatsby themed party

Groom

Costume. Choose a classic cut. Pants must have arrows. You can use suspenders instead of a belt. Wear a light shirt (not necessarily white). And don’t forget about a vest to match the suit - an important part of the male look of that time. The most popular suit colors are black, cream, gray and brown.

Shoes. Men's lace-up shoes with a slightly rounded or square toe are what you need. Brown patent leather shoes are best.

Accessories. A fedora hat, a black bow tie, a pasha scarf, a cane and a pocket watch on a chain will help complete the look. Don't forget about the gold cufflinks that will decorate the cuffs of your shirt.
Hairstyle. Hair can be styled with gel by combing it to the right side. A regular short haircut that the groom is used to will also work.

Guest images

The bride's friends should adhere to the style of the hero of the occasion. Dresses can be to the floor or just below the knee. Jewelry is a must.

In order not to completely copy the bride's image, play with contrast: for example, the bride will have a dress with gold elements. In this case, the girlfriend can dress up in dark or silver colors. And if the bride decides to decorate her hair with dark feathers or a wide headband, then her friends can decorate their hair with small nets.

The groom's friends should choose accessories that the newlywed himself will not have. For example, the groom decided that he would wear a cane and a bow tie. In this case, guests may appear at the wedding in hats and wide ties. The shades of suits can also vary: if the groom has a light outfit, his friends will wear black or gray suits.

Art Deco in clothing: style of the 20s

Women's outfits of the 20s were dresses of the simplest styles .
You won’t find them in a regular store, but you can easily sew them yourself or to order. Slender girls will suit a straight dress with a low waist, sleeveless or a bell dress with a multi-layered skirt. Larger ladies should choose a silk tunic.

The outfit will be complemented by important little things : a Japanese paper fan, narrow lace gloves, a brocade reticule and a long string of pearls.

A feature of the art deco style is hand finishing. Silk embroidery, crocheted gold lace, fringe will make any modern outfit a little vintage.

Traditional colors of dresses: white, cream, black, purple.

Silhouette: straight or fitted.

Bride's dress

The newlywed's outfit is the main note of the holiday. It is worth maintaining the art deco style only if the bride has a fragile or athletic build, small breasts, and thin arms. Then she can afford to open her shoulders and wear a sequined outfit.

Otherwise, you need to choose a dress “based on”. This can be a long tunic with drapery or a train (about dresses with a short train), as well as a completely modern sheath dress, but made of metallic fabric.

Traditionally, the length of a dress for the style of the 20s is mini or midi , but floor length is also quite suitable. The main thing is to think through the whole image.

If the bride is ready for a bold experiment, then you can choose a luxurious option - a dress embroidered with bugles (beads) and decorated with feathers or fringe. It does not restrict movement and will immediately attract everyone's attention to its owner.

A more modest option - a sleeveless sheath dress made of shimmering silk.

A traditional bride will choose a light cream (or white) shade of her outfit. It perfectly shades the skin color and goes with light makeup. This outfit will benefit from bright accessories in the style of that era: a fur boa or ostrich boa, numerous bracelets and beads.

A dress with sequins is bright in itself; complementary colors and discreet decorations are suitable here.

Gold or silver?

It is important for the bride to “guess” with a metallic shade, because the most stylish Art Deco accessories are “metallic” . What to prefer? The shade that matches the color of your skin and hair and makes your face look better.

Everyone is already accustomed to the fact that delicate blondes suit silver shades, and bright brunettes suit golden ones . What if we try the other way around?

Groom suit

This is a classic “three piece” - a suit jacket and a vest - or a white tuxedo . The costume should be traditional and stylish at the same time. It will be complemented by several retro-style details: a bow tie, a scarf in the top pocket and lace-up shoes.

Here are a few fun little things : a fedora or boater hat, a cane, an onion watch and two-tone “gangster” boots.

The newlyweds' outfits should match. A “classic” groom can only be the backdrop for a dazzling Art Deco bride.

It will be more interesting if their clothes have similar details. For example, the groom's silver cufflinks and cane will match the bride's pastel dress and white pearl necklace.

Bridesmaids

The dresses of the newlywed's companions can be different. The main thing is to guess the style of that era .
To do this you need to come up with something of your own. Young naughty girl ? A short skirt embroidered with marabou feathers, long black gloves and a headband on her hair.

Sportswoman and car lover ? A modest straight dress, short leather gloves and a cap on the side.

Stylish lady ? A sequined dress trimmed with gold fringe, black silk gloves and a long cigarette holder.

What should guests wear?

Those invited will be happy to decorate themselves for such a celebration! For women, this is a chance to try on things that you can only dream of. Ostrich feathers, silk, chiffon, long strands of bugles and pearls - all at the same time!

It’s easier for men - their traditional suit for a celebration can be complemented with cufflinks and a bow tie.

Did some guests come “out of character”? Prepare in advance bright butterflies for men and headbands decorated with feathers for their companions. And it will be a holiday!

Photo session in the style of "Gatsby"

To capture the spirit of the 20s, take photos with a bar, casino and jazz band in the background. Rent a retro car, thanks to which you can take several scene photos (the newlyweds drive up to the banquet, get out of the car, and a few shots in front of the car itself).

For such an event, use special photo zones that you can set up yourself. For this you may need:

furniture of that time;
umbrellas;
antique telephone;
gaming equipment (or entire tables at which people can play roulette);
saxophone and piano.

The photos should show a cheerful mood and fun. Men can hold cigars and glasses of whiskey in their hands, and girls can playfully sit cross-legged with glasses of champagne in their hands.

Background

The twenties were the heyday of America and the triumph of the American dream. The First World War was over, but the Great Depression had not yet begun; The economy is developing at a breakneck pace, the population is rapidly becoming richer. At this time, nouveau riche appeared with huge fortunes of unknown origin, such as the hero of Fitzgerald's novel Jay Gatsby.

“The Great Gatsby” was a special work in the creative life of Francis Scott Fitzgerald, but during the author’s lifetime the work was not particularly popular. In the early years, about twenty-five thousand copies of this novel were sold.

This story conquered the world after the Second World War, in the 50s, and received a new birth after the film adaptation of the novel in the twenty-first century, with Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. The Great Gatsby style, in other words, the luxurious retro style of the 20s, quickly became fashionable.

Wedding procession

The best option for such a wedding is a rare Rolls Royce Phantom or Silver Ghost. These are rare cars, and finding them for free rental will be problematic. BMW, ZIS or Mercedes Benz are suitable alternatives. Such cars can be left undecorated or decorated with small floral arrangements and ribbons.

Wedding decoration

It is impossible to imagine such a celebration without the color gold - it sets the tone for the entire event. It should be complemented with black and white shades, as well as a beige palette. To decorate the room, choose smooth fabrics trimmed with beads, sequins and rhinestones. Furniture should be decorated in the same format: decorate all chairs with gold-plated fabrics, black satin and shiny lurex.

Vintage items are best suited for this style: framed black and white photos, musical instruments, figurines. Place elegant bouquets of flowers, feather arrangements, candlesticks and golden lighting in the form of many lights under the ceiling and a luxurious chandelier around the hall.

Table decorations

Chic and brilliance should also manifest itself at the banquet. Crystal dishes, silverware, openwork tablecloths and a sea of champagne (a fountain of this drink must be present) will convey the spirit of aristocracy and pomp of your wedding.

For decoration, use gold and black ribbons, pearl threads and fringe. Decorate cutlery, napkins and tablecloths with these elements.

The luxurious style is emphasized by tall floral compositions consisting of flowers such as:

roses (Ecuadorian);
callas;
hydrangeas;
orchids.

It is best to invite a professional florist to competently create and arrange compositions throughout the room.

For a Gatsby-themed wedding, you don’t have to have a lavish feast. Instead, organize a light buffet or buffet. Choose a place with a large dance floor and live music area. And in places where guests can relax, place leather sofas, vintage armchairs and Viennese chairs.

A mandatory element of such a wedding is a bar area. Guests can enjoy fine drinks while listening to jazz music.

Decor

To hold such a wedding, you need to approach the design very carefully, without missing anything, and take into account all the nuances.

Location

The best place to host a holiday is a large, luxurious mansion , on the territory of which there is room not only for a garden, but also a swimming pool and a fountain. This mansion can be replaced by a holiday complex built to the highest standard. In addition to all of the above, the rooms in it must have large dimensions and ceiling height . Ideally, the main building will have not only a huge hall, but also a second floor, to which wide, magnificent stone stairs lead. All premises and buildings that will be involved in the wedding celebration must initially be designed in the strict luxury of a classical style. A prerequisite is convenient access for cars .

According to the plan and style, guests arriving at the wedding will have to be met by a doorman who will open the doors to the car, help the ladies out and invite them into the main hall.

You also need to dwell separately on the room itself, in which the main part of the holiday will take place.

Table

It is advisable not to make one large table for all guests. It is best to seat them in families or pairs at small tables of six to eight people . Each of them should have a tablecloth that flows beautifully in folds all the way to the floor. Dishes - porcelain, crystal . Cutlery is made of silverware , possibly with gilding. As a decoration, you can place a tall vase on a thin leg in the center, in which fresh flowers will be adjacent to feathers and ribbons.

Remember that huge hearty dishes are not needed , because the whole holiday is full of fun, laughter and excitement. People simply won’t want to, and they won’t have time to sit at the table – there’s too much movement here. Therefore, you need to choose a menu that is at least intricate, refined and capable of surprising, but these dishes will mostly be snacks. Moreover, the snacks are very expensive, inaccessible and luxurious . These can be all kinds of canapés, baskets and tartlets with a variety of fish, meat, and vegetable fillings. A variety of seafood for every taste - huge shrimp, oysters, caviar, exquisitely prepared mussels, various red fish dishes.

Champagne is also a must on the menu. Moreover, of all the variety of alcoholic drinks that can be presented at a wedding, this one will be the main and main one at this holiday.

Champagne should also be different - sweet, dry, semi-sweet, pink, red and white . It should be displayed in special vases with ice. In addition to champagne, there are also other drinks that fit this menu - pure brandy and whiskey, cognac, punch, martini, freshly squeezed juices .

Cortege

Among all the luxury cars that will be in the wedding cortege, the two main ones must fall into the “retro” category. Of course, the ideal option would be to rent exactly the same car that the legendary Gatsby had - a Duesenberg .

Music

There must be room here for a small podium intended for a live orchestra . Instruments include piano or grand piano, saxophone. If the orchestra is jazz, this will be an ideal option. You need incendiary melodies, to which you don’t want to sit at the table, but, on the contrary, to dance and dance again.

Cake

A wedding cake for a Gatsby-themed celebration will definitely have a lot of decorative decorations. Order a cake with white frosting with gold monograms, or black frosting with white details (like pearls, bows or fake fabric).

In addition to the cake, set up a sweet area for your guests, which will contain delicious cupcakes and macarons in matching shades.

Invitations for guests

Please format this detail in the form of a small letter. It is better to choose thick paper, decorated with gold elements (monograms, beads and rhinestones). You can attach a black and white image of a retro car to your letter. Use vintage fonts for your invitation text.

Decorate your seating cards in the same style.

Carefully select each element for the celebration so that you, your friends and relatives will remember such an unusual wedding for a long time, and beautiful photographs will fill the wedding album.

Let's talk about postcards

Any wedding does not begin with the choice of a dress or a restaurant, it begins with an invitation to the wedding. These little cards go a long way because they give guests all the information and set the right tone. Invitations should speak about the style of the upcoming celebration, or better yet, convey it with their appearance.

Let's look at Gatsby wedding invitations.

Invitation form. The most commonly used invitations are in the form of a postcard. But it can be a regular card or an envelope with an invitation inside. The envelope can be tied with twine and sealed with a wax seal.
Colors. The most popular colors of that era were black and gold. You can also use white, silver, light yellow and wine shade. Golden letters on black paper will look good. Invitations in black and white or black letters on pale yellow paper are also acceptable.
Ornament. As for the ornament, it is better to use figures from the credits of the film “The Great Gatsby” - symmetrically arranged geometric figures, both pointed and rounded. Combine ovals, triangles, rhombuses, squares, circles and other shapes.
Paper. Since the theme of the wedding is luxury and chic, the paper should be of the highest quality and most expensive.
Decorations. Wedding invitations in the Gatsby style can be decorated with pearls, feathers, tied with a satin bow, and also using lace and rhinestones. It's better to do it manually.
Font. A handwritten font or an old typewriter font will do. Don't be afraid to add monograms, swirls and patterns. You can put the logo of “The Great Gatsby” - two letters G (“The Great Gatsby”)
Contents of invitations. The text of the invitation in the Gatsby style should be written in a “high” syllable, reminiscent of the syllable of the American classic. You can also insert quotes from “The Great Gatsby” or any quotes from Fitzgerald about love. In essence, invitations should convey all the important information about the upcoming celebration.

Idea! Type or write each person's name on the invitations; this will immediately demonstrate the level of the event and emphasize the degree of respect for the guests. We talked in more detail about the features of writing text for postcards here.

For example, the text of a wedding invitation in the Gatsby style, which you will find right after the picture, will be very useful.

“Dear Ivan and Ekaterina!

Anna Petrova and Gleb Korobeinikov have the honor to invite you to their wedding, which will take place on Friday, July 28, 2017.

Marriage registration is scheduled for 15.00 at the wedding palace on Kutuzovsky Prospekt.

The banquet in honor of the wedding will take place at 18.00 in the mansion at the address: Novorizhskoe highway, building 155.

Dress code: cocktail dresses for ladies, classic suits/tuxedos for gentlemen.

Please note that the wedding will be held in the Art Deco style of the 20s."

A good solution would be to include a suitable quote. For example: “Relationships cannot stand still, they must move, if not forward, then back.” Francis Scott Fitzgerald