By Kate Wilson

Vintage weddings have always been a romantic and classy concept for that big day. Turning to an old retro style and creating an attractive and elegant wedding theme is always a great way to make your wedding day memorable.

For a vintage wedding, first you need to decide which era you would like to follow.  A retro styled 50’s vintage wedding brings a sense of glamour, traditional style and classiness with it.  

1. Venue & decorations

Use popular flowers like peonies.  Have fun -- put a soda fountain near the dessert section and car-decorations from the 1950s to transform your venue into a perfect retro destination.  Let your guests know about the theme so that they can dress appropriately.

2. Retro wedding dress.

Pack in the vibrant style of the 50’s with simple but elegantly-cut short dresses with volume and clean lines made from exotic silks with intricate lace detailing. Headpieces, veils, beads and jewelry details can help in completing your retro look.

3. Music.

Don’t overlook the music – play energetic retro rock. Turn to Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, and Buddy Holly.  There are great upbeat songs to choose from in the 50’s era for your first dance song.

Bring the 50s energy to your wedding and enjoy an unusual, fun vintage wedding.

Kate Wilson is a blogger at WeddingClan, a question and answer site for weddings.

by Ashley, edited by Elizabeth

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You have so MUCH cool information on your site for Nashville brides (I'm envious :) ). Tell us about your path to starting Ashley’s Bride Guide (ABG). Do you work on it full time?

Yes.  ABG is a full time endeavor. When I started my site in 2007, I was working as a marketing manager for a healthcare company. But my plan all along was to focus on ABG and future projects full time. In 2007, after a year of planning and research, I launched the site and a few months later, I left my company to manage ABG full time.

How did you decide to start ABG?

In 2005, I got engaged and started planning my Nashville wedding.  At that time, there was only one online resource for wedding planning and it didn’t speak directly to the Nashville market.  I knew that Nashville brides deserved a resource that was online, local and dedicated to helping them plan their wedding.  I created ABG in 2007 to fill that void.

As some of our brides start to think about their spring weddings in Nashville, where are some of your favorite hidden gem Nashville Wedding locations?

• Country Music Hall of Fame: I like the Country Music Hall of Fame because it is a Nashville landmark and is great for brides seeking a quintessential Nashville wedding. It’s Rotunda (round room) is exquisite and an ideal venue for a sophisticated bride.  Brides should be aware of the sound system and limitations as far as music/djs. (Photo 1 - McLellan Style)
• CJ’s: Everyone in Nashville loves CJs off the Square.  The garden venue is picturesque, intimate and romantic.  The owner/staff are devoted, knowledgeable and offer a high level of customer service.  It is the ultimate venue for brides looking for high-touch, impeccable service and a wonderful wedding atmosphere.  CJ’s brides become fast friends with the staff, as I have.   Brides should know that since it’s a garden venue, it’s best/prettiest during warm months.  The venue is for intimate events as space is limited. (Photos 2/3)
• Cedarwood, Front Porch Farms, and Southall Eden Farm: For a rustic Nashville weddings, Nashville brides have many great options.  Each of these venues offers something unique but all are rustic and cozy. (Photos 4/5, 6/7, 8/9, respectively)
• Shelby Street Bridge: For edgy, modern weddings, I like the Shelby Street Bridge.  It overlooks our lovely city and is great for pictures.  It does have many requirements so brides should not consider this venue without a great wedding planner.  It does require restroom facility rental, a permit. (Photo 10)  Events @ 1418 is another modern facility.  It has exposed brick and a rooftop space.  The venue also houses a bake shop and a catering service so they can handle everything – from cake to rental items.

Ashley is the founder and owner of Ashley’s Bride Guide, a one-stop web resource for Nashville Brides planning their weddings.

Editor's disclosure: Shiny Orb, a shopping site for wedding apparel, receives no form of compensation from this vendor.

By Shanna, edited by Jennifer

Winter weddings in the Bay Area are challenging because winter here is not white fluffy snow but soggy wet rain.  Our hidden gems that are both elegant and dry would include the following:

• Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos: Testarossa has a cozy location for a smaller event, and is very unique in its design.  The long entryway corridor is a beautiful location to stage an indoor ceremony.  With its curved stonework walls reminiscent of a fairytale castle, you won't see anything like it anywhere else in the bay.
• Thomas Fogarty Winery: With sweeping views of the entire Bay Area and a covered ceremony/reception area, Thomas Fogarty Winery is ideal for winter weddings.  The rain coming through the Bay Area in the winter often leaves the air clear, allowing guests breathtaking vistas from San Francisco to Mt. Hamilton.  And on non-rainy winter days, the low clouds coming over from the ocean give the location and ethereal feel.
• Silver Creek in San Jose: Silver Creek boasts beautiful views of the green hillsides, which in California in the winter time are especially vibrant, as well as perfectly manicured lawns and breathtaking landscaping.  The ballroom allows views of the outdoors from all angles for a indoor event that can still connect to the beauties of the outdoors.  The interior of the facility is grandiose and elegant, including a sweeping double staircase.
• Coyote Creek Country Club in San Jose: Coyote Creek is perfect for the more casual reception or even the rehearsal dinner.  Although their ceremony sites are outdoors, the Country Club would be perfect for the winter bride who prefers a church ceremony and a reception with views.
• We and Our Neighborhood Clubhouse in San Jose: The Clubhouse is an intimate, casual, craftsman style venue -- and a San Jose historical landmark --  perfect indoor venue for a bride on a budget that wants the freedom to pick her own caterers and make the venue her own.

Photo credit: Image of Thomas Fogarty Winery by naotakem

Editor's disclosure: Shiny Orb, a shopping site for wedding apparel, receives no form of compensation from this vendor.

by Amy

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Amy Frugoli, a professional wedding consultant based in the San Francisco Bay Area shares 5 hidden gem locations to hold a wedding.

Editor's disclosure: Shiny Orb, a search site for bridesmaids dresses, receives no form of compensation from this wedding vendor.

1) Holly Farms in Carmel
 
Tropical paradise right here in Carmel. If you are looking at making your wedding a weekend party with plenty pampering and privacy, this is it!  They only book one wedding per weekend, and it as sold as multiple day packages (from 2-6 days) You can have a group of up to 22 people stay on the property with you in your private retreat.  As a wedding consultant, I felt like I was in a completely different world once I stepped through the gate (into Holly Farms).  I could just imagine the wedding party and family enjoying meals, games and a complete bonding experience.

2) Oceano Hotel and Spa in Half Moon Bay
 
This place is welcoming and cozy. The staff couldn't be easier to work with, they have the most comfortable accommodations and everything else you need for your wedding experience. Ceremony, reception, spa, accommodations, shopping...what more could a bride want? I love the fact that it is close to the beach for some great photo opportunities as well.
 
3) Boulder Ridge Golf Club in San Jose
 
The view of the valley from this venue is stunning, and the staff at Boulder Ridge Golf Course is perfectly attentive to every detail.  They are almost done building a brand new wedding pavillion which will make this a premiere wedding venue for sure! Who knew it was hiding in South San Jose?
 
4) Long Branch Saloon and Farms in Half Moon Bay
 
This place is for a specific type of couple, the kind that likes to have FUN!  Here, you can have a theme-wedding complete with gold panning, casino packages, gunfights and more; this place has it all. I love how you can have an "anything goes" type of party and really get guests engaged in some unique activites.
 
5) Barone's in Pleasanton
 
This is a true little hidden gem! The owners of Barone's Resturant have put a lot of work into some major additions to this venue to be very wedding friendly. There is a ton of outdoor space for a large guest count as well as a smaller indoor space. It has a really comfortable neighborhood like feel to it, and the food is incredible!

Amy Frugoli is a professional wedding consultant and owner of Twitterpated Weddings based in San Jose, CA.  She sits on the national board of directors for the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants (ACPWC) and is also on the founding board of the Wish Upon A Wedding foundation, which grants weddings to couples who are terminally ill.