The vintage era and style is characterized and brought to life quiet well though the use of feathers. Light-weight, nonchalant, dainty, feminine, chic and coquette, feathers are capable of making a wedding flower bouquet look even more attractive, elegant, fanciful and mesmerizing. I stumbled upon this bouquet and I think it would be absolutely perfect for my wedding in Paris.

I love this bouquet

I think really demonstrates the modern reinterpretation of the “vintage” wedding — lush, glamorous, detailed and textured, classic yet modern.  It’s obvious that the bride who carried this bouquet really lavished a lot of thought on the little details.  As an individual piece, it’s a little work of art.  For my own wedding, I would love to have a round, hand-tied bouquet, a really full, lush arrangement of roses in various shades of pink creating both depth and contrast — and ringed by white or ivory wisps from an ostrich wing feather.  I really like the idea of mixing delicate shades of vintage pink -- not too bubble gum or Barbie pink -- rather something soft and elegant. The only addition I would make is to add a few lavender sprigs, a must have for my wedding day.

Here are a couple of pictures of other vintage style bouquets I love:

Miss America Pattern Compote

Few things remind me more of my childhood than thick, heavy, depression glass.  When I was young I had no idea it was something special but I definitely remember seeing it in my grandmother's home as well as the home of many of my great aunts and uncles.  The story of Depression Glass is quite interesting.  Depression glass is so named because it was made in the United States primarily during the Great Depression — from the middle 1920s through the 1930s.  Although the majority of depression glass patterns were made in crystal, colored glass enventually became very popular.  In order of their popularity, the top depression glass colors were:  pink, green, amber-yellow, cobalt-blue, red-ruby, black, and amethyst.  The during its day the glass was oftentimes viewed to be “cheap” or “poor” glass because it was mass manufactured by machine, and often given away as a premium or promotional gift for buying a certain product.  It was also used as an incentive gift to get people to buy at a local store, and often could be acquired by saving coupons off of purchases.

American Sweetheart Pattern Platter

There are many patterns that were manufactured to contain all pieces needed for a full dinner service including dinner, salad and bread plates as well as cake plates, butter dishes, serving bowls, etc.  Beginning in the late 1960's American's began collecting depression glass.  Since that time the value has continued to rise.

Rose of Sharon Pattern Cup and Saucer

I have been collecting pink depression glass for a few months now.  I am planning to create an amazing French dessert station at my party.  To make it extra special I will be serving the french delectables on beautiful pink depression glass.  Some of my favorite patterns include American Sweethear, Miss America and Rose of Sharon.  I decided to mix and match patterns because I think it will create more interest.  How appropriate that my vintage Parisian wedding party will include some truly vintage serving pieces straight out of history.

Lately I have been perusing websites, magazines and department stores for the perfect centerpiece inspiration.  My aunt Hilda will be creating the arrangement for me.  She is our families floral designer and I am delighted to have her be a apart of our wedding.  The centerpiece will be placed on the buffet/sideboard located in our formal dining room.  We have 10 foot ceilings on the main level so I am not afraid to add height.  Our party will have a vintage paris theme and it is important that all of our decorations work to create that feeling.  The centerpiece should be chic, vintage, over-the-top...stunning.

After searching for quite some time I have found a couple of examples I would like Hilda to use as inspiration while she works to create this masterpiece.  It should include ostrich plumes, dangling crystals and or pearls, large, pink, vintage blooms, a wonderful vase.  I love the asymmetry of these arrangements.  They are so perfect!

Here are the inspiration photos that will be used for the creation:

While in France do as the Frenchmen. Once Eric and I had determined that Paris would be the site for our wedding I began to research the traditions of a typical wedding in France. Many of the traditions in the US today are adaptations of what the French have been doing for centuries. Below is a listing of traditions not commonly seen in the US. Each of them will be a part of our french-style wedding in April.

Ritual Bath: This bath symbolizes the purification of the bride, ridding her of all evil as well as memories of any previous boyfriends

Coco Chanel Bath at The Ritz Paris

White Ribbons: On the day of the wedding the entrance to the church is blocked with white ribbons. The bride cuts the ribbon and she with her groom and guests enter the church. The ribbons are symbolic obstacles the couple will overcome together.
Order of Entry: Following one or more musicians the bride makes her way to the door of the church where she awaits her groom. They take hands and enter the chruch together signifying the beginning of their lives together.
Bridal Path: Laurel Leaves are placed down the path outside the church for the couple to walk over after the wedding

Coup de Mariage

Toasting: The couple toasts one another with a two-handled cup. This particular cup is then passed down from one generation to another. Known as coup de mariage, this tradition is one of the oldest traditions still in practice today.

Anyone who plans to go to Paris, and wants to know more about the city other than the Champs Elysees and the Eiffel Tower, might do well to read Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast.

It's a marvelous book that gives a glimpse of what Paris was like in the 1920's. It was the time of the Lost Generation when writers, painters, musicians and composers went to Paris to work and make names for themselves. Hemingway's first novel, The Sun Also Rises, was about Paris.

Paris saw a lot of Hemingway immediately after World War II. He often came for the fall steeplechase meets at Auteuil, the emerald race track in the heart of Bois de Boulogne that he so enjoyed.

In Auteil, he would convene with his friends in the Little Bar of the Ritz every race day at noon and while the bartender made Bloody Marys, they would study the race forms and make their selections.

Hemingway enjoyed his lunches at the Course Restaurant, which is still functioning. He wrote about the meals between races: Belon Oysters, omelette with ham and fine herbs, cooked endives, Pont l'Eveque cheese and cold Sancerre wine.

If you go up to Montmartre Hill to Place de Tertre, you will find Hemingway's first Paris haunt. At one corner of the square, where Rue Norvins starts, was the Au Cliron des Chausseurs, where he often ate when he had money. He was then working for the Kansas City Star, and getting between US$11 and $21 for each article he wrote.

If you want to see the neighbourhood where Hemlngway first lived, go to Rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs, where he rented a room over a sawmill. Every day his rejected manuscripts would come back through the slot in the door of the bare room.

Hemingway's writings give us a truly nostalgic account of life in Paris. In all of his works, life centres around cafe life, drinking and dining. If there were bull fights and big game hunting in Paris, those would have been included, and Hemingway's Paris would have been complete.

Source:  Harold Stephens

To Read More about Hemingway and Paris click here

Divided into a right and left bank by the River Seine, Paris is a regal city that exudes savoir faire. It is a city brimming with bridges, sidewalk cafés, and endless promenades that never fail to reveal some hidden treasure. The famous Parisian flair for the beautiful and dramatic is on display throughout, from the broadest café-lined boulevard to the narrowest cobbled side street. Entire days can be spent in the pursuit of whatever new marvel may lie just around the corner.

Everything about the City of Light-its grand monuments, its cathedrals, its haute couture, art, and cuisine-acts as a kind of elixir to the soul. It is truly the capital of the romantic world, and nothing else compares. Go to Paris with nothing but a few bucks (euros) in your wallet and you'll still feel like the richest couple in the world.

Winter, spring, summer or, fall, Paris is an ideal place to stroll. Rich with history combined with modern convenience the city never disappoints.  Vintage, royal and tre chic even the most mundane in Paris still greets you with opulence.  It is in the sidewalk cafés, restaurants, and bars that true eloquence of involvement is found in Paris. Even a simple picnic of fromage et baguette (with accompanying vin rouge, naturally) at the Place des Vosges rivals the most sumptuous dining at any five-star New York restaurant. It is in such elemental pleasures that you'll truly discover your version of Paris and have a lifetime's trove of memories from which to dip.

The Eiffel Tower and The Seine at dusk.

Beautiful fountains at Place de la Concorde, the largest public square in Paris.

Antique car display at Place Vendome just outside the Ritz, Paris.

Statues at the gates entering the Jardin des Tuileries (the oldest Park in Paris)
It was created by Marie de Medici in 1564 and was opened as a public garden (park) in 1667.