We are getting married at a summer camp. One with lots of vintage and antique things all over the place, from old Coke machines to pretty wooden signs, a saloon, and a grubstake. Our wedding theme very naturally fell into the categories “casual,” “rustic,” and “vintage,” which was precisely what we had envisioned before we ever picked our venue. I can’t quite decipher the differences between many of the various “types” of weddings, but I am glad that the DIY rustic romantic casual vintage green (insert adjective) wedding is in style right now and that I get to browse endless photos of weddings in sync with our vision to come up with new ideas and projects.
Most recently, we were deciding on our personal lodging, our love shack if you will, for the wedding weekend. While there are fabulous B&Bs and charming hotels in the Wimberley area, neither of us want to leave the party. So, it was set; we would stay at camp. At first I wanted a tent like the one in the hipster honeymoon Subaru commercial. (Yes, it pours rain and they have to sleep in their car, but it’s also an awesome canvas tent). I can picture an antique quilt and a pretty jar of wildflowers awaiting us with a lantern to keep the “honeymoon suite” dimly lit. I recognize this is not everyone’s idea of a romantic getaway, but we have both spent years of our lives where we slept more under the stars than in a bed, and there is something very romantic about it.
Once Z decided that my canvas tent looked like a sauna in the potential Texas heat, we started looking at other options. Next up was a vintage Airstream trailer like Lola the Airstream. This idea is still taking shape (where we will park it and whether or not it’s truly feasible is still TBD), but it’s a nice compromise between a tent and a fancy hotel. Either way would be fine with me!
We are fortunate that our venue lends to this type of decor and that the theme comes naturally, but it seems the simplicity is in fact a bit deceiving; it takes a lot more work and research than I originally thought to pull together the mismatched vintage casual thing. Emma Rathbone’s recent article, “My Wedding Hair” in The New Yorker sums up the entire theme pretty well: “I’d like to look blithe, beautiful, like I could barely even make it to this wedding because I had so much going on, and also maybe like I just woke up from napping with some doves, but also really sophisticated, like I’m seriously about to put on some sexy glasses and flip angrily through my Filofax, and all of this is signified by my offhand yet gorgeous and strategically tousled up-do. Is that possible?”
Do any of you know the true differences between romantic : rustic : bohemian : shabby chic : DIY? Or do they really just blend to create a wonderful Anthropologie-esque mix-and-match feel? Has anyone else found that many of the rustic, vintage weddings found on wedding websites are planned and set up by event designers?
Collage credits (clockwise from bottom left): Airstream interior – SilverTrailer.com // Vintage Trailer Wedding Shoot: WildflowersPhotos.com // Engagement shoot: Pinterest // Canvas Tent: West Elm // Camping engagement: Shannen Norman // Airstream at night: AirBnB // Lit up tent: Photo courtesy of Durdana Ali Malik (You magazine).