An old-fashioned Hollywood wedding theme brings a sense of glamor to the event.
Especially if an engaged couple are movie buffs (though they don't have to be), shaping a wedding around an old-fashioned Hollywood theme can set an elegant and glamorous vibe. This motif can also help brides decide on wedding dresses and guide couples when it comes to picking out decorations and selecting party favors.
Invitations
One invitation idea is to make a video montage of romantic movie scenes.
For the tech-savvy couple, send a film montage in lieu of a regular invitation. Cherry-pick scenes from such movies as "Father of the Bride" (1950), "It Had to be You" (1947) and "Sabrina" (1954), where the couples are saying "I love you" and "I do." Put them together to preface a clip that has the invitation information. Or send invitations that look like old-fashioned movie posters. Put the couples' names after the words "Starring" and list the parents of the soon-to-be newlyweds under the "Directed by" or "Produced by" titles. Put the date of the wedding as the "Premiere" date.
Attire
Grooms can look dapper in either black or white tuxedos.
To set the classic mood, men should wear either black tuxes or tuxes with white jackets and black cummerbunds. There are a plethora of wedding dresses from old Hollywood films that women can use as inspiration. In the 1957 film "Funny Face," Audrey Hepburn wore a tea-length dress with a tulle skirt that flared out just below the knees and a bodice with capped sleeves and a high neckline. Brides can also take a cue from real wedding dresses that Hollywood starlets wore. When Elizabeth Taylor married Nicky Hilton in 1950, she wore a dress that was made from white satin with an overlay of chiffon and a sweetheart neckline. The dress was also covered with seed pearls, and the veil was attached to a tiara.
Centerpieces
Clapper boards can be used as centerpieces.
Instead of table numbers, label them after famous Hollywood landmarks and create centerpieces that represent each locale. For example, name one table "Grauman's Chinese Theatre," which opened in 1927. Put a group of Chinese takeout boxes in a circle and fill them with popcorn. In the middle of the boxes, put a miniature poster of "The King of Kings," a Cecil B. DeMille film that was the theater's first showing. Call another table "Rodeo Drive." Since the street is known for its expensive boutiques, fill a crystal bowl with large fake diamonds, fake credit cards and oversized rhinestone rings. Surround the bowl with either champagne glasses or a feather boa and use tiny high-heel shoes as place-card holders. Put a small "Hollywood" sign on another table and surround it with disposable cameras that guests can take home, as well toy-sized film cameras and clapper boards.
D cor
Lay out a red carpet to lead into the reception hall.
Keep the decorations gold and silver to reflect the glam vibe. For the reception area, set up an entrance that looks like the doorway to Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Lay out a red carpet and, if possible, set up strobe lights. If your venue has a chandelier, hang gold and silver tinsel and miniature disco balls from the ceiling to make the room sparkle. Hang posters of famous romantic films such as "The Philadelphia Story," "Casablanca," "My Fair Lady" and "An Affair to Remember" on the walls.
Entertainment
Treat guests to scenes from favorite romantic movies.
Set up a screen and play famous romantic scenes from classic films. Examples include when Claudette Colbert flashed a little leg in "It Happened One Night" to catch a ride for her and costar Clark Gable or when Rhett Butler swept Scarlett O'Hara off her feet and took her upstairs in "Gone with the Wind." Also hire an orchestra to play big-band swing music.
Favors
Fill a popcorn bucket with romantic movies that guests can take home.
Let guests take home a plastic popcorn bucket filled with romantic films. Stick with a theme and either make them all musicals -- which could include "Meet Me in St. Louis," "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "Singing in the Rain" -- or stick with the comedic genre and put together a stack of such films as "His Girl Friday" and "High Society." Another idea is to write the date of the wedding and the couple's name in silver or gold paint on a clapper board for each guest. For a do-it-yourself gift, write memorable romantic quotes from movies in a miniature book.
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