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Dazzle your guests with a Jazz-age celebration fit for the Great
Gatsby.
Imagine entering a ballroom in a fine hotel, and finding a jazz band
grooving while guests dance the Charleston. Women wear loose-fitting,
knee-length frocks and sip from flasks hidden in their garters. These
images create a different kind of experience for the veteran wedding
guest. And, surprisingly, these kinds of events are becoming more common.
"What's in today," one bridal consultant says, "is real
creativity. Wedding celebrations that focus on a historical theme are a
great outlet for couples who want to design something really
different." And for couples who don't want to go all out, often just
a few historical touches will add a lot of character to a traditional
wedding ceremony and reception.
Marriage in the '20s
The 1920s are known today as the Jazz Age. When looking back on the
Roaring Twenties, we think of flappers and the Charleston. The music was
upbeat, the skirts were shockingly short and the United States was, for
the most part, in the midst of an era of prosperity.
The lore
This period evokes images of reckless abandonment and debauchery. Due to
Prohibition, alcohol was consumed on the sly. Women experienced unheard-of
freedom from the rules of the past, first with their right to vote and
then with their new bobbed haircuts and rising hemlines. Gone were the
corsets and proper attitudes; instead, women were living it up alongside
their men.
SETTINGS
A Jazz Age celebration can take place almost anywhere, including any of
the array of Victorian establishments that are commonly used as
celebration sites throughout the United States. Make sure that the site
you select has a vintage look, not just on the outside but also in the
room where the party will be held, and a dance floor large enough for
guests to really ham it up. If the room truly has an authentic feel, then
few other decorations are needed.
Weddings during this time often took place at home or at a church
reception hall. Typically, cake and punch were served, with only the
fabulously wealthy indulging in a large affair with a sit-down meal. If
you stick with the former, your guests will undoubtedly be disappointed.
But you can keep the fare light, having a cocktail reception with plenty
of hors d'oeuvres, or serve a buffet of desserts, ranging from pastries to
cakes, and have a coffee bar. The wedding cake of this age was a large
white confection, lacking both originality and taste. The modern
equivalent should still look traditional, with white-frosted tiers, while
the cake itself can be moist and flavorful.
MUSIC
The music and dancing will be the most important factors at a Roaring
Twenties-theme reception. A jazz band will add authentic flavor while
inspiring some creative dancing. A mix of Ragtime music with swingy beats
gives a fun vibe at any affair. If you can find a dance instructor to run
your wedding guests through a brief and lighthearted lesson on doing the
Charleston and other dances of the era, you are sure to have a great party
as well as some terrific photographs.
CLOTHES
Brides have many options for attire. Though wedding-dress lengths
fluctuated throughout the decade, hemlines reached their peak at two
inches below the knee. Modern brides should aim for this length, since it
is the most well known and will truly make your attire feel flapper-esque
to your guests. The perfect dress is unfitted and composed of sheer ivory
lace with a soft blush-tone satin lining. Dresses are adorned with lavish
appliqus and trims, handmade of many different satin rosettes, gold
ribbons and pearls.
Top the ensemble with a lace cap or a headband and a very long veil,
and carry a massive bouquet full of greenery and wrapped with elaborate
ribbons and lace to finish the look. As for the groom, a morning suit with
striped trousers is always fashionable, and little touches like gloves and
a hat give a vintage look to any ensemble.
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