LOS ANGELES April 20, 2010 Modern-day brides frequently turn to the past these days to give their very special day a splash of individuality by dressing their participants in vintage wears from Clever Vintage Clothing. The owner of this 19-year-old Los Angeles establishment, Dave C. Temple, said it's becoming the bread-and-butter of his business.
"I meet at least one upcoming bride at each trade show who inquires about us outfitting either a handful or all of the people in her wedding in vintage clothing," he said. "Many times it's the artistic or alternative types, but more and more lately, it's just someone who wants their wedding to be distinctive. I've outfitted three vintage weddings in the past five months ? and that was in the off season."
There's a misconception that vintage weddings have to be shockingly different, Temple said. With appropriate styling and selection, the vintage aspect can be understated but still make a big difference. Temple said that the final outcome does not have to look "costume-y." Brides can, and often do, combine traditional style clothing with only a selection of vintage wears.
There are surprisingly many ways to go about styling a vintage wedding. Temple says his advantage is both his many years in the business along with his fully stocked downtown Los Angeles showroom. A bride can bring her wedding participants to be fitted one day and then they can come back soon thereafter and find that Temple has come up with multiple combinations of styles that can be mixed and matched to fit everyone involved. He said brides often come in with one look in mind and end up with something much more different and unique after he's taken that inspiration and provided new ideas based on her taste.
"It can be a really fun experience for the bride," Temple said, "because she often doesn't realize how creative one can be until I show all the options."
Temple is currently finishing the selections for a vintage wedding that will be held on May 1, 2010 in Los Angeles. Everyone in the wedding party is dressed in vintage clothing except for the bride, who will be wearing a traditional style gown with a vintage veil created by Temple tying everything together. The bride will welcome a news photographer to document her special day and the garments provided by Clever Vintage Clothing.
