She is so excited. There is a party to plan.

Love is the theme, but what else should she choose? What colour? Should it be red and pink? Hearts and kisses?

One thing is for sure it must be Vintage!

She must have bunting. Pretty paper hearts would be lovely.

She must have a tea party with lots of vintage china, so pretty in spots and floral, Chintzy and lovely. Champagne in tea cups for all to indulge. Elsie will love these pop cakes, so clever.

So come on girls pop the question. You have permission or it’s another 4 years before you get the opportunity again.

Elsie is here to help design your engagement party or wedding.

I’ll be looking at the colours that are leading the vintage trend this season, how to style your flowers for vintage chic, plus some tips to help you find the perfect ’50s wedding dress and jazz up your shoes.

Finally, a few ideas to help you create the perfect vintage venue, whether you’re hiring a stately home or a marquee.

Colour

Have you ever feasted your eyes upon a Gelato store? It’s the most beautiful sight. This is the inspiration for your colour palette, hues of Pistachio, Apricot & Strawberry pastels.

Reflecting a modern take on 50's pastels. Floral table pomanders in ice cream pastel tones

Flowers

Think about the heavenly heavy scent of vintage roses and deep blue hues of the hydrangea. We are predicting the pomander for your bouquet and table centres. If cleverly designed they will be very chic. For an edgy twist add black ribbon.

Beautiful single colour pomanders for the bridesmaids;heavy bloom apricot and mink roses; pomander table centres

Dresses

There are some absolutely exquisite vintage 1950′s wedding dresses out there for this summer. The key is in the detail. Think sleeveless with a sweetheart neckline and full skirt with lovely pleating details in the back. Add a little jacket over the dress with a pointed stand up collar and long sleeves or add luxurious white fur for a winter wedding.

1950's inspired wedding dress

For your bridesmaids we love Prada’s American retro prints.

Think retro prints for your bridesmaids in deep pastel hues

Get a girlfriend to help customise the soles of your sling backs with ‘I do’ in glitter.

Brides 'I Do' glitter sole retro slingbacks

Venue

There are some amazing houses across the country to hire for your wedding. Many have been in a family for years and they will let you hire out the whole house.

Faded grandeur is the look you are after. Old velvet drapes and sofas, tassels and fringing, standard lamps and art. This look can be recreated in a marquee with clever styling, heavy draped fabrics and props.

Tassels, fringing, draping and vintage props

We also LOVE …

This cake -  it is stunning and emulates the colours of the day.

Wedding cake inspired by 50's retro pastels

Save the date with these old style cinema tickets.

Save the date or wedding invitations with a 50's feel

Hire an ice cream van or go honeymooning in a caravan.

Caravans are the ultimate cool for honeymooners

Drink champagne cocktails and hire cigarette girls for the evening.

There is so much you can do. But if you are daunted and need expert help contact us:

Getting married or having a party? Give us a call. We will create a truly unique setting for your event. From your intial consultation we will inspire you with new trends and ideas. Our bespoke and individual service means you can hire any amount of vintage china from Elsie Florence whether it is an intimate dinner for 2 or a wedding celebration for 202.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Make 2012 a year to remember with Elsie Florence Vintage.

Having relocated from London to Somerset with a career in fashion and interior trend forecasting, Sara wanted a business that incorporated all that she loved about fashion and styling. Anyone who knows her and has looked inside her 400 year old town house can see how her business came to be and how it is constantly evolving. Everywhere you look is a feast for the eye from pretty china to spinning tops and retro vintage cars. It is a lifestyle as well as an obvious passion.

Sara’s grandmother, Elsie Florence played a huge part in her childhood and together they shared a mutual passion for all things beautiful and elegant. Inheriting a much loved and coveted tea set from her grandmother was the inspiration needed to start her vintage china hire company in 2002, starting a nation wide trend for vintage style weddings.

Sara has an eye for detail and can transform a table to make you catch your breath.
“I just want to add a little bit more. A unique place setting makes all your guests feel special”

A decade on ElsieFlorence vintage china hire is still ahead of the game.

The Elsie Florence collection continues to grow. As the business has expanded the word has spread and Sara is asked more and more to style Wedding venues and parties. Her clients love her style and patience and implicitly trust her judgement.

This summer she was asked by a London event company to provide all the eclectic vintage china for Lily Allen’s wedding. She was commissioned to make her beautiful  bespoke letter bunting for a “tea & cake” stall and a “ Pimm’s” and “Black Horse Ale Bar” set up in the grounds for the wedding guests.

The vintage trend had grown and Elsie Florence has inspired girls with a passion all over the country to set up similar businesses but Elsie Florence seems to have a different USP. It is the person behind the brand who is constantly thinking ahead of the game. Whilst the vintage tea party waltz’s on engaged couples are looking for something new and different.

Budgets are tight and there is a clear need for clever creativity and forward thinking. Call on your friends and family to get involved, pared down simplicity is key. Flowers are simple; home grown blooms in new exciting colours spill out of assorted vintage pitchers, jugs and jam jars. Tables are stripped back and the vintage china takes the lead role. It is all about sharing huge vintage platters piled high with gorgeous local produce for everyone to enjoy.

The china is the talking point. Each guest has been thought about individually with a unique and stunning place setting.
And whilst the atmosphere is buzzing, it is time for the bride and groom to steal a moment of calm together. Imagine a ‘love tent’. Unique to Elsie Florence their beautiful shade pavilions are the perfect setting for a table for two. It is different to the rest, laid with modern retro china, blush and powder shades accented with a hint of black if you dare. Uber cool and bang on trend for the bride that wants it to be even more than perfect.
This is what Elsie Florence does so well and why they are unique.

The trends and designs keep evolving.
New pieces of beautiful china are constantly being added to the
collection and Up-cycled props are the latest edition.

For more inspiration www.elsieflorence.co.uk