1. Real Weddings

A Retro Fall Wedding at St. Bernard Church in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Leah (23 and a front desk coordinator) and Cody (23 and a carpenter) met while working at the same restaurant. They remained just coworkers until they

Leah (23 and a front desk coordinator) and Cody (23 and a carpenter) met while working at the same restaurant. They remained just coworkers until they found themselves talking late into the night and started dating a month later. After eleven months together, Cody and Leah got engaged at their favorite lookout point with a view of the sun setting behind the city. Wanting to get married in a Catholic church that they could attend regularly for the rest of their lives together, the couple got married at St. Bernard in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Leah knew right away that she wanted a vintage theme with retro hairstyles, fashion, and decor. Her bridesmaids wore pin-up-inspired black dresses and red peep-toes, while the groomsmen wore gray shirts and suspenders with bright teal ties and boutonnieres. Although Leah's grandmother's wedding dress was beyond repair, she managed to find a lace cap-sleeve dress with plenty of vintage flair. The decor incorporated vinyl records, a vintage picnic basket as a card box, and retro sundae glasses filled with hydrangeas to look like frothy milkshakes. They even tracked down a vintage Packard to serve as their wedding transportation and took pictures with old suitcases. Leah and Cody were lucky enough to have a friend make the small cutting cake and cupcake tower with a variety of flavor options. With a guest list of eighty people, they managed to spend time with each of their wedding guests and share their wedding with just their closest companions. Everything went so effortlessly that everyone got home by 10pm! Leah explains, "We had a goal with our wedding. Keep it simple, timeless, and don't sweat the small things. This day was about us and the ones we loved, and we didn't want it to be hectic or anyone to be stressed."

Leah wore her hair in tight victory rolls to complement her vintage-inspired lace wedding dress and retro-themed celebration. The entire look was inspired by looking at her grandparents's old wedding photos.
Leah carried a beautiful textured bouquet of cascading ivory roses that looked almost antique, befitting her vintage wedding theme. When she could not wear her grandmother's wedding dress, she took a swatch of the gown to tie around her flowers.
The groom and his groomsmen wore matching teal and red boutonnieres to go with their gray fashions and teal ties. The bridesmaids wore red pin-up-inspired peep-toes for a pop of color to complement the men's flowers.
The groom accessorized his teal tie with an elegant monogrammed tie clip. While the groom wore a traditional jacket, his groomsmen stuck to shirts and suspenders.
Leah's bridesmaids wore pin-up-inspired black dresses with red peep-toes to fit the retro wedding theme, while the groomsmen wore shirts and suspenders with bright teal ties. The flower girl wore a traditional white tulle dress with a bright red sash and a black sparkly bolero that resembled a retro leather jacket.
For their unity ceremony, Leah and Cody lit a large candle with two monogrammed taper candles. They held a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. Bernard because they wanted a church venue that they would be able to return to week after week.
Vintage-Inspired Bride in Veil at St. Bernard Church Ceremony
The Ceremony at St. Bernard Church
Leah and Cody collected vinyl records at thrift stores to use in both their wedding decor and guest book. Their friends and family signed the records before they were framed with an engagement photo for a beautiful, lasting memento.
Leah and Cody came up with tremendously creative retro centerpieces with sundae glasses filled with white hydrangeas to look like whipped-cream-topped malted milkshakes. Glass coca-cola bottles doubled as both refreshments and retro-themed place cards.
A friend of the bride and groom offered to bake the cutting cake and a cupcake tower with red velvet, funfetti, peach, and white chocolate flavored treats. Leah says, "Planning our wedding wasn't difficult, and it was amazing how close it brought us with everyone. We had so many people come to us and say, 'I can bake,' 'I can sew,' 'I can help,' etc."