INCORPORATING HEIRLOOMS AND VINTAGE PIECES IN YOUR WEDDING

By Monique Garcia

There is a unique charm a vintage aesthetic has that is truly hard to replicate. The key lies in the small details that might not be immediately noticeable, such as a hand-stitched wedding date sewn discreetly onto a veil or the integration of a cherished family heirloom. Or perhaps you want to capture the memories of the day in a nostalgic and elegant way. If you or someone you know is looking to add a sentimental touch to their special day, these three professionals can make that happen. 

1907 Bridal

www.1907bridal.com | @1907bridal

Ever since Jennifer Newton could remember, she loved weddings. As a sentimental person passionate about historical artifacts, it was only natural that she eventually launched her business restoring wedding dresses and repurposing heirlooms. Her journey started while antique hunting with her husband, where she was crushed by the numerous vintage wedding dresses stuffed into garbage bags. This alone can tell you of the care and attention to detail she puts into her work as a restorer and heirloom creator. 

“Restoring and repurposing is a way to honor the traditions while making people happy with something new,” explains Jennifer. “It doesn’t hurt that it's also great to upcycle.”

Jennifer releases collections of restored dresses on her Etsy shop, each lovingly restored by hand with painstaking detail. Many dresses are deconstructed into two pieces or converted to have detachable sleeves to fit the average bride today. She most recently is working on a project to convert an heirloom into beautiful keepsakes for a family, reworking the material into either a tie, bowtie, or pocket square. When I think of how much time and money brides of the past spent on their dresses, I can't help but feel they would find happiness in how Jennifer is able to revive their dresses. I would love to trust her with my dress and see what unique keepsake she could create from it.

Hannah Kanani Bridal

www.hannahkananibridal.com

Olga’s custom and personalized wedding accessories business began like something out of a fairytale. Her daughter, Hannah, saw her mother’s passion and love for designing and asked her to handmake her wedding dress. Olga jumped head first and began experimenting with wedding veils, capes, etc. What started as an act of love for her daughter has turned into many acts of love for different brides since she started her business in 2017.

“I always feel so honored and blessed to be trusted with something as important as a wedding heirloom.”

Olga’s shop has a collection of handcrafted bridal accessories ready to customize and ship for brides interested in her beautiful designs. If a bride is looking for something a bit more bespoke, Olga goes above and beyond to personalize a custom design with the bride. The creative process to create gorgeous heirloom accessories is made so simple, while to me it seems a bit like magic. Each bridal piece, no matter from the shop or custom, leaves Olga’s shop personalized with a secret embroidery of the wedding date, a seemingly small detail that is timeless. If her work isn’t enough to convince you that she’s a fairy godmother, Olga also offers a wedding day dresser service that steams, fluffs, cleans, or repairs any fashion emergencies before the bride walks down her aisle.

Wedding Video Pro 

www.weddingvideopro.com | @weddingvideopro

Michael Wolfbauch and a college buddy launched their wedding videography business during their time in school. His background as an intern at the American Film Institute and his work with the History Channel filming documentaries made transitioning to wedding videography relatively seamless. For over 20 years now, he has specialized in capturing the quiet, heartfelt moments that define a wedding day.

“The goal is to be a fly on the wall,” Michael explains. “While the photographer focuses on the posed shots, I try to capture those candid, intimate moments that get overlooked.”

Through a combination of camera skills and post-production magic, Michael can make film look like something straight out of the 1930s era. The style is meant to emulate a Super 8mm camera. For anyone who has previously shot using film, you may be familiar with the warm and nostalgic properties this can have. This style of videography is incredible when paired with their custom video album option, a timeless book keepsake that plays a couple’s best moments at the touch of a screen; it’s like being transported into a memory as well as a different time.