I’m seeing red…but it’s all in a good way!

I’ve always had a thing for redheads.  I’ve always wanted to be a redhead. My mom was one, why not me?  I love all the different shades, but I have a fondness for deep auburn, and then there is one particular bright redhead that is my favorite. Does anybody come to mind yet?

Well, let me give you a little hint…and yes, it will connect back to weddings. She is an iconic symbol, will make you laugh out loud at the most ridiculous things, make you want to try Vitametavegamin (spellcheck please!), and was always coming up with a scheme to be featured on her Cuban husband’s show. America’s funniest gal and sweetheart…

Lucille Ball – Happy 100th Birthday!

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“We were so excitedly in love!” – Lucille said upon marrying Desi Arnaz

And yes, they are celebrating in her hometown in a big way! Not only with museum displays, and marathon showings of the most popular series, but also a once-in-a-lifetime, 50s inspired, I Love Lucy wedding in Jamestown, NY., which was held on July 30th.

So what might a 50s wedding have looked like?

We did a little research and here are some interesting facts:

The average dress cost $6-8, and a wedding dress a bit more, but if it exceeded $100, it was considered couture. Whoa! Many brides also considered making their own dresses with fabric costing $1-2 per yard. The style of dress was conservative with full skirts reminiscent  of the popular poodle skirts with very fitted bodices. Other popular styles of dress for the 1950s bride were cocktail dresses with fitted jackets and halter dresses – great for summer weddings. Most dresses were ankle length or shorter with a crisp, clean almost architectural look. Often times brides had an eye for using their dress again for evening wear. Where have we heard that before?

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Accessories consisted mainly of pill box hats with birdcage veils, a simple string of pearls, peep toe shoes, and of course, every lady needed gloves. Below are some great examples of hats that would have been worn by both the bride and her bridesmaids as well as other ladies attending the wedding. And everything in white, unlike the colorful trends we see today!

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How about this great idea for a 1950s inspired shower invite to help brides become the “perfect” housewife!

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And here are two of my absolute favorite 1950s inspired looks from the hairstyle and dress right down to the shoes! Beautiful!

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We’ve talked about the fashion, now let’s get a quick look at some of the other points of the wedding planning. Ceremonies were traditional and performed in local churches. Receptions were simple and held in either local restaurants or clubs and backyards. Honeymoon destinations included the Adirondacks or Poconos mountains, Niagra Falls, and if you really wanted to splurge, Bermuda.

To further put things in perspective, a couple recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and they wanted to spend the night at the Waldorf Astoria. Back in 1951, when they were married, they enjoyed an evening dinner for $3.67 and spent their wedding night there for $23.10.  Now, the room at the Waldorf is $600-800! But when the staff at the hotel found out, they offered the couple the same rate as in 1951 as their gift. How sweet!

Other charming, fun trivia:

• A new home cost: $8,450
• Average income: $3,210
• New car: $1,510
• Gas: .189 cents per gallon (!!!!!)
• And a 1 carat diamond engagement ring: $399 (Shut the front door!)

Wow! How things have changed!

Hallmark Channel will be featuring an “I Love Lucy” marathon starting a 6 am on Saturday, August 6th (Lucy’s birthday) until 6 am Monday, August 8th.  I’m pretty sure they will include some of the most famous and classic episodes including Vitametavegamin, a trip to Europe including stomping on grapes in Italy, and working in a bonbon factory. So rev up your DVR’s this weekend. And while you’re at it pickup the classic “A Long, Long Trailer” at your local video store. You’ll love the trouble that Lucy gets herself into after she gets married and she and her new husband embark on a honeymoon trip in a trailer.

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So grab your honey or plan a girls night in, mix up some champagne cocktails and toast a lovely lady on her 100th birthday!

How about you? Have you ever thought of planning a 1950s themed wedding? Have you even thought of a theme or will you go with a more traditional plan? Tell us ~ we’d love to know!

Happy Friday!

xoxo