Old World Splendour Wedding
When we think Old World Splendour, we imagine romance and beauty. The gown worn in this inspirational photo shoot is bedecked with jewels and can be described as nothing short of absolutely stunning! The grey colour of the dress only makes it that much more spectacular.
An Old World Splendour Wedding is full of charm and elegance, yet can go in any direction you choose. We think the casual look of the groom is just the right touch and matches perfectly with the bride’s elegant dress. Take a look and see if you agree!
Details for an Old World Splendour Wedding
Besides being completely taken by Vitaly Ageev's editorial, we’ve found ourselves envisioning how it all translates to an Old World Splendour Wedding. From the jaw-dropping grey gown, the perfect styling, and dreamy photo shoot location; we have basics as well as swoon-worthy details to work with when planning a Russian-inspired grey wedding.
The century-old walls point us in the direction of a regal 1800s inspired theme. We are transported to a Russian era when splendor reigned and couples rode on horse-drawn chariots to their happily ever after. There's so much more to these wedding ideas and plenty of ways to truly make it your own.
Colour Palettes for an Old World Splendour Wedding
Besides the culture, the Russian destination of Sochi also presents us with befitting wedding colours for a grey-themed fete. The colours we are working with include grey, silver, blush, and navy blue. Hints of golf and ochre tones introduce warmth to the otherwise cold colour palette. Also, worth noting is how the editorial makes use of lighter shades of grey and darker shades of blue to create a beautifully striking contrast.
Shimmery silver is the perfect accent pigment for this wedding scheme. If you wanted to introduce warmer tones to make it a colourfully Russian occasion, bursts of orange and varying shades of blue would compliment the overall look.
What to Look for in a Venue for an Old World Splendour Wedding
Vitaly Ageev and his crew truly struck gold when they settled for the Rixos Hotel. Short of jetting off to the Soviet Union for your nuptials, there are lists of similar old-century structures that can serve as the backdrop for your Old World Splendour Wedding. The timelessness exuded by the shoot location also provides a path to other wedding venues worth exploring for your big day.
The grey palette is perfect for spring or summer nuptials, and that ultimately leads us to outdoor wedding locations. Most brides will love saying "I do" at an industrial-chic event space, exchanging rings at a greenhouse venue, or jumping the broom against the backdrop of a dreamy rustic farm.
Wedding Dresses & Accessories for an Old World Splendour Wedding
The show-stopping element from the editorial is undoubtedly the beyond gorgeous grey wedding dress. It's not your traditional bridal look but it's a lovely choice for an Old World Splendour Wedding. Other striking details like the silver accents on the gown’s bodice connect with the overall theme.
The floaty silhouette and chiffon fabric also complement the romantic nature of the occasion. It's also reminiscent of the 1800s charm and a perfect choice for a modern Russian fairytale wedding. A pair of shimmery silver heels, drop earrings, and a diamond-embellished crown would be the ideal accessories to team up with the ensemble.
Reception Decor for an Old World Splendour Wedding
The reception venue is every wedding planner's playground because that's where the theme truly shines. In the case of an Old World Splendour Wedding, the goal is to fuse the old world charms that are evident from the editorial with touches of modernity. The Russian-centric elements provide the cultural aspect while the venue and colour palette provide fresh wedding decoration ideas.
Grey linen is a great choice for this theme, and you want to choose a tablecloth in a flowy lace fabric or with frills and floral embroidered details. Grey tapered candles, ochre/blue/white coloured floral centrepieces, and gold-toned flatware are other elements that enrich the grey wedding theme.
Bridesmaid Dresses for an Old World Splendour Wedding
The bride's wedding attire also gives us ideas about what her bridal party's ensembles would look like. Blue, ochre/orange, and silver are lovely choices for the bridesmaids' dresses. Ochre/orange and blue, in particular, evoke Russian references, and a colour-blocked ensemble featuring the two hues would look gorgeous on the bridesmaids' attire.
The fun part is pairing the bridal party ensembles with befitting accessories. For instance, silver-coloured dresses would team up well with a pair of grey heels to complete the grey wedding look. In the case of ochre-coloured bridesmaid dresses, throw on a pair of blue-coloured heels with similar-coloured accessories.
Menswear for an Old World Splendour Wedding
The editorial also proves that less is more and the groom's ensemble perfectly captures this concept. A navy blue suit paired with a white shirt and casual shoes complements the bride's outfit as well as the wedding scheme. There's no need for a tie or pocket squares because the entire look leans on the casual-formal side.
Grey suits are an ideal choice for the groomsmen, and likewise, a casual-formal look suits the occasion. For a more formal look, introduce blush and ochre/orange tones through elements like the tie, pocket squares, and suspenders. Silver details also blend harmoniously with the outfits.
Bouquets & Boutonnieres for an Old World Splendour Wedding
Again, the editorial proves that beauty is all around us, even if it’s presented in the unconventional form of dried blooms. Drawing from the spring and summer months, seasonal wedding flowers combined with all-year favourites create beautiful bouquets and boutonnieres. Roses, hydrangeas, lilies, and dahlias are wonderful wedding bouquet staples.
Seasonal blooms like lilacs, peonies, anemones, hyacinths, daffodils, and Muscari are lovely additions to the floral arrangements. A touch of green foliage completes the centrepiece design while grey/ silver-coloured accents are a wonderful addition to the buttonholes. Go for pastel grey, blush, or ochre-coloured flower vases for the tabletop flower arrangements.
Wedding Invitations for an Old World Splendour Wedding
Wedding invitations essentially herald the news about your impending nuptials in a stylish way, and that's why they deserve a fair amount of thought. A bit of old-world charm, simplicity, and a romantic flair is seen through the wedding invitations. The wedding suite uses a lovely dark blue shade combined with gold-coloured writings to capture the spirit of the occasion.
Stamping the envelopes is yet another lovely detail. An alternative would have been to fully embrace the blue, white, and orange colours that are reminiscent of the Soviet Union. Yet another alternative is to choose a suite in blush, orange, and grey.
Favours & Gifts for an Old World Splendour Wedding
Traditional Russian weddings are multi-day affairs that involve singing, banqueting, dancing, and making merry, so to speak. That describes some of the elements that you can also incorporate into your Old World Splendour affair with some ideas about what wedding favours are befitting for the occasion.
The Matryoshka nesting dolls have long been associated with the Soviet Union and they are equally great wedding gift choices. You'll also come across keychains, mugs, and gift boxes bearing the Matryoshka motif. Other favourites like pressed flowers, small bottles of liquor, and candy in jars are also great options. Potted plants, seed packets, and pashminas present more suitable wedding gift ideas.
Old World Splendour in Grey
From Vitaly Ageev – “The biggest surprise for our crew was the venue. We chose the location in advance based on some pictures from google and the advice of locals from reviews but we never imagined the greatness of the Rixos Hotel in Sochi, Russia: the century-old walls and the splendour of the building. Around the venue were many other structures abandoned many years ago, devoured by nature and the never-fading beauty of the city. This place was our main source of inspiration.”
From Vitaly Ageev – “We did our best to underline the timeless style of the venue through the details on our shoot while still bringing in something new. Every single touch from the dried flowers to the magnificent calligraphy, jewels of the gown – all these gave the sense of connection between old forgotten times and the present.”
“Being fans of classic photography and harmonious combinations, we brought some movement into the pictures to showcase the feelings of the time, the sublimity of sunset, breezes, and the romantic love between two hearts.”
Credits: Photography: Vitaly Ageev // Cinematography: Dreamwood // Event Planning: Nostra Storia // Wedding Dress: Tatyana Kochnova // Calligraphy: Nikoletta // Beauty: Victoria Sheveleva // Venue: Rixos Hotel in Sochi, Russa.