Like many other things, the idea of this “Wonderful Mini Wedding” blog come out naturally after writing the “Iconic and Ironic Tiara” piece, just talking with Ginevra Ansuini, a gemologist and jewelry designer, as well as a gracious and friendly person.  We both hold Audrey Hepburn in high esteem for her sense of elegance, the one made of simplicity and harmony, she always looked glamorous and perfect in every occasion, even during her missions in Africa as Unicef Ambassador, when her outfits were practical and comfortable. In the late sixties she lived in Rome with Andrea Dotti, and while living in Rome she became customer of the Ansuini Maison, the most ancient jewellery house in the city. On the occasion of her marriage to the Count Andrea Dotti, Audrey Hebpurn  got the jewellery to  realize, as a gift for her future mother-in-law (Paola Dotti), a tailored-made keychain, and a handbag made of gold, which is now untraceable.

This anecdote and the bridal fashion of the period were the inspiration for a “Wonderful Mini Wedding” blog.

 

 

 

photo from  Audrey Hepburn by Salvatore Ferragamo

 

 

We are in the late sixties, Audrey Hepburn got married with the Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti on 18^th January 1969, this is the era of mini dress and bright colors, from everyday fashion to bridal style, clothes industry fell in love with the legs. Short skirts worn higher above the knee gave legs exposure they hadn’t before. Audrey Hepburn, worn a simple yet stunning, wedding ensemble created for her by Givenchy, a light pink mohair and cashmere jersey mini dress, high collar, tight long sleeves with ruffle cuffs. A coat of pale pink wool twill, double breasted, above-knee length and a matching kerchief in the same color and material.  

She managed to look perfect for the period, a mini dress for a civil ceremony and pink instead of white as it was a second marriage.

 

Today a short wedding dress is as relevant as ever, and it can be reinterpreted adapting it to your own style and your own personality.

 

For this reason I was inspired by Audrey Hepburn and her late sixties style for my “Wonderful Mini Wedding” blog, with original vintage dresses and jewelry.  Now if you really want to get in the mood of the sixties, put on our sixties playlist, and let yourself be inspired by these beautiful mini wedding dress.

 

 

1960's Bridal total white two piece, short sleeve empire line mini dress, the bodice is adorned with lace little flowers. It can be worn with or without its long sleeve coat, both lined in silk satin.

 

 

 

photo by Gianluca Serrago and wedding dress 

  

 

 

photo by Alessandro Manca and wedding dress   

 

 

A circa 1970’s Long and transparent sleeve cream toned lace empire line mini wedding dress.

 

 

 

photo by Eleonora Sebastiani and wedding dress

 

   

A circa 1970 mini wedding dress. Bodice in lace daisies macrame, adorned with iridescent teardrop crystals. Long chiffon open sleeve hemmed with lace daisies macrame.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of     

 

 

1960's Bridal  ivory two piece. The classic cut of the dress combined with the raw silk creates a subtle contrast for a refined look. The dress features long lace sleeves and can either be worn with or without the coat.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

1960’s Wedding Dress. The dress is done in a gorgeous semi-attached butter cream toned silk ribbon soutache, adorned with clear sequins, on netting over a butter cream toned silk sheath and is lined in silk crepe with an additional cotton lining.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

1960’s Bell Lace Vintage Wedding Dress. A boho vintage wedding dress is done in a sheer floral lace. This dress is not lined. The bodice offers a high jeweled lace appliqued neckline, v-cut back and open bell sleeves finished with attached satin ribbon bows at the midpoint of the sleeve.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

1960’s Jeweled Damask Vintage Wedding Dress. The dress is done in a cream toned heavy cotton diamond pattern damask over a peach toned satin acetate lining. The sleeveless bodice features a high, banded jeweled collar, which is encrusted in opalescent and silver beads, clear sequins and white pearls.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

1960’s Metallic Crepe Vintage Wedding Dress. trapeze style vintage wedding dress is done in a metallic white sheer embroidered net over a silk crepe slip dress. The sleeveless bodice features a semi bateau neckline, done in a white silk crepe with 3 pearl buttons and a self flat bow in the front.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

These are the years in which fashion and cinema started celebrating each other, cinema and fashion live through each other through their stars who promoted the most important fashion designer by wearing their creations on and off screen. For the reception mood of my “Wonderful Mini Wedding” I was inspired by the movie Two for the Road ( 1967), and its beautiful Mini Evening dresses, just perfect for a change of dress after the cake cutting and the toast, when the time is right to dance the night away, to the hits of the time.

 

Unforgettable Audrey Hepburn dancing wildly wearing a futuristic creation by Paco Rabanne, a mini evening dress with metal disks, or wearing a multi-coloured psychedelic print mini-dress by Emilio Pucci, in some of the most famous scenes of the movie.

 

 

The Paco Rabanne evening minidress with metal disks

 

 

 

The Emilio Pucci's print mini dress

 

 

To recall the atmosphere of the movie, original haute couture vintage dresses and high  jewelry:

 

A circa 1966 Pierre Cardin haute couture cocktail dress in purple, silver and pink ombre lame with beading at the collar and the classic Cardin keyhole opening at the back below the neck.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

 

     high Jewelry - dress matching - photos

 

 

Late 1960's Valentino yellow silk chiffon baby doll dress with pale yellow satin trim.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

 

   High Jewelry - dress matching - photos 

 

 

1968 Pierre Cardin Haute Couture trapeze evening dress embroidered black and gold sequins different size, some of them in rhodium.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

 

    High Jewelry - dress matching - photos

 

 

A circa 1967 Pierre Cardin haute couture green sequined silk crêpe cocktail dress that features a keyhole opening at the back. The main draw of this slinky silk cocktail dress are the shades of yellow, green and light violet appliquéd and embroidered opalescent sequins and beads in spiky, curved shapes by Jean-Guy Vermont. 

 

  

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

 

   High Jewelry - dress matching - photos

 

 

Mid 1960's Pierre Cardin Haute Couture Chiffon Cocktail Dress Ostrich Feather Trim. Constructed from chocolate brown bias-cut silk chiffon, this simple but supremely elegant cocktail dress features a wrap-around bow at the neck, a body-hugging silhouette and used to spectacular effect - Ostrich feathers at the hem.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

 

    High Jewelry - dress matching - photos

 

 

Mid 1960's silver lamé Cocktail dress, embroidered hexagons and silk organza lining.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of  

 

 

 

    High Jewelry-dress matching - photos

 

 

Evening mini dress in silk organza printed orange on a blue background.

 

 

 

Dress – photo and caption courtesy of    

 

 

 

    HighJewelry - dress matching - photos

 

 

For the reception set-up and decorations, why not select a few pieces of the period that have made the history of design? We can have fun playing with colors to create a personal style, combining  skillfully flowers, decor and contemporary furnishings.

 

Panton chairs created by the Danish designer Verner Panton in the 1960s, in total white for a refined elegant style of your wedding, in black and white if you’re more into an optical trendy style for your fairytale wedding or colorful as in a painting inspired by the pop art of Andy Wharol.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo from Total Design and Andy Wharol by Skira

 

 

To create a relaxing cocktail lounge where guests can rest sipping a good drink between one dance and the other, the pop and innovative plastic and fibreglass chairs of Eero Aarnio, immediately recreate the atmosphere of the parties of the 60s, as an alternative, the made in Italy and colorful Sacco armchair by Zanotta, as before just using colors to create environments and styles completely different.

 

  

 

 

 

Photo from Total Design

 

 

If you want to dance the night away, for a late sixties themed wedding party the perfect choice is a playlist with the best hits of the period. These are the years of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but not only, R&B and Beach music. As first dance as husband and wife, one of my favorite song Can’t Help Falling of Love of Elvis Presley, and my favorite version of it the one sung by Bono unplugged at the end of U2 concerts in 1993 …

 

 

Discover our playlist for a late sixties themed wedding and follow us on spotify: