We hope everyone had a wonderful time honoring their moms yesterday! We have to admit, after seeing all that our couples’ mothers do during the wedding planning process, we think mamas everywhere deserve way more than a single day of celebration. This occasion has us thinking back to mom’s wedding day.. meaning (for most newlyweds at our unique Dallas wedding venue), back in the ’80s. We won’t pretend we miss the big hair and pouf sleeves, but there are some ’80s trends that have made a comeback at modern weddings. What was Mom wearing then, and which ’80s trends are we wearing now? Check out which wedding styles were in vogue back in the era of leotards and scrunchies:
- Big hair: the bigger the better! Teased curls and mile-high bangs were all the rage in the 1980s. We don’t foresee this trend making a comeback amidst today’s blowouts and messy-chic braids, but it’s pretty entertaining to look back on over-the-top ’80s ‘dos.
- Puffy sleeves: again, bigger was better for the quintessential ’80s sleeves! Thanks to Princess Di’s trendsetting wedding gown, brides everywhere sought out silky poufs to carry down the aisle on their shoulders. Most modern brides have ditched these billowing attachments in favor of more streamlined gowns, whether sleeved or strapless.
- Sleeved gowns: long-sleeved gowns (a la Princess Di) were reinvented for the modern era with Kate Middleton’s unforgettably timeless dress. Her wedding style set the tone for this generation’s picture of the perfect gown, with dainty lace detail and a sophisticated silhouette.
- Cascading flowers: tumbling flowers cascading from a full bouquet down the length of the gown were certainly in style in the 1980s… and they’re making a comeback in a big way! We’re seeing more and more brides putting a modern twist on this dated look with oversized bouquets, wrapped in cascading ribbons and decked with organic greens.
- Long veils: in the ’80s, a long veil was the perfect complement to those poufed bangs and massive shoulder pads; nowadays, veils are much more personal. Today’s brides may have long sweeping veils, or opt for natural blooms tucked into a braid instead of tulle. Though veils vary from person to person, over-the-face veils have faded in the modern era; most modern brides choose veils pinned only to the crown of the head.
- Flower crowns: floral crowns are hugely in trend these days, but their predecessor was prevalent in the ’80s! While today’s brides usually craft organic flower crowns out of oversized blooms or dainty wildflowers, brides in the ’80s often added white silk flower crowns to their teased locks and long veils.
- Colorful bridesmaids: we’re sure you’ve seen some of the “nightmare” bridesmaid dresses from the ’80s… however, today’s common bridesmaid dress choices are reflective of ’80s style! We’ve dropped puffy sleeves and stuffy fabric for modern silhouettes, but the colors of the ’80s are sneaking back into modern wedding style. Baby blues and blush pinks are back in vogue, while pastel hues in general are making a big comeback.
- Baby’s breath: a classic ’80s floral choice, tucked into a dozen pink roses, baby’s breath was a staple in the past… but we’re seeing its resurgence in modern weddings. Instead of incorporating baby’s breath into formal flowers, today’s brides are using it as an accent to unstructured, organic bouquets bursting with personality.
It turns out that the 1980s and the 2010s have more in common than you might think! Today’s brides are constantly personalizing their weddings to be unique occasions, but it’s clear that on the grand scale, ’80s trends have found their way into modern wedding style. Take this Mother’s Day as an excuse to look back on Mom’s wedding photos. You might get a good laugh from that big hair… or you may find unexpected inspiration!
We love to see how every bride makes overarching trends her own at our unique Dallas wedding venue. Bring Mom and your creative vision to our venue so we can talk about bringing your ideas to life at The Empire Room.