Whether you want to channel the bygone romance of the American Coney Island or the slightly more tongue-in-cheek Canvey Island, vintage fairgrounds are a hot design topic right now and nowhere more so than in wedding themes.
With its sugar-sweet colours and surreal shapes and motifs, it’s a fairy tale come true. Nevertheless, you’ll want to proceed with caution because there’s a right way to do vintage fairgrounds and a wrong way, and we’re going to take a look at both.
Pick Your Vintage
From the 1950s to the 1980s, fairgrounds have been part of our experience of growing up. However, which era you choose to embrace it totally up to you. The big skirts and candy floss of the 1950s will add a romantic element to the theme, but rocking out the 1980s carnival with leggings and temporary tattoos might come off more as a joke than a dream.
Take Inspiration
It’s hard to know if something is the right thing to do before it has been a success for someone else. Don’t go it alone – take inspiration from couples such as this one, who really knew how to put the icing on the fairground wedding cake.
Make Sure To Capture It All
Even before you start planning, secure your wedding photographer. Photographers book up early and you’ll want to make sure you have time to arrange the shots you want. Don’t get so caught up in the rides that you leave it until last minute.
Go All Out
Depending on how dedicated you are to this theme, you could look into hiring an out-of-season fairground. This really is the pinnacle of the theme and if the venue is willing to run a few rides, such as the carousel, your guests will be thrilled. However, we would suggest you avoid trying to decorate a reception space in the motifs of the fairground. While cutouts of galloping horses may be imagined well, the reality of paper pictures on the wall could be underwhelming.
A safe option is to set up your own fairgrounds at the reception, complete with coconut shies and guess the weight stalls. This will also allow you to raise a marquee in the same grounds and serve tea and iced buns if the rain shows up! These are normally made of a Fabric Roof Structure so easily erected and to move and will be like your very own circus tent. Have a look at sites like spatialstructures.com/building-systems-explained to get an idea of prices and sizes available and then your on your way.
