Rockabilly meets Doo-Wop meets vintage cars at this retro wedding

Offbeat partner: Katlynn, Engineer

Offbeat partner: Garrett, Assistant Project Manager

Date and location of wedding: Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center at Brentwood Golf Club in Brentwood, CA — September 23, 2017

Budget: $50,000

Our offbeat wedding at a glance:

I have always loved and been fascinated with the 1950s especially the pin-ups, music, swing dancing, and custom hot rods, so Garrett and I decided to have a rockabilly/Doo-Wop-themed wedding that also incorporated our love for cars.

Tell us about the ceremony:

The ceremony site was decorated with the black/red/white rockabilly theme. To keep the guests thinking this would be a traditional wedding, the DJ played traditional classical music while the guests were taking their seats. After all were seated, the DJ who was actually a Wolfman Jack Impersonator who welcomed everyone in an authentic Wolfman Jack fashion.

The wedding party then marched down the aisle to “To the Aisle” by The Five Satins and once the groom and his mother reached the front of the aisle, the groom spun his mother into the chair at the front while the wedding party simultaneously spun to the edges of the aisle where they were facing each other. “Chapel of Love” by the Dixie Cups began to play and the wedding party proceeded toward the front in a stroll like dance.

The music stopped when they reached their places, and you could then hear my 57 Chevy fire up in the parking lot. My father drove the 57 Chevy up onto the lawn right next to the ceremony site and we walked up the aisle to “The Wedding Song” by The Belmonts. The unity ceremony then consisted of blending two flasks of tequila into an aging barrel. We plan to drink the aged tequila on our first wedding anniversary. Of course, we each took a good shot of the tequila before we poured it into the barrel. We kissed at the end of the ceremony and then proceeded to dance down the aisle to “Swingin’ Wedding” by The Visions.

Tell us about your reception:

The reception was definitely an extension of the ceremony site theme and décor. The tables had black tablecloths, red napkins, and red sashes bow tied to each of the chairs. The centerpieces consisted of an upside-down piston filled with roses and baby’s breath sitting on top of black air filters. Around the piston were large nuts used as candle holders with red rose petals scattered around the centerpiece.

Each place setting had a record in place of a charger as well as a glass coke bottle with a custom bottle opener as a favor. The guest book where black hub caps that guests could sign with silver sharpies. The card box was a vintage white suitcase with a rockabilly style card banner.

The cake was on a filter cake stand surrounded by marque lights which said "TRUE LOVE." The cake design was drawn by me which incorporated swallows, banners, and pinstriping. The sign behind the sweetheart table read our last name and was designed to look like a '50s/'60s motel sign.

Wolfman Jack only played '50s and '60s music to keep with the theme. The first dance was a two-part dance where the first part was a rumba style dance to “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” by Elvis. Then there was a pause where everyone thought the dance was over, and then “I Wonder Why” by Dion and the Belmonts came on and they danced a lindy hop. The reception was packed with fun with a scavenger hunt game, shoe game, and of course when Elvis came and sang.

What was your most important lesson learned?

I think the biggest challenge of this wedding was figuring out what to do for the decor and really drive the theme home. Rockabilly/'50s-themed wedding is not a traditional theme, and wedding magazines, websites, and pin boards were generally frustrating as I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. Ultimately, I just started getting my creative juices flowing and figuring out what ways I could express the theme, but also keep it true to our personalities.

Vendors

Photographer: Brooke Beasley Photography • Videographer: Acorn Films • Venue: Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center at Brentwood Golf Club • Bridesmaid's Dresses: Unique Vintage • Alterations: Made to Fit • Bride's Shoes: Shoes of Prey • Men's Attire: Tuxedos of Lodi • Florals: Paula's Family Florist • Photo Booth: Projection Events • Dance Lessons: Arthur Murray Stockton • Wolfman Jack: John Gerner • Elvis: James Clark • Venue DJ: Doug Daley • Draping and Lighting: Fantasy Sound • Cake: TLC Cakes

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