SHABBY CHIC WEDDING

A great blogger, as well as my friend has shared with me some secrets to make your wedding Shabby chic; what details cannot be missed and what things should be avoided! Ready to read Sarah Tognetti’s advice?

Dear Sarah Tognetti, with this interview I am sure that you will continue to aspire not only us, your great fans, but you can most definitely be a guiding light for all future brides who want to think outside the box and give a shabby-chic touch to their wedding. I would say to start with the presentations, for those who have not been lucky enough to read your fantastic blog Shabby Chic Interior.

How does the love for this style which is becoming increasingly popular start? I know that your courses are increasingly in demand (I can’t wait to sign up for the next one). As you wander through the markets, you are increasingly finding references to Provencal style and shabby chic. If we think that even Ikea on certain pieces of furniture has started to soften the forms, the desire for these romanticisms is not to be underestimated.

I would say that lately the shabby style, especially as some stores are displaying it, is becoming almost a mania, more than a fashion and if I have to be honest, I don’t like the word “mania” or the word “fashion”. The shabby style, as I understand it, has the authentic flavour of grandma’s old furniture. You ask me how my love for this style was born. I don’t know exactly when the love for it was born. I know that since I was a girl, I was around 19 years old, I bought a large quantity of mostly foreign furniture magazines and just flicking through those pages, this passion was born: first for the furniture and then for the shabby style. Passion is the fuel that feeds me and gives me the drive in all things I do. Participants who take my shabby technique course become engaged and are pleasantly surprised. It is always a great pleasure to meet people with whom share a common passion.

I am a wedding planner convinced that the little big details make the difference by making the wedding unique. So, what are the details that make a wedding shabby chic?

The details, as you say, are certainly the main ingredient to make your wedding unique and original. I think we should never forget the words simplicity and sobriety. If you go too far, the detail no longer has the function of making the wedding stand out, but on the contrary you risk falling in to a fake, pompous and unpleasant style. Flowers in my opinion can be a strong starting point, but be careful, there is no need to take a “mortgage” from the florist, because nature gives us many ideas for every taste: rosemary, sage, lavender, gorse, poppies and all wildflowers in general are perfect for a shabby style wedding backdrop. If we want to add that extra touch, we can fill old zinc basins or watering cans also with this poor material, thus highlighting the beauty and simplicity of the flower. To decorate the tables, your grandmother’s tureens (or your aunt or mother…) can be filled with flowers and it is immediately a shabby style. Another nice and low-cost idea is to retrieve the yellowed pages of some old forgotten book in the attic, take scissors and string and make “do it yourself” garlands or bunting which will frame the party with taste and refinement.

What is your idea of a shabby chic wedding?

If I think of a wedding in this style, straight away in my mind I think of a big garden surrounded by plants or rosemary and lavender. The tablecloths need to be a neutral colour, leaving room for natural fabrics such as linen or hemp. All the decorations will have to be thought of in detail, but it should look like they have just been put there by chance, just haphazardly. Recreating a natural and simple effect is not always easy. When it comes to shabby style it is very easy to fall into the fiction of romanticism, wanting to flaunt and making it almost theatrical in style, which in my opinion is one of the most natural and simple things in the world.

What shouldnt be missing?

The detail that leaves all the guests open-mouthed must not be missing. It might be a cascade of lights that light up in the evening filling the environment with bright stars. A very original idea could be to get an ice cream cart, like the vintage wooden ones to arrive at the ceremony, which in the afternoon will offer an exquisite snack to the guests: A soft cushion positioned above each seat, a parasol for shelter from the sun, a recreational corner for younger guests complete with colouring books and pencils.

What is forbidden?

Flaunting wealth and elegance when the feel is something else entirely. It is forbidden to buy synthetic fabrics that imitate fabrics such as silk and organza. Rather focus on natural fabrics such as raw linen or canvas. If you don’t have the possibility to have an excellent caterer? Welcome they idea of DIY and mums’ savoury pies, but no more plastic cutlery, glasses and jugs. Disposable wooden cutlery is perfect, white plates and glasses can be purchased in outlets, department stores or wholesalers. In short, its ok to save but try and do it cleverly in the right places.

What colours and colour combinations do you recommend?

The world is beautiful because it is varied, so go ahead and add colour as long as it is in pastel and delicate tones. I can talk about what i like. If I had to choose the colour for my wedding, I would have no doubts. Light tones ranging from white to cream, some notes of violet given by lavender and green, green and then even more green.

Do you think you can create this look in the city or must it be in the countryside?

It’s not easy to recreate this scene in a big city, but it is true that in all the cities there are wonderful parks or private/public villas that rent their spaces. In these green spaces you can indulge yourself and recreate the perfect setting for a shabby style wedding. Alternatively, you can consider renting a shed, a loft in an industrial area and adapting the industrial chic shabby style.

The interview with Sarah Tognetti ends here, unfortunately, because I would like to be able to kidnap her, even just for a day. Spend it with her to talk about weddings obviously, and to give me suggestions on how I could change my home furnishings without my husband asking for a divorce. I really want to thank you for your availability and sweetness. I’m sure many future brides will decide to make their wedding shabby chic!