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The recent trend of renting vintage furniture for your special day has become a popular way to express your style. It provides a fun atmosphere for the ceremony and reception and offers a twist on the traditional wedding portraits.

Pittsburgh-based photographer Jenna Hidinger loves incorporating vintage furniture and other pieces into a wedding and says her favorite shots depend on the piece. Tables and chairs can be used to set up a creative shot of the bride’s shoes, the wedding invitations or even the bouquet, and couches offer an interesting look for portraits.

If you’re thinking about renting vintage pieces for your special day, but are unsure of where to begin, look no further than your color palette. According to Anni Keffer, co-founder and CEO of Old Souls Vintage Rentals in Donora, a fall or winter wedding may complement dark and bold colors, while blush and more neutrals tones can be more common in the warmer months.

Keffer​ invites couples to stop by and find something different that matches their personal style, whether you love a rustic theme or are craving something more modern.

“[The trend] was slow moving at first, when we originally started in 2015. It was more barn and farm weddings [that incorporated vintage elements],” Keffer​ says. But now, “the classic style of vintage and what it means will really stay.”

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Trish Derry, owner of Vintage Alley Rentals in Crafton Heights, agrees.

“I think that the vintage phase is something that millennials are really embracing right now, which is really a beautiful thing,” she says. “People are appreciating the beauty of antiques and old furniture and old buildings.”

Vintage Alley Rentals offers two warehouses in the west end of the city, filled to the brim with authentic vintage pieces, such as tufted couches, dressers, cabinets and archways.

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Patty Grubbs, owner of Pippa’s Pieces in Gibsonia, has seen the trend remain steady year round. Grubbs offers many pieces, such as old suitcases for cookie table tiers, a vintage tea cart from 1898, a vintage mantle and a piano, just to name a few.

“I love the look of older things, and I think it brings a level of class and elegance,” Grubbs says. “For those who have kind of a rustic vibe, [vintage pieces] work well with that. But people are also using mismatched brass candlesticks, and I find that to be something they can mix in with even more modern pieces, and still bring that old, classic look.”

When it comes down to putting everything into place, photographer Steven Dray tells couples not to stop with a few pieces and a standard shot. Feel free to move your vintage furniture around between the ceremony and reception to increase your backdrop and scenery options.

“Use the space to create a pop up studio of sorts for guest portraits and bridal party photo ops. Many times, wedding guests will ask for their photo to be taken. Why not use a creative area to make a more interesting picture?” he says.

PHOTO BY JENNA HIDINGER PHOTOGRAPHY

Hidinger encourages couples to get creative with their photographer and their vintage furniture, too.

“I had a couple this year that had two beautiful, vintage chairs that they used for their sweetheart table. It made the room much more centered around them,” she says.

“It’s always nice to see couples create appointed details and environments for their guests,” Dray says. “These vintage pieces are great conversation starters and give guests and bridal parties a fun and beautiful space to enjoy the night.”