Retro-inspired weddings are trending in 2024, inspired by Pinterest’s Groovy Nuptials trend report, which focuses on the styles of the ‘70s – and we have the hottest trend right here!

Whilst the seventies’ sequins and feathers might feel right at home at a wedding, we’ve seen couples themselves leading the way, with customised denim jackets in amazing designs at lots of this summer’s weddings. Fashion experts are also forecasting that custom denim will be the unexpected gatecrasher of this wedding season.

Depending on your budget, creative talents and time(!) you could either choose to have a jacket customised by an expert designer, or have a go at a DIY denim look for your big day!

Bespoke denim for weddings: where to find a professional designer

Etsy is of course your go to for gorgeous customised denim. We found a couple of highly recommended Etsy sellers you could try. These guys offer really beautiful quality and intricate embroidered designs. If your budget allows, it’s absolutely worth finding someone with experience to create this really special wedding accessory especially for you!

BWE Embroidery Shop on Etsy is Beth Wilson, an award-winning embroidery designer from Yorkshire. Her designs are amazing and intricate, and she will work with you to customise a denim jacket for your wedding. Prices (at time of writing) start from £210 and go up to £450 depending on the complexity of your design. Find out more at https://www.bethwilsonembroidery.com/bridal

Jenny Falke is a modern calligrapher and designer based in Germany, who makes the loveliest hand lettered wedding signs and ring boxes, alongside her customised denim jackets. Her Etsy shop is NysaLetterLove – we adore these beautiful hand lettered denim jackets, and this cute appliquéd design is gorgeous too!

How to customise your own denim jacket on a budget

The fashion experts at Gap have teamed up with Style Guru, Designer, Celebrity Stylist, and Personal Style Coach, SJ Adams to provide guidance for all nearlyweds on how to achieve a custom wedding denim jacket that can tick off something old, something new and something blue, if reviving an already owned denim jacket.

SJ comments: “This is such a massive trend at the moment and one that is relatively easy to pull off. To complement the formal wedding feel but with a touch of personality and edge, opt for a well-worn, light-washed denim jacket.

“The idea is to create a juxtaposition by playing off the ‘hard’ street look of denim with ‘soft’ feminine embellishments often associated with weddings, such as pearls, diamante, fringing, feathers and lace.

“If you want to add wording to your jacket, you could opt to buy pre-made iron-on lettering to create your slogan of choice. For a more custom aesthetic, use a computer to design and print out your wording, then trace the outline onto your jacket.

“Finish off by filling in the lettering using fabric paint or textile foil for a metallic look, or if you’re not afraid to invest some time, use individual beads or diamantés fixed with a hot glue gun. The more skilled could try cutting out lettering from a different fabric, such as lace, and use iron on adhesive to stick them in place, trimming the edges with string pearls to make the overall look pop.

“For an elegant yet edgy jacket, try attaching strings of pearls and diamantés with chunky safety pins and finish with a selection of well-placed vintage brooches.”

For those who can’t sew, SJ adds: “Don’t be put off if you have no idea how to thread a needle. There are plenty of crafting options to make your customisation project super easy, from iron-on transfers, fabric adhesive and hot glue, to fabric paint and textile metallic foil. And don’t forget good old safety pins! Even for someone with limited skills, there’s quite literally no excuse not to bring your creative vision to life.”

The money saving elements as well as the desired aesthetic may not be the only thing driving this trend forward, as sentimental clothing can actually help people to retain memories of occasions. Dr Carolyn Mair, a Cognitive Psychologist and global fashion business consultant reveals the psychology behind outfits and how customised looks can actually help us remember events and occasions.

How clothing can unlock memories

When it comes to how clothing can help us activate memories of events experienced whilst wearing them, Dr Carolyn, who also authored The Psychology of Fashion, reveals:
“Clothing can act as a mnemonic, or memory device, anchoring memories to specific sensory experiences. Because clothing plays a significant role in how we encode, retrieve, and relive memories, it provides a tangible link to past experiences and emotions and the stronger the emotion at the time of the experience, the easier it is to recall it.

“Creating something custom for an event can enhance memories due to the deep psychological (including sensory) and emotional connections formed in its creation. The personal significance reflects individual tastes and identity making it more meaningful, while the emotional investment in the creation strengthens memory encoding and recall enhancing the overall nostalgic experience.

“Choosing a wedding style based on personal nostalgia allows a bride or groom to incorporate elements that reflect their uniqueness rather than conforming to conventional norms. This can make the item more meaningful and create strong recallable memories. When personal style is guided by nostalgia, every detail can hold memories that enhance the emotional depth of the item and event, evoking strong feelings of comfort, joy, continuity and a sense of connection to the past when triggered in the future.”

Gap UK’s Head of Buying, Sapna Brooks, shares advice on customised denim to help you get the most from your personalised pieces:

“At Gap, we’ve always believed in individuality and self-expression, so it’s inspiring to see the creativity and customisation emerging in this trend.”

“There’s also the added sustainable benefit of giving new life to your favourite or pre-loved clothing through upcycling, and working towards prolonging the longevity of our denim is something Gap is an advocate for.

“Whilst denim is a resilient fabric, perfect for creating a memory keepsake with, being able to clean and maintain your denim’s colour, shape and fit is a huge part of prolonging its lifespan, so we’ve outlined how best to protect your denim in our Denim Care Guide.”