1. Real Weddings

A Retro Glam Wedding at Cluster Studios in Denver, Colorado

Lizanne Brovsky (29 and an aesthetician) and Loren Brinton (32 and a marketing director) wanted their midcentury modern wedding to have bright, retro

Lizanne Brovsky (29 and an aesthetician) and Loren Brinton (32 and a marketing director) wanted their midcentury modern wedding to have bright, retro flair. They transformed Cluster Studios, a 22,000-square-foot office space in Denver, Colorado, into a retro-chic venue with a style all their own. With a reception that stuck to the basics in black-and-white, the reception unfurled into a whirlwind of brightness with cheerful nods to the pop art and vintage colors of the 1950s, 1960s and the 1970s. At the cocktail hour, the pair took the bartender's job and served all their guests their first round of drinks instead of doing a more traditional receiving line. Then it was on to the reception where local food trucks served up made-to-order tacos, guacamole and sliders. Even dessert came on wheels! Instead of a cake, a beloved, local ice cream company rolled up on a pink delivery bike to serve up chai and snickerdoodle-flavored mini ice cream sandwiches. —Rory Kress

"Going along with the midcentury modern design, a must was orange pincushion protea," Lizanne says. From there, she brought in white roses and peonies to soften the brightness of the orange flowers.
The bride wanted her dress to embody the vintage glamour of the 1950s while keeping a modern feel. She wore a strapless ivory sateen gown with a sweetheart neckline and a hi-low hemline. She personalized her look with a metal belt, stud earrings and caged heels, all in gold.
The bride opted for a very modern, cage-style, gold heel.
In keeping with her 1950s glam style, the bride wore her hair in old Hollywood, retro waves. She completed the look with a cat's-eye and a nude lip.
The groom insisted on rocking a ruffled tuxedo shirt. He didn't want to wear a tie, but Lizanne sneaked in a lapel flower.
"Loren and I both have a deep admiration of midcentury modern design. So we definitely wanted to do a nod toward that. We also drew inspiration from the eras of the 1960s and 1970s. We wanted it to be modern but playful."
The pair had their first date at the Bar at the Bannock Street Garage. Later, they had their first kiss standing by Loren's 1955 Chevy. They re-created those moments in their preceremony photo shoot.
Lizanne's two bridesmaids wore black dresses of their choice. They both opted for a retro feel to keep the style of the day.
The bride's father walked her down the aisle.
The pair had a custom ceremony backdrop built into their venue to match their retro theme. "It’s an installation done by a Denver artist who is known for his black-and-white motif. It’s definitely a statement piece, so nothing else was needed," the bride says.
"For the recessional we wanted to shake it up a bit," the bride says. So the pair danced their way out with “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by the Darkness.
The couple were not content to do the traditional receiving line after the ceremony. Instead, they jumped into the bartender's spot after the ceremony to make drinks for all their guests.
The couple wanted a classic color scheme they'd never regret. They kept it simple with black, white and gold. Then they drew inspiration from the venue's burnt orange wall and added pops of the fun color throughout, from the flowers to the candles.
Even the drinks got a splash of orange!
The couple's DJ kept their guests dancing by making 1990s hip-hop a priority. That is, until the flower girl requested a little Taylor Swift—then the couple happily obliged.
The groom custom-designed his own beer koozies as favors for the guests.