Vintage Wedding Entertainment Ideas – 50s & 60s Music & Styles

Our wedding bands range from singers with backing tracks for intimate venues to bigger bands with horn sections for weddings with hundreds of guests.

All our bands are very flexible, so whatever your venue and budget, we’ll have something to suit you. Don’t forget that most of them will be happy to play a first dance or special song from any era!

1950s

Women’s style was influenced by film stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. The end of clothes rationing changed the way women dressed: the New Look brought back longer, fuller skirts, rounder shoulders and emphasised the waist. During the day, tailored suits emphasised a woman’s shape in a different way, with closely fitted pencil skirts for formal occasions and fitted shirt dresses for casual wear. Artificial fabrics such as acrylic and polyester made stylish clothes more practical.

Men’s trousers became wider again when clothes rationing ended, but the cut was still narrow. Some adapted this to create the Teddy Boy look, with bright socks, skinny trousers and narrow ties. ‘Greasers’ were named after their greased-back hair – they wore jeans and t-shirts, with leather jackets or trench coats. Beatniks of both sexes wore black or dark polo-necks, berets, and sun glasses.

For an authentic 50s wedding, hire a 50s tribute band! They can play mellow ballads in quieter moments as well as rock’n’roll classics to fill the dancefloor at your wedding reception. They’ll play a host of 50s hits including Heartbreak Hotel, All Shook Up and Rock Around the Clock. One of our favourites Blue Suede Shoes from Surrey, who also have an extensive modern repertoire if you'd like some variety. You could even hire a Grease tribute band – guests of all ages love singing along to the classic songs from the film!

1960s

The 60s brought formal wear that was fun as well as sophisticated, with suits in a rainbow of bright colours. Short jackets with extra large buttons and simple shift dresses made smart and practical formal wear, and many were influenced by Jackie Kennedy’s chic suits and pillbox hat. The 60s are best known for mods and miniskirts, a style modelled by Twiggy and Mod stars such as The Kinks, The Who, The Small Faces.

Fashion became more androgynous, with both sexes adopting narrow shirts and trousers. Menswear came in equally bright colours; men wore wide ties with bold prints and suits in fabrics such as velvet, with long hair to create a ‘dandy’ look. Flares arrived for both sexes, and the hippie look became fashionable.

For a spectacular musical accompaniment to a 60s wedding, how about hiring a 60s tribute band, complete with vintage music equipment and vintage clothes? They can play a host of rock classics by stars such as The Beatles, The Kinks and the Who and pop favourites by Sam Cooke, The Monkees and The Beach Boys. The Mon Cons are one of our most popular 60s tribute bands, and they also double up as a more traditional wedding band playing classics from a variety of eras. Or if you want to get really specialist, how about hiring a Beatles tribute band such as The Day Trippers, or a Rolling Stones Tribute Band. For the ultimate classy accompaniment to a sophisticated vintage wedding, hire a Rat Pack/Sinatra Tribute Act. They can provide you with a sweet serenade during the quieter moments in your day as well as a great soundtrack for dancing later in the evening. Choose from singers with backing tracks to singers that come with full wedding bands.

Still not sure what to choose? Contact one of our live music experts and we’ll help you choose the best music for your wedding.

We’d love to hear about your vintage wedding and see pictures of your dress – if you’d like to take part in the Function Central Wedding Blog, get in touch!