Vintage Wedding Entertainment Ideas – 70s & 80s Music & Styles

1970s

Flares, miniskirts and the hippie style that started in the 60s continued to be popular, with hot pants and platforms added to create outfits fit for the dancefloor. Disco style was a hit, with men wearing three piece suits and wide, bright ties like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever and both sexes donning big glasses and high-waisted trousers. Glam rock heroes David Bowie and Marc Bolan created an influential style that was copied by many, with glitter, satin and sequins making for extravagant and exciting outfits. Feathers and fur and brightly coloured make up ­– for men as well as women – added the finishing touches to evening wear. Punk style was also popular, as were soft floaty peasant styles. Check out our aptly named London band Flares for some authentic 70s covers from one of our most popular 70s tribute bands!

Our funk and soul wedding bands are the ultimate accompaniment to a disco wedding – choose from micro bands for mini venues, 4-piece disco bands or the ultimate in disco: a full soul band complete with a horn section. They play that funky music by artists such as Kool and the Gang, the Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder. You could even choose a tribute band for a specific act – how about hiring a tribute band? Our Abba tributes range from compact groups for small venues (such as Frida and Agnetha with backing tracks) to Abba extravaganzas, featuring many costume changes and full backing bands. We think Abba Alive are one of the best!

1980s

New romantics wore the bold makeup and glamorous clothes adopted by bands like Duran Duran. Dancewear inspired spandex clothing, legwarmers, leotards and even tracksuits (though we wouldn’t recommend walking down the aisle in one). Power dressing inspired by the TV show Dynasty – shoulder pads climbed higher and higher and jewellery got ever more ostentatious. Men’s suits got wider, and pinstripes became fashionable again, but waistcoats gradually disappeared. We give an honourable mention to MC Hammer and his legendary parachute pants; though his songs are great for the dance floor, your trousers don’t need to match them! We reckon Acceptable In The 80s (pictured below) have got the 80s dress code sorted.

For a stylish 80s wedding, how about hiring an 80s wedding band? They’ll whip up a storm on the dancefloor with tracks everybody loves, including favourites by Madonna, A-Ha, Sort Cell, The Cure and Madness. Kids love 80s pop and rock tunes because they’re great to dance to – and guests of all ages secretly love to hear rock classics like Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer! Whether you choose a compact wedding band for a small venue or a full line-up function band fit to fill an arena, our 80s band Neon offer a variety of line ups to suit a wide range of events, from a 6 to a 12-piece band with brass, percussion and extra vocalists.

Still not sure what would work best for your wedding? Call one of our experts and we’ll help you find the best wedding band for your buck.

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!