Ever since Emma Bazilain’s House Beautiful article gave a name to grandmillennials, ladies who love needlepoint feel seen. (We even curated a grandmillennial gift guide!) The demographic is filled with mid-twenty to late-thirty-year-olds who have a premature affinity for their grandmother’s Limoges china. They find a balance between twee and preppy and reside comfortably in the middle. Grandmillennials appreciate the succulent selection in a floral print and crave scallop trim on any tablecloth, frock, or curtain.
In the wedding world, the grandmillennial bride is true to her precious preferences. She wants timeless trinkets, charming venues, and above all else, a good story from her wedding.
“I think a ‘grandmillennial’ is really a ‘New Traditionalist’—someone who has an appreciation for the past,” Manhattan-based interior designer Ariel Okin explains.
So get comfortable and lean back in your wicker loveseat as we take a look back at a few of our favorite grandmillennial OTM weddings from the past!
Ariel and Benjamin Okin’s Elegant Wedding at Rosecliff Mansion
What American region most accurately epitomizes the grandmillennial bride? That’s right, New England. Ariel and Benjamin Okin’s beautiful Rhode Island wedding completes the whimsical and picturesque grandmillennial dream—custom-embroidered handkerchiefs and a clambake are among the highlights.
Most grandmillennials often have their style compared to their grandmothers, but when your grandmother is artist Apple Bartlett, this comparison is nothing short of a compliment. Eliza Appleton Carter’s grandmother not only hosted the wedding brunch but also designed the couple’s save-the-date card. The bride also walked down the aisle to a cover of Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey,” which is doubly grandmillennial.
Julie and Minot Amory’s Blue and White Wedding in Southampton
True grandmillennials have a deep appreciation for the art of DIY. Julie Amory’s entire attitude toward her wedding was DIY, which makes sense for someone who founded the textile company India Amory. She collected ginger jars for table centerpieces and designed her own printed tablecloths.
While grandmillennials’ taste tends toward the past, their intentions are always aimed toward the future. The Amory’s wedding invitations used the same font as her grandparents’ wedding invitations. “I liked the idea of my future grandchildren being able to look back on the invitation.” The thoughtfulness!
Interior Designer Clary Bosbyshell and Graham Welsh’s Daytime Wedding at The Cloister at Sea Island
Grandmillennials know how to throw a soiree any time of day. This daytime Georgia wedding fit in perfectly with Clary’s son Rayfe’s nap-time schedule (and perhaps, even other pragmatic grandmillennials’ naptime schedule…)
Bea Whitton and Peter Tufo’s Wedding at the Former Summer Home of Abraham Lincoln’s Son
Bridesmaids were adorned with baby’s breath, and a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream truck was parked near the dance floor at this Vermont wedding. But the ultimate grandmillennial power move? Adding lace sleeves to the almost-perfect strapless Lihi Hod dress Bea found.
Catie Straut and Zack Cable’s Timeless Wedding in Sun Valley
“I always loved the idea that someone could look at our wedding photos and not necessarily be able to tell the date or decade,” Catie says. The obvious wedding venue for the couple was Sun Valley, Idaho. A favorite vacation spot of Ernest Hemingway and the bride’s family, Sun Valley is also where Catie took her first steps as a child. After their wedding, it is where the couple took their first steps as husband and wife. Timeless!
Maggie Lydecker and Garrett Kanter’s New England Wedding in Marblehead
We would be remiss to overlook the importance of blue-and-white chinoiserie in the grandmillennial wedding color palette. This New England wedding featured lovely hues of chinoiserie in everything from bridesmaid dresses to wedding invitations. Grandmillennials take their “something blue” to the next tier!
Anne Devereaux Rauscher and Larry Kennedy’s Nantucket Wedding
After finding the perfect wedding dress, Anne found the perfect reception outfit. Grandmillennials love their lace, but most grandmillennial brides consider their reception outfits to be their favorite look of the wedding. Anne’s reception shoes were the tongue-in-cheek and heart-on-your-sleeve Sophia Webster heels that read “Wifey for lifey.” Larry’s custom suit was embroidered with “Annie’s husband” on the inside. Oh, the attention to detail!
