7 Important Tips for a Thrifty Wedding in Kitchener
Being eco-friendly, we’re big fans of upcycling, so we can show you how to spend less on your wedding décor without looking like you spent less on your wedding décor!
1 - Choose your style & stay consistent
I know there are so many amazing styles out there right now, from modern to boho to rustic, and in your personal style it’s perfectly natural to gravitate to different styles for different settings or maybe different rooms in your house or different outfits depending on your mood. But when it comes to having a cohesive aesthetic for your wedding you need to choose one specific style, it doesn’t mean that you have to cut ties with all the other styles for ever, it just means that for your wedding you decided to choose one style in particular and you will be choosing your elements and decor to match that 1 style. If you need help figuring out your style, read this article.
Once you narrow down your favourite style make sure you only purchase pieces that adhere to it. Say you chose elegant & modern as your style, but then you see a huge wedding lot for sale on Facebook marketplace full of rustic tree cookies and mason jars. You may be tempted, but remember, there will be many other deals and finds you just need to start well in advance and you will have plenty of opportunities to find other items that are a better fit for your wedding aesthetic.
2 - Stick to a colour palette
The main trick to choosing pieces from many different sources and make them match is to have a specific colour scheme. The easiest colours to find in large quantities are neutrals like white or beige. If you love luxe accents you can add silver or gold, but stick to one or the other instead of mixing silver and gold. Clear glass is another easy match, think bud-vases that are all different shapes & sizes but match up with their clear glass look.
If you need a template to help you get your style and colour palette in one place you can download our free Moodboard template here.
3 - Choose quality
If you’re no stranger to thrifting you know that the best vintage finds are those high quality brands that normally cost high ticket prices. With clothing it could be brands like Chanel or Mexx & Esprit. Those brands invest in good patterns and quality stitching and when you wear them you can look sharp and polished even though you saved $100’s off the regular cost of those items. The same principle applies to other thrift finds, with vintage decor it’s all about high quality materials; go for porcelain instead of plastic, true metals like silver, gold brass or stainless steel, with fabrics find silk or high linen rather than polyester.
4 - Get creative
Think outside the box in terms of how certain items can be used. For example you can use a beautiful mirror with an ornate frame and paint over the glass to create your very own welcome sign. A vintage trunk can be filled with flowers or party favours and artfully displayed on a gift table or next to another decor piece. Remember to stay realistic with what you can achieve with your DIY skills and your time-frame.
5 - Communicate with your team
When you’re sourcing elements at the same time as the other vendors or family members who are helping you it’s important to communicate and make sure you are all on the same page. If you are buying vases at the same time as your mom, make sure you share a photo before committing and choose the best option. If your planner is sourcing some decor items for you, make sure they share the final items with your florist as they would want to be aware of the exact colour shades that you ended up with (there are so many hades of pink!)
6 - Pair with professional elements to elevate the look
Being an ecoflorist I love upcycling, but I don’t recommend buying each of your wedding pieces second-hand. To have a wedding that looks upscale and magical some pieces need to be new or rented or designed by professionals, like florists and set designers. The vennue you choose will be the ultimate backdrop to all the smaller elements you collect. Professional flowers will add that high end element that will instantly elevate the other elements and add the magic touch.
7 - Have a backup Plan
Choosing to thrift certain parts of your wedding can be a bit unpredictable, you don’t know for sure what you will be able to source and you are on a timeline. Have a backup plan like a rental decor shop, that you can use in case you don’t find everything you were looking for second-hand. This will save you the stress of hustling and worrying as your wedding day draws near.
Bonus: best thrift spot in Kitchener:
Talize on Courtland Avenue is my go-to for crystal drinkware, silk fabrics, gold accents, porcelain dishes and glass vases. All of the video footage below is from this Talize location!
