More and more of our clients are really personalizing their weddings (YAY!) with linens, centerpieces, bouquet details and escort cards that have a history to them. Whether it is antique skeleton keys, milkglass vases, flea market sheets converted to tablecloths, or bell jars scattered throughout a space, using collections of items can be a great way to go for decor, especially if it fits the look of your ceremony and reception sites. There is actually a great spread in the fall/winter 2011 Minnesota Bride magazine that features bouquets with a touch of antique or history to them that is fantastic inspiration, go check it out!
I have noticed, however, that when a bride and her family starts collecting items for the wedding, it can get a little out of hand. When you are spending $40 for a depressionware platter that fits perfectly with the collection, you are no longer doing a DIY project that will save money. If you are about to venture into this realm, make sure to choose a collection that you can find for a reasonable price and in large quantities, like mason or bell jars. Expect it to take about a year to get enough of a collection (always collect more than you think you’ll need) and keep things laid back (don’t rush out to a specialty antique store a week before your wedding to find more pieces).
A good tool that I just discovered is Piccadilly. They have run estate sales for more than 15 years and on their website, they list the next week’s sale along with pictures. Since they have quite a following if antique dealers, they sell out of the good stuff quickly, but the prices are also less than you’d find at an antique store. I just found a ton of antique glass medicine bottles, stoneware, milk glass, and bell jars for a very reasonable price, and that was just one home. So be sure to dig around and find the good deals.
Do you want this look without having to search for items and purchase them all? Lime Canary was started by a bride collecting antiques for her own wedding and she now has a wonderful collection that she rents out and stages.
Have fun collecting!
Goodwills too… we searched a new goodwill every weekend 🙂