When a Bride Goes Thrifting for Her Wedding Decor
Photograph by Emily Engle
Taylor Kloss, owner of NewEnglandVintageChic.com, loves popping tags. So when it came time for boyfriend Jeb to pop the question, buying all their wedding decor second-hand came naturally.
“I don’t think I would have done it any other way,” she says proudly. “Every single decoration at the wedding was handpicked by me with care and consideration, and it meant so much more to me than just a candlestick here and lace tablecloth there. Each piece had a story behind it.”
At the time of their engagement, Kloss was working with Savers on a promotion through her marketing business, Creative TK Consulting. So she did a little mixing of business and pleasure for her wedding decor: she went on Pinterest, shopped at Savers, and got a beautiful wedding.
Here’s a peek into how her creativity not only saved the couple money, but added uber-personal touches to their special day.
Photograph by Emily Engle
Tablecloths
“I wanted to use tablecloths that were elegant and vintage, yet affordable,” she says. So she found 22 round tablecloths and 22 lace curtains to make her vision come to life. “I also found some great plaid accent vintage tablecloths that looked great on the card table.”
The look: She layered the plain white/off white table cloth on the table and then put the lace curtain over it to give it a vintage, elegant feel.
The cost: 25 tablecloths—Savers price: estimated $4 each; retail price: $15 per table cloth
25 lace overlays/curtains—Savers price: estimated $3 each; retail price: $20 per curtain
Vases
“Every table had a different vase, and that was the look I wanted,” Kloss explains. “I found so many unique vases, and some now have a permanent home on my kitchen table.”
The look: She picked all her own flowers at First Root Farm in Concord, so the bride had her day-of-coordinator fill each vase with different flower arrangements.
The cost: 25 vases—Savers price: $2 each; retail price: $12 per vase
Vintage Candle Holders
The bride used over 50 vintage candle holders at the wedding, most made of brass and with a tarnish that gave them just the right look.
The look: “We placed all the candle holders onto the tables, about two per table, and used white color candle sticks in them. It really helped set the mood for the night.”
The cost: 50 brass vintage candle holders—Savers price: estimated $3 per holder; retail price: $15 per candle holder
Photograph by Emily Engle
Vintage Ties
Why keep the vintage finds to just decor? “I searched high and low to find the perfect vintage plaid ties for Jeb and his groomsmen,” says Taylor. “I was thrilled with how the plaid tied everything together.”
The cost: 4 vintage ties—Savers price: $8 total; retail price: $20 or more
Courtesy photo
Frames
When it came to table numbers, only something creative would do for this bride. “I wanted to do something different, so I used all different vintage frames to hold the table numbers.”
The look: The bride fitted each frame with mattes and decorative paper that had been painted with numbers for a hand-made touch. “The best part is, now that the wedding is over, I can put all my wedding photos in them,” she adds.
The cost: 22 frames—Savers price: $1.99 per frame; retail price: $10 per frame
Overall, Taylor and Jeb’s decor should be approximately $2,225, whereas going the thrift store route cost the couple only $427. With a total savings of $1,798, seems some of these ideas are definitely worth saving.
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