Big Weddings Suck, have you ever read this book by Dave Westfall? It’s worth reading if you really want to keep wedding planning stress at bay while saving a fortune. From the beginning of the planning process to the end of the party the day of, there are plenty of ways to bring the costs and waste down from a wedding. Finding the thriftiest ways to decorate your wedding venue and to resell the decor later? We totally understand! Weddings cost the earth and can leave the newlyweds in debt or pinching pennies in the beginning years of their marriage. One of the popular wedding planning websites, The Knot states that an American wedding costs $30,000 on average. That's astonishing but intelligible when you start summing all the "standard" wedding costs. After paying for a venue, rings, a wedding dress, wedding photography/videography, guest favors, decor, food and alcohol, and all the other big-little things in between that make up a wedding, it's pretty hard to stay frugal. But that doesn't mean you can't have that magical day without disrupting your budget. Although the best way to enter your happily ever after is to plan everything while being within the budget constraints from the beginning itself, however, if skimping or compromising on dreams is not on your wedding checklist then you still can recoup a fraction of the amount you spent for your dream wedding. Yes, you get it! We are talking about selling everything (that you can or want to) from your day-of that you won’t need after the wedding day is over. From your vintage designer wedding gown and hottest bridal accessories to luxurious wedding decor, you can resell all the unwanted items by listing them on various second-hand wedding websites at a minimal fee.
Maximum utilization of resources, that our Mother Nature offers us for free, is the only and best gift that we as her offsprings can offer her in return! We love the concept of buying and selling the used goods and articles! Not just because it is a great way to save money and increase the life of the products (that are made by putting in a lot of hard work, time, skills, and natural resources) but also for it provides us a chance to contribute to the welfare of the planet. Not to mention, the wedding industry causes huge landfills and waste. It hurts when tons and tons of flowers, food, water, etc. that make the happiest day of one’s life end up in a trash can. Couples these days are not only getting budget-conscious but also finding ways to perform their nuptials in the most economical and eco-friendly way. And consequently, they don’t hesitate to buy or sell used items or the wedding decor for the day-of that can be recycled or reused so that they can resell them and get back the portion of their spendings. Hosting a big wedding or any special event can lead to a lot of items on your checklist and a lot of waste too. However, if you handle the so-called waste and unwanted items smartly you won’t be broke in the initial days or months of your new life or maybe you can give it a beautiful start by adding funds towards planning a big honeymoon or so.
We suggest resell the wedding decor, you are not going to need it anymore. DIY or store-bought, the decor items from your wedding can easily be sold in the market. Easier said than done? Well not anymore! Keep reading...
First off, be a smart buyer or rentee: We women love shopping and most of us know how to find what we want for affordable prices. But, affordable or pricey, before you throw down your Amex you should take stock of the items you need for the perfect wedding and be sure of what you should rent and what you should buy for the big day. After all, your wedding is a one-day affair and you would want to buy more things that are useful beyond the wedding or can be resold to get some money back. Keep your eyes out for sales, seasonal offers, and discounts. Whether you are planning to shop online or walk down to your favorite store, steer away from rush purchases at the eleventh hour by starting wedding shopping as soon as you have the shopping list ready. This will not only give you enough time to shop around or compare prices and keep you away from splurging on the items unnecessarily but will allow ample time to the vendors also to deliver them at your door. Don’t fancy buying everything even if you are getting a good deal when so many renting options are available. Renting wedding supplies like signages, linens, china, chargers, glassware, led lighting, candle holders and vases, furniture, and sashes to name a few, usually offers a better value, hassle-free delivery, plus easy set-up and pull-off service. Remember- A penny saved is a penny earned!
Trust your DIY panache: DIY wedding decor is making a huge splash these days. In addition to providing a unique character to your soiree while keeping your wedding budget in check, they sell faster than the common store-bought items. What better way than taking the DIY route for details that cost too much and you can’t go without! Another thing is that a lot of DIY elements or less pricey items look as good as their expensive counterparts. You may take a cue from various online resources like YouTube, Instagram, and blogs posted by various wedding-related websites for unique and stunning DIY wedding decor ideas. From a dreamy floral centerpiece that you can craft simply by buying some flirty faux florals from the dollar store and placing them (3 in 1) in a plastic terrarium bowl 3/4 of the way with water to a pretty hand-lettered custom paper fan for each guest seat keeping them cool on your summer wedding day, you can wow your guests with your creativity and warm hospitality. And the best part? They won’t know that they are hand-made by you!
Segregate the items: If you have a cartload of items to resell then organizing them in four separate lots and then dealing with each lot individually is a great idea. Place all your objects in 4 different bags or bins, each labeled as Trash, Keep, Sell, and Donate. Try not to hold onto too many things for no reason other than sentimentality. You don’t want to be hoarding unnecessary items for a long period. Trash the items that are of no use to you or others right away. And do not delay to donate and sell the piles that you don't want to keep but could be of good use to another person.
What’s beautiful should look beautiful: Talking about decor items, how can we not talk about the most expensive decor item that embellished you. Yes, it’s none other than your wedding dress, simple or loaded with heavy embellishments. Whether you caught a break on its retail price or not. Whether you purchased it from a bridal boutique, a thrift store nearby, or a second-hand wedding dress seller online, listing your bridal gown for sale online can help you fetch a good amount of money back that you spent on it. Most brides these days neither want to re-wear it nor they want to pass it on to their daughter or grand-daughter. Good for them! Wedding outfit including veil, garter, sash, and other accessories that you think you are not going to don again nor you are going to keep in your closet as a token of your happiest memories can bring a smile to other budget-savvy brides who are searching for the best deals to save as much money as possible and swell up your piggy bank too. But here’s the rub- preservation of your precious wedding dress from the very next day of your big day till you photograph (only if you are asked for recent ones) and ship it to the prospective buyer. Not only your wedding dress but also the decor items you are planning to resell should be and look in excellent condition. Have them washed or cleaned (professionally, if possible) if they look dirty before posting them on the website to justify your price. It’s important that the pictures of your decor items talk themselves about them. After all, “A picture is worth a thousand words!” We suggest you click the 4-5 photos of your items from different angles in excellent lighting conditions and ways with a plain background to convince the potential buyers that the item is highly desirable and in great condition!
Price appropriately: The items are clean, the photos are ready, and now it’s the time to identify their value before posting on the website. Figuring out the price of your used item is the most difficult part of the entire process. The price of the items should be determined by summing up all the expenses you did on them from the moment you ordered them to the moment you are listing them on the seller’s website keeping in mind their share of profit as well. The basic rule of thumb to price your item is a 20% discount from the sticker price. But you might not want it to be hanging there forever or all your efforts to go down the drain so be generous while pricing your articles. Even if you have to sell it at a 50% or more discount on the retail price. Go ahead and get rid of them! Something is better nothing!
Find the good marketplace for your goods: There's no accounting for taste, so you would want to find the market for your used articles that are visited and trusted by millions of buyers. And what better place than online to reach more people! There are thousands of sites out there that you can list your items on for free usually. While several companies charge a nominal commission or take a percentage of your profits from (4%-17.8%), there are some like Bravo Bride that don’t take their cut. You can also use websites like Etsy to form a shop where people can purchase more than one article that you are selling. The best part is that Etsy has a huge fanbase of unique DIY décor. Tradesy, Wedding Recycle, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay are some other popular websites where soon-to-be-married couples flock to buy or sell gently used wedding items. A few other well-known second-hand resources for pre-owned designer clothing and goods include Wedding Bee, 100 Layer Cake, Craigslist, and Poshmark. You need a Paypal account for safe transactions. It’s recommended to create a detailed PayPal invoice for your buyer to protect yourself against potential disputes.
All that starts well ends well: Decluttering your house after a grand wedding is such a headache particularly if you are planning to resell. Having a garage sale can be beneficial because not only are you getting rid of items, you are also making extra bucks as well. Cutting down on the wedding costs from the very beginning is the best way to stay away from the piles of waste after the wedding while decreasing the adverse impacts on the environment wherever possible. Whether you choose to marry in a garden, backyard of your nana, or at a hotel wedding venue, by picking out green options to a variety of elements including the stationery, food, venue, dresses, and even jewelry, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint and still celebrate your love in style. Think 4 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot and you are all set to plan an eco-friendly celebration.
From the BMag’s trove of tips: Don’t splurge on items on your wedding checklist that guests pay far less attention to than you think. Buy as many affordable, used wedding items as you could. You could go the old-fashion route and visit your local thrift stores to buy pre-owned wedding decorations or browse through several websites and score affordable wedding decor items by comparing prices, shopping sales, and using online coupons. You might chance upon the items that are available to buy for FREE (usually on the Facebook marketplace). Besides, hosting a green wedding is the best thing one can do for their kind earth! Buying second-hand prevents one from going over their budget and they still can have a wedding that they have always envisioned. It’s the only way you get to save a buck or two twice (buying and reselling). Plus, it doesn’t hurt much if your used items don’t sell well. Healthy wedding practices today can give us a healthy and happy life tomorrow!
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