I was so incredibly excited about the beauty captured by Jon Kaplan that I didn’t have words. The first blog I did not break down the super awesome thrifty DIY stuff I did to make this happen! So here is blog number two about this awe-inspiring project.

Whether you’re looking for a completely DIY wedding, or just want a few do-it-yourself pieces, I hope these ideas can help you discover what’s right for you and determine how much time you need to make it happen.

All the decor was thrifted or repurposed items which I borrowed or already had. I spent under $100 to decorate! Now obviously the table settings were fewer than what a typical wedding would have, but it gives you a great idea of what can be accomplished for little. The whole shoot was planned in less than a month. I do not suggest doing this for your wedding, though it is possible.

Taking your time to collect eclectic items from Good Will or other thrift stores on their tag sale days that come together in your color scheme will make your decorating budget go a long way. It does take time, so plan to have 4 months of shopping 1-3 times a week to collect everything you need. If you can get there first in the morning on those tag sale days, even better. I try not to buy things at full thrift store price unless it is absolutely exactly what I want. Most times, I can make something I found for a dollar look better with just a little bit of effort. Sometime, the beat up and worn down items that no one wants are impeccably perfect.

So here we go! Here’s the break down of what I purchased to decorate for this style shoot.

Linens were collected from sale days at the thrift stores, with a few borrowed from my grandmother. I just looked for ones in a similar creme color on sale days. I also looked for fabric chunks or even clean bed sheets which were large enough to be cut and hemmed for table cloths if I didn’t find enough of what I wanted in the linens section in my short amount of time. These ranged from $1.29 to $4.99 each table. Cutting and hemming your own table cloths is not super hard, and for the price it is entirely worth it. Maybe you can even enlist the help from your crafty family members who would love to be made an integral part of your big day. Renting table cloths can cost anywhere from $12-30 per table, so again this is a more cost effective method for people willing to putin the time and maybe have a little bit of coordinating mis-match.

The plates were semi-mismatched and second hand. As sale days at Good Will happened, I found stacks of 4-5 white plates with gold accents for $2 or less. Again, this patient search for the perfectly mismatched set of plates can be cheaper than renting place settings depending on what you’re looking for. I also collected tea cups and plates from the thrift store on sale days which matched my pink and gold color scheme to go along with the place settings. Mismatched silverware can be fun too! Silverware is 20 cents a piece at Good Will. Renting it can be anywhere from 40 cents to over a dollar a piece. If you want it to be perfectly matching, then by all means renting is more cost effective than purchasing new. But if you’re looking for a funky fun mismatched place setting, collecting fun silverware pieces on each of thrifting trips will quickly get you what you need for all your guests.

The rest of the decor was also found from thrift stores. Some of it were items I already had in my home for decor, but all was found second hand. The lanterns were my own and are entirely functioning oil lamps that I found for $5 each. The camera was a second hand camera my friend found for me as a gift that I love. The books were all found at thrift stores and second hand bookstores. I use them to decorate in my home and know a good handful of people who do as well that I could have borrowed from had I needed it. With time and a good eye, you’ll be happily surprised how much vintage you can find at the thrift stores! It’s there. Good planning before your trips will make this treasure hunt even more successful!

Candles I found at the Dollar Tree. I found unscented votives in 4-packs for a buck each, and the bigger candles were vanilla scent for a dollar each as well. If you are buying in larger quantities, Hobby Lobby or IKEA may be a better price, but for the few I needed the Dollar Tree was my best bet.

The flowers I purchased from a local farmers market the day before for $30. With those two extremely large bunches I covered everything I needed, plus had extra. They were arranged in little jars which were found at Good Will over the course of a month for 20¢ each. If you are planning on going the DIY route, this is one of the easiest tasks to do. Have one or two friends or family members tasked during your set up to arrange them, or do it with them the night before and bring them already done. Most of these jars and vases I have either repurposed or listed on Etsy or eBay after using them. All the accents on the jars, be it twine or ribbon, were found at Good Will.

When you do-it-yourself it is possible to make some of your money back from your wedding and then some. In fact, one of the 20 cent jars I found just sold on eBay for $7.50! You can sell individually or as a lot (group). If you plan to sell your table settings and flatware afterwards, selling as a full set may be better. eBay, Etsy, and Craigslists are great options for finding someone who wants their own funky, eclectic wedding but maybe doesn’t have the time or desire to thrift themselves.

The dress was an upcycle project too! I make them from thrifted vintage linens and curtains and sell them on my Etsy Shop. You can learn more about this specific dress here.

And that’s it! Everything thrifted and much more cost effective than buying new or renting. Share with me your plans and your DIY thrifty wedding! Are you in the PNW and want some help with yours? Contact me!