Meet the bridal swap
Wedding planners gear resale event to budget- conscious brides
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE ORIGINAL BRIDAL SWAP IS AND HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THE IDEA?
( Sarah) We started to have more and more brides ask us where they could sell the things that they had bought for their wedding, ( i. e. the glassware, the linens, etc.) and at the time we would respond, “Craigslist or Kijiji.” As it came up more and more, we thought that there must be a better option. Right away we thought “garage sale meets weddings” and it’s basically evolved into an upscale flea market for weddings. It’s an event where past brides, rental and decor companies and, this year, wedding artisans can sell their gently used and new items to brides to be. There are also lots of wedding dresses that can be purchased: sample sale dresses from bridal salons and consignment dresses.
THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR, WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THE RESPONSE TO THE FIRST EVENT?
We were in awe of the response that we got to the first event. We were expecting about 200 brides to come through and we had more than 700 people come through the doors. We knew then, that we had created an event that was needed and wanted by the brides.
HOW IS THIS YEAR DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR?
This year we’ve added wedding craft artisans to the mix. It’s like having ETSY in the flesh. There are so many talented people in Vancouver and we wanted to not only showcase their talent but also promote the smaller businesses that make weddings unique and personalized.
AS WEDDING PLANNERS DO YOU
WORK WITH BUDGET- CONSCIOUS BRIDES?
Our market as wedding planners is typically the mid- to highend wedding. That said, one of our philosophies as wedding planners is to always start and work with a realistic budget. No matter what you are spending, you should always have a budget in place. We discuss their priorities and budget the wedding accordingly. When you start off with a realistic budget ( and stick with it) you eliminate so much stress throughout the planning process. With The Original Bridal Swap, we are able to help all brides maximize their budget.
WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR A BRIDE TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING HER WEDDING?
I think there are three important things to consider: budget, priorities and making the wedding a reflection of you and your fiancé.
WHAT’S THE HOTTEST TREND FOR WEDDINGS THIS SEASON?
The colour emerald green. Incorporating a colour into your wedding is easy to achieve on any budget. It’s just a matter of where you use it. Whether it be in the bridesmaids dresses, flowers or decor.