Wedding options on a shoestring
From luxury gowns and flower girl slippers to wine glasses and table decorations, a selection of everything a bride might want for a recycled wedding was selling at bargain prices at the Weddingtoolbox garage sale in Palmerston North.
Organiser Sarah Kelly said the sale on Saturday was a great way for new wives and husbands to pass on their wedding paraphernalia, for money, and for the next influx of brides and grooms to source some reasonably-priced gear.
The event at the Awapuni Function Centre hosted a range of professional wedding service providers, including celebrants, make-up teams, photographers, hirers, a hen-party hostess and honeymoon organisers.
There were about 40 tables of table decorations and other gear for people to look through and buy from the original wedding planners.
A lot of the decorations reflected contemporary wedding style trends — it was not just about satin and lace.
‘‘The rustic feel is really in,’’ Kelly said, referring to a selection of rough timber blackboard frames and wooden tea light holders.
She said a lot of brides wanted the fun of making their own wedding decorations and details, but it could be as time-consuming as it could be expensive.
‘‘Weddings can cost so much, and this a neat way for past brides to give something back, and to make some money from it. It’s good for husbands too — they get the garage storage space back.’’
There were about 50 bridesmaids’ dresses for sale, right down to cute numbers for the little girls and boys.
But the most glamorous part of it all was the bridal gown section.
There were more than 50 gowns available to try on, and a steady stream of women eager to pop into the changing rooms to try them.
The Bridal Studio provided staff to ensure the gowns were carefully handled and cared for on behalf of their original owners, and to help the potential brides with fitting advice.