Vintage Wedding Rentals: I Fall in Love

With a desired list of decorations in my hand and a love of vintage in my heart, I made my way to the beautiful barn that contains all of Treasured Rentals goodies. Since I wanted to make a fun afternoon of it, I invited Bridesmaid Smiley along. This proved to be an awesome decision, since she kept me from renting everything in the store. Because basically, this GIF sums up the experience I had that afternoon....

Gif via Giphy

There were no truer words to describe walking into a barn full of the most lovely, beautiful vintage wedding decorations, ready to be added to the rental list for my wedding. I may or may not have pinched myself upon first seeing it all. I liken it to a man walking into a showroom full of shiny new cars, mesmerized...except, my shiny new cars came in the form of old pretty stuff that I actually got to take out of the showroom and out for a spin (at least for the night).

Believe it or not, there's a whole other "showroom" on the other side of the wall. Photo via Treasured Rentals FB Page

Upon meeting the owner of the business, she told me that the barn was set up by type of decoration, ranging from small accessory items to bigger pieces of furniture and architecture. She wanted to know all about my wedding, not only where it was taking place, but my colors, what "theme" I was going with, the food/cake I was serving, etc. She was truly interested in helping me find pieces that fit both my style and my budget, and helped me pick various different elements that would form a cohesive look. I told her I was interested in more vintage, less rustic, and definitely no burlap. She knew exactly what I wanted, even though I had a difficult time describing it. A telepathic vintage superstar, I tell ya.

I will admit to being seriously overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that barn held, even with my list. It took us a solid hour to go through all of the pieces, and I may or may not have ended up with some items on my list that weren't on the original list...oops. I blame it on Bride Brain...which is totally a thing.

Sadly, I wasn't able to find every single thing I needed in the barn, but I sure was able to find a lot of it! All in all, I ended up with a few pieces of larger furniture and a few little odds and ends to add the perfect touch of vintage elegance to the evening.

While being transparent about money and budgets can get a little uncomfortable, I wanted to share the costs on everything we picked out so that those wanting to go the vintage rental route had at least some idea of what to expect. The breakdown of what we're renting and for how much moolah (with pictures, of course!).

White Bureau - $45 (This is going to be our guestbook/welcome table)

Image via Treasured Rentals FB Page

Double wash-tub - $35 (we'll use this for the beers and other bottled drinks)

Image via Treasured Rentals FB Page

2 Gold Frames w/ Wrought Iron Easel - $60 

Image via Treasured Rentals FB Page

3 Stacked Suitcases - $21

Image via Treasured Rentals FB Page

French Country Buffet - $85 (Will be used as a cake table)

Image via Treasured Rentals FB Page

3 Apple Crates $18

Image via Treasured Rentals FB Page

Grand total for all rentals, including tax and delivery fees : $391.56

If you were like me, I was a little shocked when I saw that big number at the bottom of the rental contract. It really didn't seem like I was spending that much money, but once delivery fees (about $120) and PA sales tax ($21) were added on, I was a little stunned at how much everything came out to be. Since we had a previously agreed-on budget for decorations, I was afraid that these rentals ate way too much of that budget, and we wouldn't be able to make it worth. Thankfully, I've been able to acquire a lot of our other decorations free-of-charge or at a seriously low price.

I know that while I definitely could have acquired most of these things on my own, either at flea markets or antique shops, I like having the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what I will be working with. I'm not scrambling to find the perfect distressed vintage dresser, or trying to find the perfect gold frames. There are a lot of things I have purchased on my own in the way of decorations (like cake stands, small gold frames, etc.) and will be able to keep after the wedding, but I knew that renting was the right way to go for the bigger items. Was this the cheapest way to go in the long run? No, probably not. Do I feel like my money's being well spent? Totally.

Getting to work with the Treasured Rentals team had been so much and I am excited that I get to work with them on my wedding day, too! They will be at my venue early in the morning with us as we are getting everything set up, and they'll arrive at the end of the day to pick up all the items and take them back to the barn.

Anyone who is thinking about renting some (or all!) of their vintage wedding decorations, I would totally recommend it. It may cost you a little more than thrifting all the items yourself, but if you are someone who has no time to spend hours combing through antique shops and flea markets, vintage rental companies may just be perfect for you.

Vintage Wedding Rentals: I Make a Plan

If you saw my last post, you heard the tale of my discovery of vintage wedding rentals. Since decorations are so important to me, I want to make the biggest impact possible while staying within budget. Easier said than done, of course. When it came to finding vintage props, furniture, and decorations, I was struggling on how to achieve the "look" I wanted without making endless trips to flea markets, Goodwills, and antique shops. Finding out that companies exist for the sole purpose of renting out vintage and antique items for wedding use was like winning the wedding lottery.

When I first discovered that vintage rental companies existed, the first site that I came upon was a small, family-owned company based out of my own hometown, Treasured Rentals. After browsing the shop's online "inventory" and checking out the price lists, I made an appointment to meet up with the owner of the shop to see what I could use for the wedding.

She was speedy in getting back to me, and was so sweet and enthusiastic about helping me find the perfect decorations for the "wedding vibe" I was going for. I was pleasantly surprised when she told me that it would be a one-on-one meeting, so we could go peruse the inventory together. I also learned that instead of housing all the vintage decorations and props in a store front, all of their inventory is kept in a barn on their own family property. Cute business backstory time: The shop got it's origin after the owner and her husband started to acquire lots of vintage wedding supplies for their own daughter's wedding back in 2012. They accumulated so much stuff that they decided to start a business renting the items out to other brides in search of affordable vintage decor. The business truly is a family affair, which I love.

After I made the appointment with Treasured Rentals, I decided that I really needed a plan of action for what exactly I needed and how much I could afford to spend. I knew that if I went without any sort of idea of what I needed, I'd leave with lots of things I wanted and would risk leaving without the "essentials".

I made a list of decor items I hoped to have, along with a total of how much I was willing to pay for items that will be returned at the end of the day. I formulated my list by browsing my "wedding decor" pins and also Googling the crap 'outta "vintage wedding decor"...

Photo via Treasured Rentals FB Page

Image via Mod Weddings / Photo by Melissa Vossler Photography

Image via The Wedding Chicks / Kristen Joy Photography

Image via The Wedding Chicks / Photo by Middle Child Photography

Based on my inspiration photos and what I needed to make my wedding decor vision come to life, this is what I was hoping to find:

• Entrance table (for guestbook, programs, etc.)
• Vintage suitcases
• Old books
• Galvanized tubs for beverages
• Chalkboards (gold frames preferred)
• Cake (erm, donut) table
• Wooden ladder
• Small accessories 

With my vintage wedding rental list made and entered into the "Notes" section of my iPhone (because does anyone actually hand-write their lists anymore?), I was ready to explore the barn and see what I could find! 

When it came time to find decorations for your wedding, did you prefer to rent or buy?

Vintage Wedding Rentals: The Discovery

I've mentioned before that decorating the venue was one of my biggest wedding priorities. Because our restored firehouse venue is such a blank slate, we was free to go with whatever "style" we wanted to, and decorate it however we pleased. I loved that I wasn't bound by the colors of the walls, the carpet, or the chairs. There is nothing more frustrating than having to coordinate with bright red church pews or lime green carpet. Can all past-present-and-future brides give me an Amen?

Once we settled on the "vintage chic" theme, I started to have a vision of what our wedding would look like (decoration-wise) but I really wasn't sure how to make it happen. We decided pretty early on in the planning process that decorations (including furniture, table settings, etc.) would take up a pretty large amount of our wedding budget, so we started saving and looking for ways to make a big impact without shelling out a big amount of money.

Enter wedding rentals. Vintage weddings rentals, to be exact.

I'm not exactly sure how I was engaged for so long without ever hearing of vintage rental companies. They are everything that is perfect and wonderful and right in the wedding planning world, and they are literally my godsend when it came to decorating and outfitting our venue. I first stumbled upon a website for a local vintage rental company this past fall, when I was trying to find inspiration for our guestbook table via Pinterest (le duh). A picture of a gorgeous antique table lead to me a site for a vintage rental company actually based out of my hometown...

Screen grab of Treasured Rentals website.

Once I began perusing the site, my decoration wheels began turning, and a little lightbulb went off in my head: instead of spending hours and hours in thrift stores and spending money on vintage accessories and furniture (with no where to put it all), I could just RENT my vintage decorations. Use all the pretty decorations and return 'em at the end of the day. It would be the perfect way to make my vision come to life without sacrificing other areas of the wedding budget. And anything that lets me save money while looking like I spent lots of money is a win in my book.

Screen grab of Treasured Rentals website.

Operation: Decorate on a "budget wedding"-budget without looking like a budget wedding was underway!

What Shall the Groom Wear?

From the very beginning of the planning process, Mr. C was very outspoken about what he wanted to wear on our wedding day. This came as no surprise to me, as we have attended two proms together (both of our senior high school proms) and he had a very hands-on approach to picking out his attire for each one. A little trip down memory lane, shall we?

For M's senior prom (circa 2010), he went with a standard black tuxedo with a grey vest and tie.

His haircut, though. My goodness, how glad I am that his hairstyle has evolved in the last 5 years!

Oh how I wish I could be my high school "fat" again. 

For my prom (2011), he went with a grey tux and a navy vest and tie. Straight stylin'.

Fun fact: this prom dress was actually an Alfred Angela bridesmaids dress I found on the racks at Goodwill for $15. It's since been worn by my cousin for her senior prom. Sisterhood of the traveling bridesmaids dress, anyone?

After looking back on pictures from both our proms, both Mr. C and I decided that we liked the look of the grey tux more. The light color wasn't as harsh against his vampire-pale skin and blonde hair, and the black tux felt a little too formal for our outdoor wedding. 

After settling on grey, the next decision to make was whether to rent a tux or just buy a suit. Since Mr. C's on the smaller side (5ft7'' with lean muscle after years of playing soccer) finding a suit that fit him well off the rack was going to be a challenge. On the other side, paying so much money for an outfit you have to give back at the end of the day didn't make much sense, either. 

Mr. C opted to try and find a suit off the rack, and our quest for that suit began. Before we started looking around, we also had to nail down a specific vision of what we were both thinking in regards to what his entire "look" would be. I presented Mr. C with the following pictures of seriously stylish grooms and let him pick his favorite outfit. I was also pleasantly surprised that there are so many possibilities for grooms attire...

1) Suit pants, button down, suspenders, and a bow tie. No suit jacket for this look. 

Via Wedding Chicks / Photo by Jessica Charles Photography

2) Suit pants, tie, button down, and vest. No jacket for this look, either.

Via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Leo Patrone Photography

3) Suit pants and jacket, suspenders, button down, and bow tie.

Via Style Me Pretty / Photo by Smitten Photography

Out of all the inspiration photos, Mr. C liked the last option the best. He would still get to wear a bow tie and suspenders but would also get to wear a suit jacket (at least for the ceremony section of the evening). Truth be told, I'm glad he picked this option cause I love me a man in a bow tie. Mmm.

So with our inspiration photos in our minds and a pretty clear-cut vision of what Mr. C wanted to wear, we set out to find him the perfect (including both stylish and inexpensive!) wedding suit...

Blogging Helped Me Find Our Photographer

It will probably come as no surprise to you when I say that finding our wedding photographer was #1 on my wedding priority list. More than anything, I want to have beautiful pictures to look back on an remember the very best day of my life. Being a wedding photographer myself, I know how incredibly important finding a photographer who matches your style and vision is. I've also found that in order to really get the best images possible, you really to have to "click" with your photographer and feel both comfortable around them and confident in their skills and abilities. After all, they will probably be within a 10ft vicinity of you 90% of the day, so it helps to hire a photographer you truly enjoy being around.

When Mr. C and I first got engaged, probably within the first few weeks, I was already researching local photographers. We had already sat down and made a rough estimate of our budget, so I knew the local ballpark that I had to stay within. While our initial budget was fairly small for everything we wanted from our photographer (all-day coverage, digital copies of images, and print release to name a few "must-haves") I was willing to spend a little bit more if it meant hiring someone who's work I truly loved.

After researching prices for some of my favorite Lancaster photographers, sticker-shock set in and I began to get extremely frustrated and discouraged. My top pick's all-day packages started at $6,000, and as much as I would have loved to hire them, there was no way I could swing that. I started going down the list of photographer's whose work I love, only to find out that again, they were all way out of budget. I finally decided that in order to get everything I wanted from my "must-have" list while staying in budget, I'd have to search for an up-and-coming photographer. Since I myself was just starting out (and practically begging people to take a chance on me) I wanted to give the same opportunity to another newbie photographer. Of course, I still wanted to love their work, be confident in their abilities, and connect with them on a personal level.

Little side story before I continue: I used to be a personal style blogger. Yes, as lame as that probably sounds, I totally loved it and loved getting to know other lovely ladies through the blogging community. I stopped about a year ago, as I just lost the overall love of it when wedding planning and school began to take over my life. I still kept in contact with some of the women I met through blogging, including my very best "online" friend, Kristina.

Kristina was also a personal style blogger, and one day while in blog land, I stumbled across her little corner of the internet. After chatting for several weeks, we quickly found out that we were pretty much the same person, and a beautiful online friendship was started. Kristina was planning her own wedding at the time, while also starting up her own photography business. We instantly "clicked" as friends, and I loved watched her photography abilities + business grow. We had Skype dates every few months (her living in Texas and me living in Pennsylvania) and we would text or call each other randomly through out our days to chat about photography or random things that were happening in our lives. Over the course of year or so, she went from being an online friend to someone I would now consider one of my very close friends. The internet can be weird like that.

Last spring, when I was seriously stress out about finding a local photographer to shoot my weddings, I vented to Kristina, a former bride that knew the stress of planning a wedding all too well. In the middle of our photographer conversation, and texted me something along the lines of "If you want to pay for my plane tickets and hotel room, I'll shoot your wedding for free ;) "

UM. WHAT.

I asked her if she was being serious, because really, how awesome would it be to fly in my blogger-BFF to shoot my wedding? After she confirmed that yes, indeed, she was serious about her offer, I got to work researching plane ticket costs from Texas to Pennsylvania. I was bound and determined to make this happen. Aside from absolutely loving her work, I realized how incredibly cool it would be to finally meet face-to-face after being long-distance besties and to have her photograph my wedding.

It turns out that even with the cost of roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations for two evenings, and a rather large tip "just because", flying Kristina (and her hubby!) in from Texas was STILL less expensive than I budgeted for. Thank you, wedding gods. You've totally had my back.

Hiring Kristina come and shoot my wedding was no doubt the very best wedding decision I've made. I get to have one of my closest friends by my side on my wedding day, and I know she will do an incredible job photographing every aspect of our day.  She's pretty excited to shoot a "destination" wedding and to visit Lancaster for the first time ever. We may or may not text each other randomly with "THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING" with the current countdown and various emojis to express our excitement.

Our journey to finding our photographer was certainly unconventional, but Mr. C and I both know we made the right choice. Although Kristina is relatively new to the wedding photography world, we trust her 100% and can't wait to see how she documents our wedding day!

Anyone else hire their photographer after connecting with them online?

* All Photos by Kristina Ross Photography

Pop, Fizz, Clink: Wedding Drinks

As you read several posts back, Mr. C and I are serving breakfast food at our evening wedding. I was honestly a bit nervous to post our full menu, since I wasn't sure how people would react to such a drastically out-of-the-ordinary wedding menu. 

I just have to say, though that you bees made my heart explode with happiness and relief. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement on our "brinner" post. During the entire wedding planning process, we have tried to stay true to ourselves while stepping back and seeing our wedding from our guests perspectives. While we cannot please every single guest, we hope that they will be able to see a reflection of Mr. C and I in our wedding and every aspect of it- even the food. So, again, you are all awesome and made me feel confident in my decision to serve bacon and omelets and donuts at my wedding. #endmushygushyrant

Several of you also commented on the "brinner" post asking what type of drinks we would be serving alongside our full breakfast menu. Have no fear bees, we will be having an assortment of yummy beverages for our guests to enjoy both during the "coffee hour" and the reception as well. You really didn't think I forgot about mimosas, did you? ;)

Once we settled on the menu, it came time to choose what drinks would accompany it. Our caterer will be supplying us with coffee and a variety of juices (orange for sure, cranberry vs. apple is up for debate), but it's up to us to supply everything else. Luckily, our venue allows for couples to bring in and serve their own beer and wine without the need for a bartender. Knowing this and considering both our "drink" budget and the guests we are inviting, we set to work deciding on what drinks to serve. 

My first "must have" when it came to (non-alcoholic) drinks was a coffee bar. This idea came about last summer, when I attended a wedding where the couple hired a local cafe to cater a coffee bar at their wedding. I looked into this for our wedding and almost cried when I discovered that it would be much more expensive than I ever realized. So, instead of abandoning the idea all-together, I decided to DIY my own scaled-down coffee bar. I looked on Pinterest for some DIY coffee bar inspiration and was pleasantly surprised to find ideas that almost perfectly matched what I was already envisioning...

Image via Brittanee Taylor Photography / Photo by Brittanee Taylor Photography

While I am still figuring out the logistics for DIY coffee bar project, this is one of the details from our wedding that I am the most excited for. More coffee bar details coming in an upcoming blog!

Another DIY (alcoholic) drink idea that committed to...a mimosa bar. Super delicious, relatively easy and inexpensive, and oh how perfect for our breakfast menu! While researching other breakfast for dinner menus via Pinterest I stumble upon this adorable mimosa bar set-up...

Image via Smarty Had A Party

I could immediately imagine this cute little mimosa bar set up for our guests to enjoy, and immediately added this pin to my "Wedding On-Noms" board. It's also relatively low-maintenence once it is all set up. Simply put out some champagne, put some fresh cut-up fruit into bowls, supply cups + cute stirrers, and boom. Mimosa bar! While I'm excited to be offering mimosas at our wedding, it does add several more things onto my "To-Do" list...find carafes, find cute little fruit holders, make tags, figure out how much champagne is needed, what flavors of juice to offer, etc. Come hell or high water, though, I will have an adorable little mimosa bar.

Both the coffee bar and the DIY mimosa bar and going to be set out during the "coffee hour" immediately following the ceremony, along with our "coffee hour" snacks. During the actual breakfast buffet portion of the evening, we will also be adding juices (and water of course) to the drink options. Although we know for sure what other drinks will be added to the beverage line-up, we still aren't 100% when we want to bring them out. During dinner, to be enjoyed with their breakfast? After dinner, once people are ready to party? Bees, please help me out with this one!

Mr. C's favorite beer is Yeungling, and one of my favorite drinks is Angry Orchard (often referred to by my friends as "lady cider"...whatever). Choosing these two drinks to serve was an easy choice, since we wanted to offer drinks that we thought all of our guests could enjoy. While we would have loved to offer a huge variety of different drinks, we also want to keep things relatively simple. The plan is to put out bottles of each drink either during or after dinner and allowing our friends and family to just go and grab them when they please during our crazy-wedding-dance-party...

Something like this, minus the wooden sign. Photo via It's a Brides Life / Photo by La Bella Vita Photography

We quickly ix-nayed (do people still say that?) the idea of a champagne toast, since it's another thing to buy and worry about on an already pretty hectic day. Also, I don't really care for champagne and I figure our guests can toast with whatever happens to be in their hand during the toast portion of the evening.

So, I need your advice. Would it be crazy for me to offer Angry Orchard and Yeungling during our "brinner", or should I just wait until dancing starts to bring out the other beverages?