Ways to use items after the wedding

04 Jul Repurposing Wedding Items After The Wedding

One of my favorite things about being a wedding planner is getting to help brides find unique and special items to incorporate into their wedding design. Today I want  to provide you with some food for thought on considering the items you choose to go with and how you can find ways to include them later into your new married life together.

My first example is how we designed these simple wreaths to serve the purpose of covering stickers on the church doors. The cross was the same one used throughout several stationery items as well. I selected a nice neutral linen for the silkscreening of the crosses because I had plans for them after the wedding. As you can see I had them transformed into beautiful pillows for the couple’s home. Seriously, how pretty, right?

Ways to use items after the wedding

Jett Walker Photography

Your wedding ceremony is going to be special to you and your new hubby to be because, well… it’s the two of you making promises to one another for a lifetime. But I like to encourage my couples to consider weaving  personal vows with those traditional ones to make it more personable and engaging for their guests. If you choose to do so (and I sincerely hope you do), you’ll need a way to write them down so you can read them to one another. Sure you can go with a standard piece of paper or get some of those cute little books on Etsy or similar source, but check this idea out. This journal is from Anthropologie.  It has a simple message that will stand the test of time. An inspiration for this journal would be a family heirloom to be passed down from generation to generation. Can you imagine how amazing it would be for your great granddaughter to see the vows you spoke, be able to add her own, and then pass it down. And hello… it’s something old & blue! You could even add some illustrations from your day to add a little more beauty.

Wedding Vow Journal as Family Heirloom

These days, I’ve noticed couples are focusing more and more on their ceremony (which delights me so much). They are wanting unique and personal altar areas and I’m seeing a lot of area rugs used in many different ways. Of course you can rent all kinds of rugs, but my thought on these is to go find that one magical carpet that you can see in your future home together as well. Just imagine how special it would be knowing you stood on it while promising to love and honor one another forever.

Wedding Ceremony Rug for your new home

The Simple Things Studio | Karli Ryan Photo

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with “wedding” flutes but before you purchase those, consider if you can see ever using them again. Chances are you will entertain guests in your home, and hopefully often, but when you bring out the flutes to toast those celebrations, you probably won’t be using your wedding flutes. Why not select some classic flutes like these from Crate & Barrel so that you can add to your glassware easily? A tip I can pass along though is have two engraved on the bottom somehow so you will know exactly which flutes you toasted one another with on your wedding day.

Items for the Wedding to be used later

 

The unity, whether it be with candles, sand, rope braids, etc., are still being included in a number of the wedding ceremonies I coordinate these days. My favorite items to use are these glass beads from Unity in Glass. You can choose the colors you want and after the wedding have them professionally blown into some beautiful keepsakes. My favorite are the tree ornaments but the paperweights, sculptures, and vases they make are so beautiful!

Unity Ceremony Glass Beads

It’s pretty much a guarantee that you will have items such as invitations and programs, among other things, leftover after the wedding. Chances are you will be looking for some wall art for your new home and by thoughtfully framing one of your invitations, you can create something beautiful for one of your rooms. This sweet ornament is also a great way to include your wedding day with your Christmas tree decor.

What to do with leftover wedding invitations

Another thing to consider is having your bouquet, dress, or some other element from your wedding day you just adore recreated on canvas. How pretty is this dress illustration by My Dream Lines and bouquet replica by Fiorello Art & Design? If you like to keep it “local”, chances are you can locate local artists for hire to attend your wedding to capture a scene or take an image from your photographer to create a piece such as these for you.

Wedding Artwork for you home

If you’ve really got some room in your new home and the thought of getting rid of your dress or preserving it away in a box for years makes you sick, you could have it put on display in a large shadow fame like this one. I’ve seen some ladies hang it in their large walk in dressing rooms and those personal spaces are to die for. Love your shoes too? Then put them on display also.

Wedding Dress Shadow Box, Framed wedding dress, what to do with your wedding shoes

Your bridal bouquet will be another leftover item to decide what to do something with. I advise you to plan well in advance before your wedding day on what your plan is for your bouquet… time will be of essence. You can order online kits that allow you to send it off for preservation and these companies usually offer several options for display. Keep in mind though, it becomes something else you have to dust later on. A couple of fun ideas to preserve some of those blooms are this sweet freeze-dried ornament from Freeze Frame and one of my favorites… this bracelet from Lost Forest – they have lots of jewelry options to choose from.

Ways to use your flowers after the wedding

I love a great candle and how fun is this example from DFI Designs that allows you to preserve some of your bouquet within the wax. Brilliant!

 

There’s also a good chance you will have some leftover lace from your dress or veil. I love both of these options. And how cute is the photo below of this little one surrounded by mom’s wedding veil? I’ve also seen some pretty spectacular crib canopies using wedding veils as well. If you are lucky to have a daughter one day imagine having a veil canopy in her nursery, putting it away for safe keeping during her growing years, and then bringing out that beauty for her wedding day… gah… goose bumps here!

Ways to use your wedding lace after the wedding

Things to do with your wedding veil

Carrie Werner Photography

If you are incorporating mason jars into your wedding decor, there are ways to repurpose those as well. Anyone who knows me is well aware of my rose gold obsession, so naturally I love this makeup brush setup by TillySage. And these cuties you can make from this awesome tutorial from The Sweetest Digs would make great office and vanity accessory holders for you or someone else.

What to do with leftover wedding mason jars

I hope what I’ve shared with you today is helpful and will get your creative juices flowing. I’d love to hear what plans you have for your wedding day items afterwards, so please give me a shout out below. Thanks for stopping by and talk to you soon!

 

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