How To Use Collected Items In Your Wedding Design

A few years ago the vintage/rustic/shabby chic look really took over the wedding world by storm. Part of creating that look was about using an assortment of bottles and glass containers as vases for centerpieces. While the fervor has died down, the idea of using vintage, collected, found or even items you own is still very prevalent. And I have to say that I’ve always really liked the idea for wedding design. Why not use something you own in your wedding?

Using something you own or found makes your decor that much more meaningful and unique especially if you happen to have a collection of items that can work together. And I’m not just talking about vessels that can be used for vases, but how about china, silverware, napkin holders, or linen? Or decor items like books, cameras, stamps, globes, votives, dolls, hats, buttons, rocks, string lights, etc…. There are so many different things that you can use to create your wedding design and you don’t have to provide it all, but if you happen to own it (or want to own it), why not use it? It makes everything that much more special. Check out a few examples below to give you some ideas.

A bride’s personal collection of gold votives and string lights were used at this Caribbean destination wedding.

(Photo credit: McAllister Photography)

This couple had a ritual of collecting rocks from their favorite beach, so they used them as seating cards for their guests at their San Francisco Wedding.

(Photo credit: Milou and Olin)

This couple’s Half Moon Bay wedding was all about using found items in their decor from the runners to the vases, votives and succulent pots.

(Photo credit: Strotz Photography)

This couple loved to travel and had collected various travel related pieces that they used in their Hawaii destination wedding.

(Photo credit: Christie Pham Photography)

This couple’s Sonoma wedding had a hippie, burning man type of vibe going on and they used their own funky votives with mini LED lights and this awesome Moroccan lamp over their dance floor.

(Photo credit: Arrowood Photography)

This couple’s Hawaii destination wedding had a bunch of nature photos taken from when they were together, but also when they were apart. They ended up putting them on tiles to use at the wedding and then in their home afterwards.