Nothing sets the stage for a timeless wedding quite like vintage wedding decor. It creates a unique aesthetic for your event and reduces your footprint on the environment. As a Philly wedding photographer, I love every chance I get to photograph a wedding with vintage decor. In this blog post, I share some of my favorite tips for using and sourcing vintage wedding decor along with images for inspiration.

• Using Vintage Wedding Decor
• How to Source Vintage Wedding Decor
• Inspiration from L and S’s Wedding
• Documenting Your Vintage-Inspired Wedding

Using Vintage Wedding Decor

There are so many reasons to love vintage wedding decor. Of course, there’s aesthetics. Vintage pieces give your wedding day a sense of timeless elegance. They’re classic and classy. 

Using thrifted and vintage pieces also makes your wedding more eco-friendly. Weddings can create a lot of waste. Reusing decor is the best way to avoid contributing to landfills.

If you love the idea of a vintage aesthetic and reducing waste, you might be wondering where to start. Piecing together vases, dishware, and linens from different stores can be intimidating. The best place to start is to pick a palette and/or a theme. That will give you something to focus on once you’re ready to hit the thrift stores. 

That being said, be patient. Give yourself enough time, and treat shopping like a treasure hunt instead of a chore. You have a chance to build memories and collect stories you’ll share on your wedding day and for years afterward. 

How to Source Vintage Wedding Decor

As much as you might love the idea of vintage wedding decor, you may not know where to start sourcing it. Here are a few of the best places to start.

Facebook Marketplace

Often you can find people selling lots of wedding decor on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. After their weddings are over, people find themselves with a lot of vases, plateware, linens, and other pieces that they won’t use again. They usually prefer to sell items in lots rather than sell them one by one. 

Next time you’re on your lunch break, peruse your local Marketplace. You never know when you’re going to hit the jackpot in exactly the aesthetic you’re hoping for.

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are the best places to find all things vintage for a better price than antique or consignment stores. Start in your neighborhood and look through the homegoods for

• Vases
• Glassware and dishware
• Candlesticks
• Linens
• Picture frames and knicknacks 

A few great thrift stores in Philly include:

• Philly AIDS Thrift, 710 S 5th St
• Circle Thrift, 2233 Frankford Ave
• Thunderbird Salvage, 2441 Frankford Ave

Specialty Rental Companies

If you don’t want the hassle of selling or distributing your decor after your wedding, you can always rent it. Rental companies are especially great for sourcing furniture. They typically include delivery before your event and pickup afterward.

Inspiration from L and S’s Wedding

Recently, I got to photograph L and S’s celebration featuring vintage wedding decor. The whole day was sweet and laidback. It reflected L and S’s relationship and the parts of their lives that they value most.

For the wedding ceremony and reception, Old Stone Cider allowed L and S to use space under  a big tree in a field. The decor gave the outdoor space a fairytale touch. L and S got growlers of cider for the reception, too.

L and S took a cool, community-centered approach to their attire, decor, and food. Here are some things they did that can inspire your wedding planning:

• Vintage dress, shoes, and suit sourced from Etsy. Etsy has lots of secondhand sellers who curate cool vintage looks. 
• Flowers from Costco arranged in thrifted vases. If you’re DIYing your flowers, you can elevate arrangements with thrifted vessels.
• Plates, cups, and décor all sourced secondhand. The Philly area has endless thrift stores with cool pieces.
• Dinner cooked by a family friend. If you already know someone capable of creating your dream dinner, why not work with them?
• Charcuterie board made by another friend. It was the perfect way to kick off cocktail hour.

At every opportunity, L and S found ways to incorporate the people most important to them and create a more eco-friendly event at the same time. You can get more inspiration for your sustainable, vintage-inspired wedding in this blog post.

Documenting Your Vintage-Inspired Wedding

Are you looking for a Philadelphia wedding photographer to document your day? I’m a documentary wedding photographer turning your best memories into your favorite art. I’d love to photograph your thoughtful celebration. Inquire with me here!

Thanks to the vendors who helped make this wedding amazing.
Venue: Old Stone Cider
Photography: Heather McBride Photography