A year may have passed since my husband and I said 'I do', but most of our wedding still lurks beneath our double bed. If you were brave enough to crawl amongst the dust and debris, you'd find pretty tea light holders, a table plan, unworn wellington boots, vintage table cloths, cake stands and a battered old suitcase stuffed with even more matrimonial paraphernalia. As such, this post is as much for my own benefit as it is yours!
Sell My Wedding lists everything to do with weddings; from veils to vases. It also features items for the whole wedding party; from grooms to pageboys, ushers to bridesmaids, and even the mother-of-the bride! Since its launch last July the website has helped countless brides across the UK recycle their weddings.
The company's founder, Rebecca Aspin, told me more...
'Three years on, many of the items from my own December wedding were still in bags and boxes. It seemed such a shame, and a waste, to banish such beautiful things to the loft, never to be used again. I was looking for a way to pass them on to other brides, but upon investigation I couldn’t find a UK-based website that specialised in selling second hand wedding items.'
'Although there were sites for selling pre-loved wedding dresses, there was nothing out there that allowed you to literally sell everything to do with your big day. I thought that such a marketplace would not only be a great way to help make a wedding more affordable, but it would also enable brides-to-be to gain inspiration from newlyweds, who had already done the hard work by trawling websites, magazines and shops to find the perfect items for their wedding.'
Image Credit, Nick White Photography
In simple terms, Sell My Wedding connects newlyweds who are looking to recoup some of the cost of their wedding with brides-to-be searching for inspiration and a way to make their own celebration more affordable.
Sellers pay a one off fee of £20 to list an unlimited number of wedding items {although it is currently half price at just £10 – so sign up quick}. There are no individual listing fees, no sales commission and items don’t expire until they have been sold. You can upload your own items, including photos, and manage your listings with ease. You are also provided with a profile page so you can add details about your own wedding and suppliers to help inspire other brides.
Buyers are able to search the website via an extensive category list, by season or by theme. To contact a seller you simply register as a buyer (which is free). This will give you access to the seller's email address, allowing you to contact them directly. The website effectively functions as a notice board - a wedding marketplace that connects buyers with sellers.
Image Credit, Sarah Mason
Rebecca offers the following advice to those considering listing items on Sell My Wedding...
'Sellers who do really well are those who list a number of items from their celebration, and who take the time tell the story of their wedding on their profile page. We had one seller who literally sold her entire wedding – bunting, decor, dress – within 24 hours to the same buyer.'
'Reception decor, particularly bunting,
signs and paper lanterns, sell very quickly on the site, as do centrepieces and
vases. Vintage crockery is still very
popular as are vintage props such as suitcases and old fashioned sweetie
scoops. We are
also finding that many of our brides are adding their DIY items for sale which
is great.'
Items that sell quickly are those that are priced accordingly, and Rebecca suggests half of what you originally paid is a good starting point for listing a second hand item, especially if you are looking for a quick sale. It is up to the buyer and the seller to negotiate the final price and delivery of an item. Sell My Wedding always recommends transactions take place via PayPal to protect both parties.
Of course, the brides-to-be among you can take advantage of Sell My Wedding too. 'Don’t be afraid to buy pre-loved,' urges Rebecca. 'Not everything needs to be brand new just because it's a wedding.'
'We have a number of gorgeous wedding dresses listed for under £100 and you can pick up centrepieces or vases for as little as £5. There are many bargains to be had.'
'If you are looking for a 1950s style wedding dress you should definitely search for a pre-loved dress first. As the dresses are short they do not have marks or wear and tear from trailing on the ground. This Ian Stuart Jet Set dress is a beauty!'
'We are also introducing an option that will allow our sellers to choose whether they want to sell their items or simply hire them to another bride. This was following feedback from one of our sellers who couldn’t bear to part with her beautiful Alice Temperley Wedding dress, but wanted to share the joy of the dress with another bride.'
Well, I'm off to rifle through the boxes beneath my bed and figure out what I can bear to part with! I suggest the rest of you go in search of some bargains on the Sell My Wedding website. You can also connect with Rebecca and the Sell My Wedding team via facebook and twitter.
Much love,
Franky
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