When you’re planning a wedding, most of your attention is focused on the big picture: the location, the dress, the food, the guest list. You don’t want to get too caught up in the small stuff and make yourself crazy, but you still want to include all those little unique wedding details that reflect who you two are as a couple.  

The trick to finding this balance is cutting out the details you don’t care about and focusing on items that do matter to you. Favors not your thing? Great, scale back or eliminate them and focus on finding the quirky cake topper you really want. 

Browse Etsy wedding shops for affordable and artisan-made wedding decorations that capture your style and personality. 

Stylish Wedding Details 

Table numbers

1. Tie the Knot 

These rope knot table card holders add a sophisticated, nautical look to your wedding reception. They are ideal for coastal or warm-weather weddings.

2. Rustic Burlap 

Each of these hand-cut burlap tags is stamped with a number in the color of your choice, treated to prevent fraying and includes a jute string for hanging. Attach table numbers to mason jars, vases or picture frames for a rustic chic look. 

3. Cubed 

These elegant table numbers are printed in black ink on textured ivory paper and held in place in beautiful walnut-stained wooden cubes. 

Cake Toppers 

1. Love Birds 

What better way to celebrate you two lovebirds? This Etsy wedding shop personalizes food-safe porcelain birds perfect to perch on your wedding cake. 

2. Classic Bride & Groom 

Send this Etsy artist photos, and she will paint detailed vintage-style wooden cake topper dolls to look like you. The design comes with a wood base and a customizable banner with four fabric flags on twine. 

3. Two Hearts 

The simple wedding details are often the best. This set of two heart-shaped cake toppers is personalized with your initials and wedding date. 

What Etsy wedding shops have you discovered? Share your favorites in the comments! 

Browse our selection of matching wedding bands 

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Trying to find the perfect place to host your wedding reception can be exhausting and discouraging at times, leaving you feeling a bit like Goldilocks after weeks of fruitless searching. This place has just the right style but is too expensive. This one is in a fantastic location but will only seat half of your guest list.

How do you find just the right fit for your wedding and your budget? Here are a few tips to help you expand your search and come away with the ideal reception venue. 

Wedding Venue Ideas: Thinking Outside the Box 

1. Be an art enthusiast. 

Whether you are getting married in a big city or a small town, there is sure to be an arts scene of some kind. Take a closer look at spaces that you might not have considered yet - these locations often make beautiful and unique wedding reception venues. Stop by museums and galleries and ask if they host private events and if some of the exhibits would be available to your guests during the reception. Call libraries, theaters, music venues and dance clubs to explore other options. 

2. Think green. 

Some of the most interesting locations are old buildings that have been repurposed and redesigned for a new life. Keep your eye out for converted warehouses, train stations, barns, fire stations, movie theaters, factories or other spaces that would be perfect for your wedding reception. 

3. Commune with nature. 

When looking for wedding venue ideas, sometimes you don’t need to go farther than your own backyard (or someone else’s). Natural beauty can be better than any other kind of wedding decoration. Explore off-the-beaten-path outdoor locations, such as residential backyards, botanical gardens, public parks, zoos, aquariums, beaches, lakefront campsites or vineyards. 

4. Know your history. 

Every place has a past, and digging into the history of where you are getting married can help you find its hidden gems. Visit the local historical society or ask a librarian about historical buildings or landmarks that could make unique wedding reception venues. Research buildings, such as private homes, hotels, or city offices, that have been restored and are available for special events. 

If you're like most people, your wedding is the only time you'll buy an expensive article of clothing that you'll wear just once. Fortunately, you can recoup much of that expense and help brides-to-be save money by selling your wedding items online. In a previous post, "Where to Buy and Sell Used Wedding Items," we covered the trend that is saving money and environmental resources. In this follow-up post, we'll share a few tips for minimizing hassles when selling used wedding items online.

How to Sell Used Wedding Items Online

1. Select the items you'll be selling.

Decide which items you'd like to sell, which you'd like to keep, and which need to be thrown away. Selling lower-priced items like barrettes or certain decorations may be more hassle than it's worth. However, higher-dollar items like your dress and wedding jewelry are likely to be worth your while. Clean items as necessary; see the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists site to find a green wedding dress cleaning service near you. 

2. Choose the right sites.

Find the sites that best suit what you're selling. Tradesy Weddings (formerly Recycled Bride), Bravo Bride, and Encore Bridal are a few popular sites with a variety of items for sale. Most have an FAQ section to help you list your items. You can also list your items in the classified sections of sites like The Knot and Wedding Bee. 

3. Price competitively.

Research how similar used wedding items are priced and choose a price for each of your items that's close to the going rate. 

4. Take high-quality photos.

Photograph each item with a good camera in a well-lit room. Using natural light and no flash makes items look more appealing. Resist the temptation to simply post a photo of you wearing the dress on your wedding day -- no bride wants to see someone else wearing her dress! Instead, photograph your wedding dress on a dressform mannequin if you have access to one, or crop the photo of you at the neck and shoulders.

5. Describe your items.

Write a brief, accurate description of each item. Potential buyers will probably be scanning many descriptions, so grab their attention by adding enthusiasm and a personal touch. For example, if you received any compliments on your dress, share them!

6. Choose your secure payment service.

Read any recommendations on receiving secure payment via the sites where you'll be listing your items (see this example from Preownedweddingdresses.com) and choose your payment service.

7. Be responsive to buyer inquiries.  

Watch your email for questions from potential buyers. If they don't hear back from you quickly, they may dismiss you as flaky and move on to another seller. Once someone purchases an item from you, ship it as promised. Keep in mind that the buyer's wedding may be approaching soon, so be prompt.

If you've sold used wedding items online, what other tips can you share? Leave a comment!

For more tips on planning a wedding on a budget, read the My Trio Rings blog.

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When you envision your dream wedding, you may not see a lacy white wedding dress, elaborate arrangements of flowers, and an audience full of guests. You may see you and your partner exchanging vows on a beach with only an officiant and a couple of witnesses, or the two of you standing in front of a Justice of the Peace. Many couples forgo a big wedding production in favor of a simple ceremony. Eloping saves money, hassle, and time.

Even if you're eloping, you can still get creative and have your wedding just the way you want it. Here are five ideas for eloping on a budget and timeline that will help you arrange a memorable wedding day, without all the fuss. 

1. Choose a venue and your witnesses.

Would you like to be close to home, or take an adventure to a faraway destination? If you plan to travel, what's within your budget and timeframe? If you'll be bringing your own witnesses, be realistic about where they can travel with you. Some chapels will provide their own staff as witnesses, but make sure to check in advance. 

2. Get a marriage license.

Marriage license requirements vary by location, so look up your state for the marriage license fee and where to apply.

3. Buy your rings.

The wedding band sets at My Trio Rings are perfect for eloping. They come as a matching set, and you'll be certain to find one that fits your budget. For example, this diamond and white gold wedding ring set is sleek, simple, and only $309.99. This 14K gold ring set has an impressive sparkle and shine, and it won't break the bank at $499.99. We ship quickly from our New York City location, and your rings will ship within no more than two business days of your order, and typically much faster. After that, our standard free FedEx shipping takes two business days, and you can pay a small fee for overnight shipping. If you're on a tight timeline, you can make sure that your rings arrive before your big day!

4. Decide on a dress.

This is a special day, so wear something that makes you feel great. For some, that's a suit for the groom and a traditional wedding dress for the bride. For others, it's faded jeans and a sundress. If you're looking for a traditional dress, see our post on Where to Buy and Sell Used Wedding Items for dresses that are lovely and barely worn. You might also borrow a wedding dress from a family member or friend. After all, it's not getting much use hanging in the closet!

5. Plan your honeymoon. 

Some couples save on the wedding and splurge on big honeymoon, like a trip around the world. Others keep the honeymoon as simple as the ceremony and take a "mini-moon" to a nearby destination, perhaps the place where you first fell in love, or a town you've always wanted to visit. Make sure you do plan some time for just the two of you, ideally something out of your normal routine. Don't become so focused on figuring out how to elope that you forget to build in time for your first days as a married couple!

Before you elope, select one of the beautiful, reasonably priced wedding band sets at My Trio Rings!

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Your wedding day is coming, and you want everything to be perfect. The dress. The flowers. The cakes and the champagne. As the list goes on, you'll soon realize just how expensive weddings can be. It's a big day, to be sure, but it's just one day, and you can bet that you're not going to wear that wedding dress ever again.

Thank goodness for the growing market for gently used wedding items. Brides-to-be and newlyweds alike benefit from recycling wedding dresses, accessories, and decorations. It's a win-win: Everyone saves money and minimizes waste. If you're looking for designer brands, it's common to find them for a fraction of the list price.

There's no reason to be self-conscious about buying used items for your wedding. The New York Times wedding section covered the trend and included this quote from Nina Willdorf, author of Wedding Chic: The Savvy Bride's Guide to Getting More While Spending Less: "Smart shopping to find value for less is really chic right now," Ms. Wildorf said. "It's not like buying a used sweater that's been worn for years. A wedding dress has been worn once and only for a matter of hours."

Here are a few popular sites for buying and selling used wedding supplies:

Recycled Bride

What can't you find on Tradesy Weddings (formerly Recycled Bride), which bills itself as the world's largest wedding marketplace? In addition to wedding dresses and accessories, there's also plenty to browse for bridesmaids, Mother of the Bride (MOB), grooms and groomsmen. There's even a place to sell wedding gifts, should you happened to receive two waffle makers.

Encore Bridal 

Consignment site Encore Bride prides itself on curating stylish used wedding couture, limiting its stock to 100 dresses at a time and rejecting many of the dresses submitted for consignment. "You can have silk, European laces, high quality craftsmanship, and on-trend designs from celebrity-favorite designers," according to the site. Encore Bridal also provides a worry-free guarantee of a full refund plus a $25 gift card if you feel the quality was misrepresented.

Bravo Bride 

Bravo Bride is especially helpful if you're looking for a specific type of used wedding supplies. Under 'Browse Categories,' you can click on everything from 'Tiara' to 'Table Linens.' You can also search boutiques and local vendors who have registered on the site. In the Bridal Banter forum, you'll find topics such as Ceremony Ideas and Tips, Wedding Frustrations, and Wanted Wedding Items. 

If you want to shop local or examine the used items before you purchase them, Craigslist and Goodwill are good options, as well! 

Planning a wedding? Pick out an elegant, affordable wedding band set at My Trio Rings.

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