Collections: Tableware

Warning: This is a long one!

Go ahead, call me crazy. We've decided to thrift some of our tableware rather than renting it. I originally got the idea to thrift the plates for our reception from Big Sur Wedding, and the more I thought about it, the more fun it sounded! Here's my reasoning:

It will cost us about $.50 per plate and per piece(!) of silverware to rent them = $2 per person for plate, fork, knife & spoon. We've decided on a thrifting price limit of $1 per plate and $.25 per piece of silverware = $1.75 maximum. Thus, I'm saving money! Ok, all that effort to save $.25 per person is ridiculous, I know that. However, by thrifting, we're supporting organizations that support the community, as most thrift shops benefit homeless shelters, etc.

Also--it's freaking fun! I was feeling a little deflated after the first gown shopping experience, so my mom & sister decided to hit up a bunch of thrift stores in Medford on our way home. (Side note--wow, you've never seen a better town to thrift, we hit/passed at least 8 stores in about a 2 mile trip!) Lucky for me, the first shop we stopped at was a gold mine! We picked up at least 8 dishes there, as well as a hefty handful of cute silverware. Thus, it was there that the decision was made to take on the challange, and it was there that we established our price limit.

Then, amazingly, the next 5 or so stores we hit up ALL had dishes to add to the collection! Basically, it ended up being a lot easier to find the type of dishes I was looking for than I expected--we ended the day with 26 plates and I passed up more than a few. Now just cross your fingers that I'll have as much luck closer to home.

So, what do you think? Are you interested in joining in the fun?? C'mon...you know you wanna! If so, here are the parameters:

• Plates: we're collecting vintage stoneware-style plates--the heavy ones, not those thin, light white ones found in all our grandparents cabinets. All the ones we've found have a beige-ish base color and some sort of good time design in the middle (no blank centers). Remember, our price limit is $1 per dish. We found a few gorgeous collectables closer to $5, but a limit is a limit (mom!)



• Silverware: we're collecting forks, knives and spoons. There's no real method to our madness, just stuff we thought was fun. It's all been totally miscellanous to this point (we haven't found any sets). None of it is fine dining status--just everyday old school goodness--not too heavy, not too light. Again, our price limit on silverware is $.25 per piece.
  
  
• Canning Jars: I was also hoping to thrift pint size canning jars to use as water glasses. However, what I've learned so far is: people who can are also people who thrift! Every store we visited was wiped of jars and the ladies laughed when we asked. They said the minute they hit the shelves they're gone again. (Damn me for sending half a dozen to the thrift store a couple years ago!) Anyway, I don't think we'll reach the 120-ish mark by thrifting jars, so I'm thinking of skipping that one. However, if you see some in your thrifting endeavors--go ahead and grab them! We can still intermingle them with the Patron bottles for flowers--and I just love them, so I'll probably keep them afterwards anyway! Not sure what to name as the price limit since I didn't find a single one, so just keep me posted on the deals you find!

Here are some (terribly shadowed) shots of the 9 styles we have so far:

Check out some of the awesomeness collected by other brides to be. This first shot is from Lena Corwin (loving these!), the second was found on Once Wed and shows shots from both Lena and Big Sur Wedding: