For those who follow my lifestyle blog,
LandlockedCottage, you will already know the news that I married this summer in
true thrifty-style. My love of vintage was never more fun than pulling together a
short notice small town prairie family wedding. In the whirlwind
of planning and excitement one thing I did manage to take time for was
creating the most unique of bride’s bouquet to showcase my love of vintage
jewelry (pictured here).
I must say it was
a highlight of the occasion as were so many other little vintage touches, a
simple cake with a vintage topper, wrist corsages made from fresh flowers,
vintage linens, the town square gazebo we were married in, and so much more. Best
of all was that the positive response, well wishes and fun comments on the day showed
me that thrifty isn’t just a trend, it is a simple welcomed lifestyle that is here
to stay.
Enjoy below the
re-printing of the blog I wrote in anticipation of the event and pulling it off
vintage-style.
The Man Of My (thrift store) Dreams
Is it just me or have you noticed a trend of late on
the new man? For those who also follow my antique & collecting blog Thrifty
Diversions you already know that thrifty is “IN” in a big
way! But for those who get a more subtle message eventually and enjoy the slow
dance you may have picked up on a gentle shift in all that is circling your
history channel viewing pleasure of late.
It turns out the men of the much watched History
Channel shows, the Pawn Stars, American Pickers, American Restoration, Cajun
Pawn Stars, are the new sexy! Yes ladies you are not only looking for mister
right – you are now hoping for mister into-great-junk! Women of a certain
love-for-vintage age are wanting a man that will go picking and troll thrift
stores and yard sales on a weekend. No elegant late Saturday morning yuppie
coffee shop dates anymore, we just want a man who pulls up with two paper cups
of no-name steaming coffees and an empty truck bed ready for some weekend
action – auction action! A man who travels with a little be-prepared essentials
rolling around under the seat of his pick-up next to his fishing gear – ropes, big
garbage bags, gloves, multi-head screwdriver, hammer, crowbar, shrink wrap, an old-furniture
blanket and the likes as you never know when you might come across an old
abandoned barn door to liberate or have to dismantle a century old armoire at
an auction to get it in the truck.
Yes ladies we want a man who loves long back road
drives in the country at dawn’s first light … looking for good junk! How do I
know that to be true? I’m marrying one of those guys this coming weekend! Not
only did he come to love the thrifty collecting lifestyle I exposed him to
early on he has become a great picker himself, even worked the front counter of
my antique store to great success on his weekends off the day job, and an
expert tie-down man who can make anything fit in the back of a truck. As I am
writing this he just texted me pics of a typewriter he is standing in front of
at a thrift store he popped into while he is on the road to see a client –
“works $8?”- like sexting to a collector – we call it thrift-porn.
Our wedding is as simple as our love of a thrifty
vintage lifestyle, all happening in a small prairie town at our shack of a
cottage with no frills, but surrounded by family and fun. Saturday afternoon ceremony in the town park
gazebo, my minister brother marrying us, and a few blocks back at home we will
be swinging open the old double carriage house doors to expose the tacky
man-cave garage bar surrounded by vintage chrome stools. The yard will be full of guest campers,
reception on patio tables covered in vintage linens surrounded by lawn chairs
on the dirt driveway. Food will be plentiful simple family fare off the grill,
fresh cut garden flowers all around in mismatched vases and stuffed into cream
can urns, wine and beer out of iced topped galvanized pails, vintage mismatched
dishes, and even the traditional, almost tacky vintage bride & groom cake
topper on a simple real get-eaten white cake. There will be fire pit
sing-a-longs, crib tournaments, lawn croquet and best of all a celebration of a
perfect match.
If these auction loving, junk-hunting, pickup truck
driving, rugged haulers are the new man – can the up and coming round of
Mountain Men, Shark Wranglers and Swamp People filling up airways be the next great
man to snag? Move over American Pickers – trends don’t lie.
Thanks for all the wedding wishes everyone!
(originally run July 26/12 on LandlockedCottage blog)
