Are you planning to sell your used wedding items, in hopes to offset some of your costs? Or, maybe you just don’t need everything after the wedding and could use the space? Well, you’re in the right place!
With the sustainability push these days, it’s no wonder that many people choose to sell their used wedding items when they no longer need them. When you tie it with minimalism, space issues, and wanting to recover some money after the wedding, it all makes sense. The great news is that if you plan ahead, you can absolutely sell many, many items once you’re done with them.
Selling your wedding items doesn’t have to be complicated. And, with the internet, it’s easier than ever. Of course, it’s not as simple as putting something in your closet for the next few decades, but that’s okay. The payoff is worth it, literally.
Planning To Sell Your Used Wedding Items?
This post is going to let you know the right way to sell your used wedding items. From choosing items that will sell after your wedding, where to post them online, and general information on making the sale, it’s got you covered.
Here we go!
THE SELLING MINDSET
While some of you may already know that you’d like to sell your wedding items, others may be on the fence. I’ll share with you what I understand about the “selling mindset”.
When it comes to our stuff, we can easily form attachments. And, this is majorly true when it comes to items associated with a big event, like a wedding. If you’re the kind of person that forms attachments to things, it may be worth it to tell yourself, when you procure an item, that it will only be yours temporarily. This may help you to let it go, after you get married.
Another method to getting into the right frame of mind may be to identify the items that you will keep, and where you will keep them. This will help you figure out what’s going, and what’s staying. Not only will this aid with any emotions of letting items go, but it will help you form a plan for later.
COMMON USED WEDDING ITEMS TO SELL
Wondering what wedding items you can sell? Well, let me share that almost everything can be sold.
Obviously, you can’t sell anything that you rent, but once you buy it, it’s free game to sell it to someone else. Knowing this, in some cases it may end up being less expensive in the long run to buy items and then sell them later. However, this all depends on what you’re using and how much it costs you.
Here’s a list of items you could consider selling:
- Wedding signage
- Table linens, napkins, plates, glasses, flatware
- Your arbor or arch
- Chairs, tables
- Vases
- Leftover ribbons, crafting supplies
- Wedding dress, shoes, jewelry
- Suits
- Baskets, or any containers used around the wedding
HOW TO CHOOSE WEDDING ITEMS THAT ARE EASY TO SELL
Switching gears a little, let’s talk about choosing wedding items that are easy to sell.
We all have different tastes and styles. Yours may be common with others, or they could be quite unique. If you plan on selling your used wedding items, it may help to first buy items that a lot of other people may want. This could go against your style, but hear me out.
For example, you could buy plain white plates and flatware, over ones that are a bright color or style. You can choose signs that are generic and could be at any wedding, instead of ones that say your names and wedding date. If you’re planning on selling your wedding dress, it may help to pick one that is a popular style. The more specific your item is to you, and your wedding, the harder it will be for someone else to be able to use it for theirs.
Here are some more tips to help you choose items that will be easier to sell:
- Don’t use personalized items (avoid your names and wedding date)
- Use popular colors in your theme, and throughout your wedding
- Plan on selling all sets together (table cloths, ring holders, plates, cups, napkins)
- Save all original packaging
WHERE TO SELL YOUR USED WEDDING ITEMS
There are so many places to sell wedding related items, it’s overwhelming.
For the majority of people, the easiest is to sell online via Facebook or Nextdoor, if you’d like to sell locally. On a broader scale, you can also look at Ebay as a great option. If you’d like to sell your used wedding items on a site that is specifically for weddings, check out this post from the Budget Savvy Bride. It provides a ton of great options.
I’ve also heard Snag My Wedding is a fantastic, full-service resale website. In fact, you may want to check it out before your wedding. The items featured on it actually have photos of them in use at previous weddings. Plus, it allows shoppers to search by color, name of item, or location. Keep all of this in mind, should you sell your items at this site later on.
HOW TO PRICE ITEMS
Alright, so you want to know how much you can sell your used wedding items for. Well, it all depends on how much you paid for them, if they were new when you got them, and what condition they were in.
GENERAL SECOND HAND WEDDING ITEMS
Typically, second hand items will sell at a fraction of a cost from a new item. So, if you’re selling a basic dinner set, or linens, and bought them new, take about 60% off the selling price. With this number, you can compare the price to other similar items online, and see if your price is competitive enough.
UNIQUE WEDDING ITEMS
For unique or handmade items, base your price on the quality or time spent working on them. For example, if you created a beautiful, hand crafted sign for your wedding, you could probably sell it for what it cost you to make it, plus some extra for your time. The more professionally produced an item, the more you can sell it for.
WEDDING CLOTHING
Clothing is another story. Recent, well maintained wedding dresses could sell for about 70% of your cost. However, dated dresses that have not been professionally cleaned, or have some damage, could be about 40%. You can read more about pricing your wedding dress in this post.
For clothes other than your wedding dress, the same logic applies. The more recent, the better maintained, the more you can charge.
HOW TO SELL YOUR USED WEDDING ITEMS QUICKLY
One thing is universal. If you’re selling something, you’d probably like it to sell quickly.
In order to do this, I have some tips to help. All of them are pretty easy and based on common sense. Some may mean a little extra work up front, but it will pay off, literally, later on.
- Post photos of the item in use. It may help to tell your photographer ahead of time, so they can take professional photos at your wedding of specific items.
- Clean items right after the wedding. The longer stains and spills stay on linen, and other delicate items, the harder it will be to fix them.
- Do your research on price. As I mentioned above, second hand items are usually discounted. Look at what other, similar, items are selling for and adjust your price accordingly.
- Disclose everything that’s wrong with an item. It’s okay to sell used wedding items that aren’t perfect. However, you’ll save time by listing what’s not perfect about an item, rather than disclose privately with a potential buyer.
- Take accurate measurements and put them right on your listing. This is especially true for clothing. If this stresses you out, see if a friend or professional can help you.
A NOTE ABOUT SHIPPING
One of the most intimidating things about selling items online is dealing with shipping.
The easiest way to avoid shipping is to try and sell everything locally. If you live in a populous area, this could be very easy for you. You may have to meet buyers in a local spot, or have them pick up from your home, but you’ll avoid shipping and fees.
If you’re open to shipping items, there are some tips. First, make it clear in your listing that the buyer will have to pay for all shipping fees. Second, it may help if you take your items for sale to a local shipping location to find out how much fees will be, before you list them. You can also work with that shipping location, like the Post Office, UPS, or FedEx, to properly package up the items for later shipping.
If you’d like your items to seem more appealing to buyers, you could cover the shipping for them. To do this, first do your research about how much shipping will cost. Then, include it in the price of the item. Yes, the buyer will end up paying for it in the long run, but it will feel like a better deal to them.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
So, are you going to sell your used wedding items now that you’ve learned all about it? Honestly, it’s a great way to help another couple out, it’s environmentally friendly, and it allows you to recover a bit of your wedding expenses. Yes, it does mean more work than just keeping your wedding items in your garage or closest forever, but it’s worth it. Happy selling!
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