All things sparkly

So before we boarded the wedding planning train, I knew I didn't want poof, or tulle, or sparkle. To summarize, we didn't want this:


If you must, it is available from bakingshop.com.

A picture is worth a thousand years. And then some.

Anyways, lace, froof, poof, pearly, white- not exactly what I was thinking. However, when I tried on my dress, the very helpful ladies at the dress shop pinned a brooch to the back of the bustle. And it looked fabulous, even though I am typically not much of a fan of such bling.

Naturally, I was then on the prowl for a fabulous brooch. Preferably one that had some red in it, since my dress is not red.

Now, I haven't mentioned it, but am thrift shopper extraordinaire. Anyone who knows me knows that my best clothes and accessories tend to come from there. For whatever reason, I have a knack for finding clothes six months to a year before they hit the stores. From a brown herringbone coat that J Crew employees thought was coming in their next shipment, to a blazer that I saw at Urban Outfitters for 15 times what I paid for it, to my green suede vintage Nikes, I'm a bargain shopper.

In a search for a brooch, what better place to go than to hit up the thrift stores? So I checked my normal places, but found nothing. So I decided, on a whim, to scout out the vintage stores in town. Vintage stores typically have a better selection/quality than thrift stores, but also tend to be much more expensive. Star Vintage had a nice brooch, but it wasn't red, and it was around $40, which the eliminated the whole saving money aspect of vintage shopping. On a whim after lunch with a friend, I went to The Getup- which turned out to have exactly what I was looking for. Pure awesomeness.

Best of all, I talked with one of the owners, who waived the typical "no returns" policy, so that I could try things on at home. I ended up returning one pair of earrings, but have kept the following for my wedding day:

For my dress- it measures about 2" across. $14.

For my hair- they are clip on earrings, and measure about 1" across. $10 for the pair.

A brooch that was too awesome not to get. 1 1/2 inches. $12.

Total for everything: $36, not including tax. Not to shabby considering the prices of new brooches, and that this was the first time I had seen anything even remotely close to what I wanted.

Lesson learned: Thrift shops are your friend. And not only for vintage plates or glasses for your reception, but also for jewelry.