“Green” Weddings- Easier On The Mind And Wallet

While the average cost of a wedding in the United States has skyrocketed to nearly  $30,000, the financial stability of most newlyweds has destabilized, particularly during the past few years as the economy has struggled.  As an alternative, many couples are choosing to take a financially and environmentally responsible approach to planning their weddings.  Price, it seems, does not always dictate the quality or elegance of the wedding day.  In fact, more weddings are being planned with a smaller ecological footprint in mind. 

Recycled paper products are an easy first step towards creating an environmentally friendly event.  A wide assortment of invitations, programs, and decorations made out of 100% recycled materials can be found for the same price as many non-recycled alternatives.  But recycled materials are common these days.  According to RecycleYourWedding.com CEO Rob Bailey, more and more newlyweds are finding it easy and lucrative to recycle other items from their weddings themselves, including the gowns, centerpieces, and other wedding items.  “Every bride wants a fairytale wedding,” said Bailey, “but not every bride can afford to spend $30,000 on their wedding.  That’s why it’s so important to provide economical alternatives to expensive bridal and retail stores.  The bridal community is a tight one, and new brides understand the struggles that future brides face.  When they can share their ideas, suggestions, and even products, it gives everyone a chance to enjoy the possibility of a fantasy wedding come true.” 

It is important to note that items do not have to be made from recycled materials to be “recycled”.  Typically, once the wedding is over, many of the decorations, linens, centerpieces, etc. are often stored in the garage or a spare closet.  Those items are typically still in excellent condition and can be re-used in other weddings, which increases the usefulness of these items.  It also saves many couples and landfills valuable space.  Remember how much the average wedding costs?  Recycling your wedding helps defray some of your wedding costs while also saving another couple money on their own wedding.   

RecycleYourWedding.com was founded in 2007 to create an online bridal community where new and soon-to-be brides could buy, sell, and trade wedding items at low prices.  The site offers a variety of wedding items and services for the wedding community. 

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If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Founders Rob Bailey or Jeff Williams, email Jeff Williams at jeffwilliams@recycleyourwedding.com.

Finding great deals on new wedding gowns!

RecycleYourWedding.com has become well known for our wide selection of wedding gowns listed far below regular retial prices.  Did you know that a large percentage of those wedding gowns are new and unused?  One user in particular, LaDonna, has a large number of wedding gowns available that were leftover inventory from a bridal store in Georgia. 

“Well in all I (had) over 70 Dresses,” said LaDonna.  “What happened was a small bridal store got hit hard by the finance market and went under and the dresses are what’s left.  Most are brand new dresses still in bags from the makers and have never been tried on much less anything else.  I am just trying to sell what remains.  I am selling the dresses for about what I have in them and not making much-if-any profit, thats why they are so cheap!”

LaDonna hopes to help some lucky brides find the wedding dresses of their dreams for a great price!  I’ve included some of my favorites below, but be sure to check out all of her listings by clicking here. 

Looking for baby, maternity, and nursery items at a great price?  Be sure to check out RecycleYourNursery.com!

Mori Lee Wedding Dress size 18

 

 

 

 

 

Fairy Tale Princess Collection by PC Mary’s

 

 

 

 

Demetrious Wedding Gown Princess Line

 

 

 

 

 

Brand New Wedding Gown Mermaid Style

New Facebook Groups

Recycle Your Wedding and Recycle Your Nursery now have their own Facebook groups.  Help spread the word by joining our groups on Facebook and sharing them with your friends!

We are excited about the opportunities that 2009 will bring.  As the economy suffers, people are looking for new ways to save money.  Together, by selling those leftover wedding items at RecycleYourWedding.com and those outgrown baby/nursery items at RecycleYourNursery.com we can help future brides and soon-to-be parents buy the items they need, even on a limited budget.

It’s good for the environment and for the community.  If you haven’t joined RecycleYourWedding.com and RecycleYourNursery.com, check them out today!

Recycle Your Wedding In The News

Check out this article about Recycle Your Wedding in the Huntington Beach News!  You can click here to see the full article with photos, or you can read the text from the article below.

Recycle Your Weddings

Can be easier on the mind and budget

While the average cost of a wedding in the United States has skyrocketed to nearly $30,000, the financial stability of most newlyweds has destabilized, particularly during the past few years as the economy has struggled. As an alternative, many couples are choosing to take a financially and environmentally responsible approach to planning their weddings. Price, it seems, does not always dictate the quality or elegance of the wedding day. In fact, more weddings are being planned with a smaller ecological footprint in mind.

Recycled paper products are an easy first step towards creating an environmentally friendly event. A wide assortment of invitations, programs, and decorations made out of 100% recycled materials can be found for the same price as many non-recycled alternatives. But recycled materials are common these days. According to RecycleYourWedding.com CEO Rob Bailey, more and more newlyweds are finding it easy and lucrative to recycle other items from their weddings themselves, including the gowns, centerpieces, and other wedding items. “Every bride wants a fairytale wedding,” said Bailey, “but not every bride can afford to spend $30,000 on their wedding. That’s why it’s so important to provide economical alternatives to expensive bridal and retail stores. The bridal community is a tight one, and new brides understand the struggles that future brides face. When they can share their ideas, suggestions, and even products, it gives everyone a chance to enjoy the possibility of a fantasy wedding come true.”

It is important to note that items do not have to be made from recycled materials to be “recycled”. Typically, once the wedding is over, many of the decorations, linens, centerpieces, etc. are often stored in the garage or a spare closet. Those items are typically still in excellent condition and can be re-used in other weddings, which increases the usefulness of these items. It also saves many couples and landfills valuable space. Remember how much the average wedding costs? Recycling your wedding helps defray some of your wedding costs while also saving another couple money on their own wedding.

Recycle Your Wedding was created by Jeff Williams and Rob Bailey, two friends who met about 10 years ago while working together in a San Diego insurance office. The pair clicked instantly. They both shared the dream of owning their own business and were always trying to come up with that one big idea. No matter how hard they tried, their future perfect business venture wasn’t materializing. Then one day, it dropped in their laps.

“It was after Rob’s wedding,” said Williams, who still lives in San Diego. “They had paid for a lot of it on their own and purchased things bit by bit. After the wedding there was so much stuff left over sitting in their garage.” The duo started talking about the extravagance of weddings, the expense and indulgence, and “wouldn’t it be nice if…” About six months later, that “if” became a reality and www.recycleyourwedding.com was born.

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And don’t forget to check out our new site, RecycleYourNursery.com!  Buy and sell baby and nursery items, maternity clothes and more!

Happy Holidays from Recycle Your Wedding!

Dear Friends,

As we sit down with friends and family this holiday season, each of us will be reminded of a loved one who has struggled at some point this year.  As the world’s economy continues to try to regain stability, the repercussions of the turmoil have been far-reaching.  We all know someone who has either lost their job or is struggling with money.  And in the midst of it all, many of our members are struggling to plan a wedding on a limited budget.  We understand the importance of making every penny count, especially when you’re a young couple looking to start your lives together.

However, we know that saving money on your wedding is just the beginning.  We want to help our members make the most out of every dollar they spend, even after their wedding is over.  After all, your wedding is only the first step on a journey of love that will last a lifetime.  For those of you who have children or who are planning on having children, we want to help you as well.  As you know, it has become increasingly more difficult to afford the necessities you will need to raise and provide for them.  That is why we’ve launched Recycle Your Nursery.  Recycle Your Nursery (www.recycleyournursery.com)  is an online community where parents can buy and sell baby and toddler items to each other at incredibly low prices.  We encourage our member to price their items to sell quickly, which means incredible deals for those of you who are looking to buy diapers, baby clothes, strollers, formula, etc. 

 

Both sites offer the following:

 

• Free Postings – There is no listing fee for a basic post which includes one free photo.

 

• $0.99 Upgrades – Use a BOLD print to make your listing stand out, or a colored highlight to grab the attention of buyers.

 

• Free Auto-Relisting – If your item doesn’t sell the first time you post it, your post will auto-relist with the exact same information you provided initially.  That way, you won’t miss out on the opportunity to sell your items.

 

From our family to yours, we want to wish you all a very happy holiday season.  We are very thankful to have all of you as a member of our community, and we wish you all the best.

 

Sincerely,

 

Your friends at Recycle Your Wedding

Recycle Your Wedding, LLC releases RecycleYourNursery.com

Jeff Williams                                                                         

COO- Recycle Your Wedding

jeffwilliams@recycleyourwedding.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

SAN DIEGO- Recycle Your Wedding, LLC. announced the launch of RecycleYourNursery.com, an online marketplace dedicated to helping families save money on goods for infants and toddlers, as well as maternity and nursery accessories.  Just seven months after the successful launch of RecycleYourWedding.com, RecycleYourNursery.com follows the same look and functionality that the company’s customers are already familiar with, along with the same dedication to being both budget and environmentally friendly.

 

Said Recycle Your Wedding, LLC. CEO Rob Bailey, “Getting married and raising a family are dreams that many of us share.  However, those dreams often become a nightmare when young couples realize just how much they are going to spend on their wedding or on the birth of their children.  RecycleYourWedding.com and RecycleYourNursery.com offer an alternative to high-priced bridal and baby stores.  Our sellers understand what our buyers are going through because they’ve been there – they’ve planned a wedding or they’ve had children – and they know how important it is to save money whenever and wherever they can.”

 

In a time of economic uncertainty, RecycleYourWedding.com and RecycleYourNursery.com were developed to help people save money on some of the most important moments of their lives- that being one’s wedding day and the birth of a child.  With the average cost of a wedding now exceeding $30,000 and the addition of a baby averaging a cost of nearly $12,000 or more in the first year, families are trying to make every dollar count.  RecycleYourWedding.com and RecycleYourNursery.com offer their members the opportunity to stretch those dollars while remaining a friend to the environment.  With the reusability of products becoming more and more important in an environmentally conscious society, recycling items back into the marketplace is an ideal solution.

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Recycle Your Wedding, LLC. was founded in 2007, and released RecycleYourWedding.com in early 2008.  If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with founders Rob Bailey or Jeff Williams, please email Jeff Williams at jeffwilliams@recycleyourwedding.com.

Recycle Your Wedding…Gown

We recently updated the category list at RecycleYourWedding.com to include an expanded category for wedding gowns.  Now you will find Wedding Dresses featured at the top of the category list, and you can select the appropriate size, color, and style when searching for dresses.

In updating the Wedding Dress category, I took some time checking out the wide assortment of gowns available.  Every size, color, and style is well represented, with many gowns listed for $100 or less!  Check out a few of my favorites here:

Galina White Strapless Tea Length #T8627

Strapless Mori Lee Wedding Dress

Beaded Halter Wedding Gown

Speaking of wedding gowns, I have received some great feedback from brides-to-be who have purchased wedding gowns at RecycleYourWedding.com.  Here are a few comments:

“I found your site from a friend and I fell in love with the dress as soon as I saw it and knew that that was the dress for me.  I did complete my transaction sucessfully and I absolutely love the dress. I have not used it yet as my wedding isn’t until net year. I will definately be using your site again.”   – Michelle

“I read an entry on Craig’s list in which someone referenced your site.  I felt like I’d hit the jackpot!  I tell other brides who are looking to buy or sell wedding merchandise to go to your site.  It’s a treasure trove and such a unique idea.  Thanks for offering it.  The dress was exactly as pictured and was new as advertised.”  – Chantice (who actually just got married on 8/8/08- congratulations!)

We appreciate all of the positive comments!  Keep them coming, and thanks for all of your support!

Jeff Williams

http://www.recycleyourwedding.com

The Wedding Dress Of Your Dreams

Thank you to everyone who shared their stories of budget woes and dream wedding dresses that were to expensive to realistically purchase on limited funds (see Is Your Wedding Budget Ruining Your Wedding Planning).  We have shared those stories with the producers of a major network television show, and can’t wait to see where they go with it!

Stay tuned for information on this story from RecycleYourWedding.com!

Is Your Wedding Budget Ruining Your Wedding Planning?

Wish you could afford your dream wedding dress, but it’s simply not in the budget?  Maybe affording your dream dress means no money for your honeymoon.  If these descriptions sound familiar, RecycleYourWedding.com is here to help!

If you are dying to buy the designer dress of your dreams but your budget is getting in the way, a major network television show wants to hear your story.  They are teaming up with RecycleYourWedding.com to discuss cost saving tips to make your wedding perfect while not breaking the bank.  If you fit this description, please contact us right away!  E-mail Jeff Williams at jeffwilliams@recycleyourwedding.com with your contact information and a picture of yourself so we can put a face with a name.  And who knows, you might even get a chance to appear on the show!

“Web Site Looks To ‘Green” Nuptials

From the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

By Diana Sholley

 

When Kate Baker started planning her wedding, the 30-something Rancho Cucamonga resident had definite ideas about what she wanted – and what she didn’t.

 

“I wanted to be environmentally conscious,” said Baker, who exchanges vows Aug. 9. “Not a lot of waste. It seems everything ends up in landfills.”

 

She also didn’t want to pay thousands of dollars on a dress she’d wear only once.

 

Baker found a place to buy some wedding necessities that fit her ethics as well as her pocketbook: the auction Web site www.recycleyourwedding.com.

 

It was at that site that Baker won her Oleg Cassini designer wedding gown for her final bid of $100.

 

The dress features spaghetti straps and a beaded bodice. It retailed new for $900, and even after paying for the dress, its shipping and dry cleaning, Baker paid less than $200 for what will likely be the centerpiece of her wedding.

 

“It’s like new,” she said. “Simple, absolutely gorgeous and fits perfectly.”

 

Baker recommends www.recycleyourwedding.com and vows anything left over from her wedding is going back on the site for sale.

 

Recycle Your Wedding was created by Jeff Williams and Rob Baily, two friends who met about 10 years ago while working together in a San Diego insurance office.

 

The pair clicked instantly. They both shared the dream of owning their own business and were always trying to come up with that one big idea.

 

No matter how hard they tried, their future perfect business venture wasn’t materializing. Then one day, it dropped in their laps.

 

“It was after Rob’s wedding,” said Williams, who still lives in San Diego. “They had paid for a lot of it on their own and purchased things bit by bit. After the wedding there was so much stuff left over sitting in their garage.”

 

The duo started talking about the extravagance of weddings, the expense and indulgence, and “wouldn’t it be nice if…”

 

About six months ago, that “if” became a reality and www.recycleyourwedding.com was born.

 

“We thought it would be great for people to have a place like this site, dedicated to weddings,” Williams said. “We were nervous, but more excited. We didn’t know how easy it would be to market. We had never done anything like this before.”

 

With their wives’ blessings they started their business. Its inventory included about 12 items from Baily’s wedding.

 

Mentioning their new venture to family and friends started to fill the site, which was getting about 100 hits a day.

 

As word of mouth spread, the business grew. It now averages about 1,000 hits a day, mainly from those searching for such wedding needs as bridesmaid dresses, tuxedos for all ages, decorations, invitations, save the date cards, wedding favors, head pieces and so much more.

 

Signup is free and so is listing items for sale on the site – with a picture.

 

“We want to encourage people to recycle, helping the cycle of life for those items that have just been laying around,” Williams said. “I hate the idea of wasting things.

 

The site revenue comes from a percentage taken from each sale, between 4 percent and 5.5 percent. There also are upgrades available including preferred placement and extra photos of the item.

 

The site has become so popular that its founders are expanding. Beginning this fall, look for http://www.recycleyournursery.com.