I
am extra super excited today because this marks the beginning of our monthly
vendor interview series, where I hand-pick wedding vendors who I
either have worked with and love, or who I would love to work with, and I ask them questions about their companies and their lives, in order to give all of you a glimpse into their worlds. And more importantly, to give you a bit more information than you can find online, so that your wedding vendor search is just a little bit easier, and a little bit more personal.
I
am so overjoyed to announce that our very first interview is with the sweet and
sassy gal behind the coolest vintage rental company out there. I could have
snuggled up on one of her plush pin tucked couches and chatted with her all
day.
Meet Kathy Glass of Sassafras Vintage Rentals...
Q. How did you get started in the vintage rental business?
A. Collecting vintage and antiques has been a passion of mine for years and I've always had a love and appreciation of the eras of my grandparents, their parents and so on. After my husband and I incorporated vintage and family heirloom pieces into our own wedding, we decided to start a business doing just that, in the hopes that Sassafras would be an opportunity to fuel my passion and a means to offer the same services to brides throughout Connecticut and New England. I just love that vintage and antiques offer an alternative to one-time-only wedding decor purchases; they are timeless, meaningful and reusable.
Q. Where do you find your pieces?
A. We find our pieces all over and from many different sources; variety is the key to finding unique treasures! We frequent tag and estate sales, flea markets, antique shops, consignment shops, and believe it or not, Craigslist, which has proven to be an absolute goldmine at times. Many of our pieces have come from our own unique collection too, which really helps to add a personal touch to everything we do.
Q. What is your favorite piece at the moment?
A. My favorite piece from our collection is our evergreen velvet settee. She came from a Victorian mansion in Holyoke, Massachusetts and is our most luxurious piece. Something about the rich green of the velvet and the intricate wood carving beckons to a bygone era. There is something truly magical about this piece.
Q. Which pieces are the most popular with renters?
A. Our settees and chairs are our most popular pieces. They are able to mix-and-match with each other and additional pieces from our collection to create lounge area seating. We have found that the lounge area really completes the look and feel of a cocktail hour or reception by giving guests a comfortable and stylish place to sit and relax, and enjoy each others company.
Images by Maggie Conley Photography and Michelle Gardella Photography
Q. Where do you find your inspiration?
A. Each piece carries with it its own bit of inspiration, which I try to honor and work to enhance. I find tons of inspiration from wedding style shoots on various wedding industry blogs, and I love to get inspiration from interior designer blogs too! Emily Henderson is a personal favorite. She's always incorporating vintage into her designs and making the old look new again.
Q. I know that you also offer styling services - tell me a little bit about that and how it works.
A. Our styling services include everything from helping brides choose the perfect rental pieces from our collection, to styling and decorating on the day-of. We work with brides (and planners) to identify the theme or look of the wedding and then work from there to choose the perfect pieces and decor.
Q. What is your favorite part of the job?
A. My favorite part of this job is choosing the right pieces for the couple and really adding a unique value to their wedding. Doing what we can to help enhance the overall ambiance of a couple's special day is meaningful beyond words.
Q. Looking into 2014 and 2015, what do you think will be the big wedding trends?
A. I think the vintage wedding trend is here to stay. Vintage items tend to be timeless, versatile touches that can be styled to work with really any theme. As individual pieces are considered, I think custom outdoor bars are going to be a big trend for upcoming wedding seasons. Whether made of rustic wooden planks and barrels, or a chippy dresser, or a tap from the early 1900's, custom bars are a great way to show a couple's personality in a piece of furniture, and offer a great way to show off specialized drink menus.
Q. Anything else you would like to add?
A. I feel truly lucky to be following a passion of mine, and am super thankful that I get to share it with people on one of the most important days of their lives. My words of advice to couples out there planning their big day, is to be true to yourselves, your personalities, your likes and dislikes, and your ideals. Your wedding should be a celebration of your love for each other and a reflection of you. Bring in those personal touches that mean so much to you and enjoy the best party of your life.
Image by Michelle Gardella Photography
Great advice, Kathy, and such great finds! Thank you for spending time with us and letting us into your world. We can't wait to see all of the gorgeous new pieces that will be added to your collection next year.
To start reserving these one-of-a-kind pieces for your wedding or event, you can email Kathy directly at kathy@sassafrasvintage.com. And to keep up with her ever-growing collection, check out her site and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
