Antique State of Mind
The root word of collective is collect. I have a profound love for all things antique, and a large focus of my design work will be geared toward exactly that, collecting, refurbishing and reusing pieces to bring character and interest to any wedding. To me antiques create an infinite connectedness with those past and present in the world. Think about it, we spend our lives collecting, curating, cultivating things and then we die (please forgive my morbidness) and where does all the stuff go? It’s a beautifully poetic hobby, as we’re keeping alive the exact treasures that fed the souls of our generations past, and that to me is not only beautiful, but mind blowingly surreal. To think there will always be people on this earth collecting, curating, and passing on those treasured antiques, the enormity of it is almost too much. Antiquing is one thing I can honestly say gives me energy, feeds my soul, and just makes me happy. My childhood was filled with trips to antique stores in New England towns, and the Brimfield Fair was a yearly family trip. Walking down rows and rows of vendors, I fell in love with other people’s treasures; Furniture and art they’ve collected over the years, and artifacts and ornate china they received as gifts from their very own weddings. It’s part of my upbringing, and after a small hiatus in my 20’s, I’m glad I’ve fallen back into this passion of mine and I make it a priority to go antiquing at least once a month.
It wasn’t until I was planning my own wedding that I fully embraced the art of antiquing and sourcing new pieces. I not only found special pieces to use in my wedding, but I reconnected with a part of me I’d been missing and found resolve and inspiration as well.
Having moved to Dublin, I’ve been craving a good flea market and luckily I stumbled upon the Dublin Flea Market in New Market Square in Dublin 8 right in front of the Teeling distillery. It's held the last Sunday of every month from 11AM to 5PM, and it’s a great way to spend a Sunday morning, not to mention staying connected with your collective community.
They have an outdoor and indoor section and you can find everything from furniture and rugs, and china and silverware to old books and trinkets, to knick knacks and old whiskey signs. I’ve been twice now and each time have walked away with something. It’s also a great way to get into the community and meet new people who feel the same way about antiques as I do.
If you’re designing your own wedding, flea markets and antique fairs are a great place to look for unique and vintage items. Whether you use them as is or decide to get creative and refurbish them to showcase your own style, it’s a great way to add a unique and connected touch to your day.