Choosing your wedding decor is the fun part of wedding planning because it’s the personalized detail that goes into the big day that makes it uniquely yours. You spend hours scouring Pinterest so that you can create the perfect touches and you might even DIY a lot of it yourself!

But after the cake has been eaten and you are happily hitched to your S.O, what in the heck are you going to do with all the decor that you spent SO MUCH MONEY ON?!

Consider these three words: Reuse, Repurpose, and Display.

As brides begin planning their Pinterest-perfect weddings, I always tell them to keep these words in mind when making decisions on decor. If you consider how you will be able to reuse, repurpose, and display that decor AFTER the wedding (or even in multiple ways throughout wedding day), the money won’t feel ‘wasted’ and you might even be able to justify spending a little more to make sure it’s something that you will want to keep after the fact. ;) Here are a few ways to do that:

Custom Signage — I’m sure you’ve seen all the cute calligraphy signs on Pinterest and custom signage can be used for a myriad of things: welcome signs, direction, custom cocktails, sign-in books, meaningful quotes, the couples names, etc. Some of these signs, particularly ones with your names or something meaningful inscribed, are perfect for a blank canvas in your home. Find a wall that needs some extra love and hang it up so that you always have a piece of your wedding in your home.
Bridal Bouquets — Real flowers can be a chunk out of the budget and their ONLY downfall is that they don’t last forever. Actually...they can! Go get those stunning beauties ‘pressed and framed’ so that you never have to let go of your wedding bouquet.
Greenery — OH SO VERSATILE! Greenery used in a ceremony aisle can be used as centerpiece decor on beautiful farmhouse tables, on a cake table, across the top of custom welcome signage, and even on your first Thanksgiving table as a married couple. Greenery is a quick and easy way to dress up just about anything and can be used long after your wedding. **Pro Tip: Get a mix of real and fake greenery so that you still get the fresh smell, save a bit in your budget, and then you can use the fake stuff for years to come!
Candles — Candles can add a bit of flair and light to a ceremony aisle but can also be repurposed as decor during the reception as centerpieces. After the wedding, they make the perfect addition to a romantic bubble bath and you’ll have enough candles to last you a long time!
Plates, linens, and chair ties — If you decided to purchase these items instead of renting, you might feel a little overwhelmed with the amount of decor you have left after you say ‘I do’. So what can you do with all of this?? Hosting any parties anytime soon? These can easily be repurposed and you can build a brand new theme around the colors you already have. You can also consider selling it to local vendors in the wedding industry who might be looking to build their inventory!
Lanterns — Lanterns add light and color to a backyard wedding and also make great centerpieces. After your wedding day, they can be reused to add cute detail to your front porch or backyard patio. If you can find colors/textures that match what you have in your home already AND match your wedding palette, even better!

These are some of my favorite ways to reuse, repurpose, and display wedding decor after your so that you can relive all the special moments of your big day through the decor you were able to preserve! What else would you add to the list?