I have bragged and talked on and on about finding random things on Etsy.com and how amazing their vendors are. But SERIOUSLY, I’m dedicating an entire post to the website and each individual vendor that I have worked with on my journey to April 9th, 2011.
I was referred to this fabulous “store” by T. — turns out it is a plethora of people who want to make something special for someone else — and let me tell you what I’m buying there: invitations (well, ALL of my paper goods), a hairpiece I’ll wear to the rehearsal dinner, a necklace (for fun, but WORTHY for a story here), a suitcase, decoration for the venue (O.M.G.), and I’m sure a million more things. Literally.
So, I will start my bragging (and you can click on the names of the shops — I’ve attached the links to their pages!)… first with something not wedding-oriented.
A friend from work has a necklace that is bent wire/metal that is her name written out, completely. M. and I have been trying to find something comparable for a few months now, and I have found JUST the thing. I found a vendor on Etsy, PianoBenchDesigns, by way of a random search on the website … and I literally couldn’t be happier. This woman is the definition of amazing customer service, and she was a gem to work with! I messaged her asking if she took custom orders and I was so lucky to receive a “yes” reply. She originally made my necklace with a capital “E” and I wasn’t too keen on the way it looked. I asked her to try it with a lower case and that I would pay for the wire that she had originally used. She changed it up, I LOVED it, and she didn’t charge me extra for the wire she didn’t use!! It was sent promptly and the minute I opened it I couldn’t get over how perfect it was. I would recommend this amazing lady to ANYONE who was looking for a custom piece of jewelry …
Next: BurlapAndBlue. Now … here is another one that was excited for a custom order and loved every minute of the brainstorming! This shop was amazing as well … very helpful and never pushy. I found a couple of vintage plates in this shop that I adored, and noticed that she attaches candlesticks to the bottom and the piece functions as an antique stand for anything. I asked if she could coordinate to my wedding colors and she immediately went and bought the right colored paint. :] They’ve shipped to my father’s house so I haven’t seen them in person yet (but I have seen pictures!) — I swear it’ll be the first box I open when I’m there again.
Another:ModernMuseum. I literally can’t explain how much of a pain I have been when it comes to the design of the paper goods. Z. and I have picked and manipulated every aspect of these things, including RSVP cards and envelopes and address labels, and this woman is outstanding. I am NOT exaggerating … my email count back and forth with her is currently at 46 in the span of 1 month. Outrageous, especially because she hasn’t bitten my head off yet!! But she has worked so hard to ensure that the tiniest of details match the vibe of the wedding, the color scheme we have chosen, and everything in between. We still aren’t finished, but we are damn close.
To close out this post, one of my most favorites: funkiefinds. I can’t spoil one of my most favorite things about the entire wedding, but trust me — it’s incredible. This woman went out of her way to find “things” just for me and my order, customized them just for me, and all for what I would call an extremely reasonable price. Simply amazing to work with.
Needless to say, I’ve had more than a positive experience with all of the vendors that I have worked with on Etsy — rather than an online shopping tool, I view it as a community of people who really are doing what they love and really want to help you find the perfect item for any event. I’m sold. :]