New Portland store helps brides create the big day with little waste
Photo/David A. Rodgers
April Randolph, owner of wedding consignment shop Eco-Elegance in Portland
When April Randolph decided to open Eco-Elegance in Portland, she combined two seemingly unrelated interests: weddings and sea turtles.
But the unlikely pairing makes sense. Randolph, a recent bride, was discouraged by the waste a wedding left in its wake. And after spending 10 years as a sea turtle biologist in places from California to Florida, Randolph was looking for a new career path that would allow her to use her ecology background in a different way.
And so Randolph opened Eco-Elegance on Middle Street, a wedding consignment shop where barely-used wedding items -- everything from Vera Wang dresses and jewelry to candles and glassware -- find new life in another bride's wedding.
It's a "win-win-win-win situation," says Randolph. Recent brides recoup some of the money spent on attire and décor, upcoming brides snag budget-friendly pieces for their weddings, and the store makes some money, too. Add the environmental impact spared by reusing the items instead of tossing them in a landfill, and Mother Earth benefits, too. "Recycling weddings is a good idea, no matter the economic climate, good or bad," Randolph says.
While other retailers may be suffering during the downturn, consignment shops are on the rise: A recent survey of the 1,000-member National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops found that 66% experienced a growth in sales in 2008, while nearly 86% saw a spike in new customers, according to The Wall Street Journal. The green wedding industry is also booming, with more couples considering eco-friendly options and ways to offset their wedding's carbon footprint, according to the Associated Press.
Wedding consignment is becoming more popular too, says Randolph, reflecting a generational shift that has made it more acceptable for brides to wear a second-hand gown, and to resell a dress instead of preserving it. "I think there's such a need for it," Randolph says.
Randolph opened her doors in July, soliciting consigners through a Craigslist ad and a sign posted in the store's window, and held her grand opening earlier this month. She financed the business through personal savings from investments, and got business plan advice from the mentors at SCORE and the Small Business Development Centers. Right now she's the sole employee, but she hopes to be able to hire someone down the road. Her other ideas include ladies' nights with wine and cheese, as well as instructional workshops for brides on how to make items like environmentally friendly centerpieces. Randolph herself uses salvaged driftwood and acorns to make centerpieces and décor she sells in her store.
So far, Eco-Elegance has given Randolph just what she was searching for -- the opportunity to work for herself and spend more time around people instead of turtles. Helping brides find what they need while also helping the environment has also had its payoffs. "The amount of waste you're cutting back on when you're able to reuse reception décor and dresses -- you feel like you're doing a good thing," she says.
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