Noreen is an amazing artist located in Hudsonville of West Michigan who can help you transform your events with her vintage collection at Refunction Junction.
Tell us a little about what you do. We offer on a rental basis items that are very popular for today’s events but are not available to rent at a traditional rental business. These items range all the way from vintage furniture, cornhole games, and blue jars, to antique china, harvest tables, and wine barrels. Many items in the inventory come from suggestions by the customers themselves and we LOVE to build one-of-a-kind specialty pieces.
What is something your wedding clients often seek? There really is no “got to have” item. Anything goes! The requests are as diverse as the couples getting married. However, I’d say burlap table runners have been popular as well as shutters to hold seating cards. Vintage bottles and old windows have been popular too.
What trend are you seeing in vintage weddings? Probably the biggest trend I’m seeing right now is the inclusion of one or several lounge areas at the wedding receptions. Often it’s a collection of vintage furniture set up on a patch of grass to give the guests an opportunity to hang out in a “fancy” setting — even if the event is barn style! Another trend on the horizon is the skipping of a sit down dinner and opting instead for grazing stations where guests can move around, socialize more, and sample a variety of appetizers.
How does the vintage rental process work? Currently, most of the selection of items is done through viewing photos of our inventory, either via e-mail or on our website. Once a customer knows what they would like to reserve, they simply e-mail their choices and I have an invoice e-mailed to them. Pick up or you can add delivery options for additional fee.
Are these all your original pieces created from scratch or redesigned? Many items in our arsenal are the original items purchased with rental customers in mind. These items might be used in a conventional way, but it’s also inspiring to help brides envision old things used in a new way; an old ladder displaying photos, cowboy boots holding flowers, an old boat keeping beverages cold. And my background really is in re-purposing, so it’s not unusual to see some of my creations make their way into the rental inventory. Examples include garden tool easels, ceremony backdrops from old doors, or chandeliers from old light fixtures.
What pieces would you love to see used for weddings or styled photo shoots? There are so many great pieces to choose from; it makes me want to get married all over again! But I really fell in love with the lemonade stand that I made, and I LOVE the look and idea of old wine barrels. Then again, I am a suitcase junkie, so that would be great too. And I LOVE the industrial trend, so hoping that catches on here. Then there’s specialty ceremony pieces, and vintage china is so beautiful.
Ashley Mason – TwoFoot Creative, Grand Rapids