Last fall, Brian Baas and Jordan Kent set a wedding date for this coming August.
They decided to see if people would donate to help curb the costs of a wedding. They posted ads on the website UsedOttawa.com and started a blog.
The couple now has 55 offers for everything from wedding dresses to reception halls and over 12, 000 hits on their blog. Kent attributes their success to UsedOttawa.com.
"There's no reason we can't look there for things for our homes or for special occasions like our wedding," she said. "And I think we can find stuff that is lot cooler than you would find in regular stores."
Her partner Brian says their story shows the power of social media.
"It's actually been amazing how people have come together using social media," he said. "We have had offers from Nova Scotia to B.C. and down in the states."
The couple said their blog lets them promote those who've made donations. For UsedOttawa.com's owners, the wedding project is a perfect fit with their strategy to be hyper-local.
"People come up with all kinds of cool ideas, like Brian and Jordan, we love it," said the company's director of marketing, Jody Epp. "They build their own followings and that is what we are promoting and that is what stands us apart."
The happy couple is on track with their Project Priceless as they call it. The wedding will cost them nothing other than time and online effort. They joke with all their new friends they may have to stream the wedding live
"That is what is really cool," said Kent. "People take time to write us and to say, ‘I heard about you or saw your ad or came across your blog and while I have nothing to give you and good on you, go for it and I hope it goes well and I will read your blog to find out how it went.'"
