About
How it Started
Gwen & Emily studying abroad in the Czech Republic (2017)
Emily and Gwen met in college, during their third year when they both chose to study abroad. They were the only two students from their school to attend Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, and being in a new, unfamiliar environment brought them close quickly.
But it wasn’t just being far from home that connected them. They shared a love of adventure and exploration, and spent their days traveling to every corner of the city and diving into Czech culture and language as much as they could. On the weekends they often went abroad on excursions that took them to Slovenia, Germany, Lithuania (visiting Emily’s ancestral town!) and finally to Italy.
But it wasn’t just being far from home that connected them. They shared a love of adventure and exploration, and spent their days traveling to every corner of the city and diving into Czech culture and language as much as they could. On the weekends they often went abroad on excursions that took them to Slovenia, Germany, Lithuania (visiting Emily’s ancestral town!) and finally to Italy.
After the program concluded, they both graduated college and got busy with life. Emily moved to Portland, and Gwen to Seattle.
A few weeks before Emily’s wedding, she was up in Seattle and stayed with Gwen for a night, giving them an opportunity to catch up for the first time in a while. Emily expressed how she was trying to plan a low-waste wedding, but that thrifting, bargaining on Facebook marketplace, and crowdsourcing supplies from Buy Nothing was exhausting.
“Why isn’t there a way for everyone to just share their wedding stuff?”
A few weeks before Emily’s wedding, she was up in Seattle and stayed with Gwen for a night, giving them an opportunity to catch up for the first time in a while. Emily expressed how she was trying to plan a low-waste wedding, but that thrifting, bargaining on Facebook marketplace, and crowdsourcing supplies from Buy Nothing was exhausting.
“Why isn’t there a way for everyone to just share their wedding stuff?”
Emily's wedding (2024)
Emily & Gwen at Emerald Hour Sustainable Wedding Show (2026)
Knowing that Gwen shared her passion for reducing waste, Emily told Gwen that she had been thinking about starting a group that made it easier to exchange wedding decor instead of buying new.
Gwen was all in.
Shortly after Emily’s wedding they created Something Borrowed Exchange, and haven’t looked back.
Gwen was all in.
Shortly after Emily’s wedding they created Something Borrowed Exchange, and haven’t looked back.
The Team
Emily Katzton
Co-Founder
Gwen Bartholomay
Co-Founder
Matt Hunter
Software Developer