• Reader Question: Toss or Keep Non-Green Wedding Rings?
• Diamonds still not ok for green wedding rings
• INK + WIT Green Wedding Invites
• greenKarat Green Wedding Rings
• Green Wedding Tree Favors
• Casual Green Wedding Dresses & Wedding Party Dresses
• 7 Tips for an Inexpensive Green Wedding
• Dreamy Green Wedding Inspiration
• Unique Sustainable Wooden Wedding Invitation
• Where to find traditional green wedding dresses

Also, I’ll be adding the posts above to the official Tree Hugging Family Green Wedding Guide so if you need the info later, it’ll all be collect in one nice spot.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Your first best bet for a traditional gown that’s also earth-friendly is to go used. Wear your mama’s gown, look at consignment shops, or visit estate sales. For some new green gown choices keep reading…

Conscious Clothing creates unique green wedding gowns using environmentally friendly,SBP (sustainable and biodegradable product) hemp fabrics. The Basic Strapless Gown is shown above and the details on the organic cotton lace around the neckline is amazing!

Threadhead Creations: Actually, they carry some really unique wedding dress choices, but also some more traditional eco-friendly wedding gown choices too. Such as the Grace dress (seen above) which features a scoop bodice with an open back. The gown is hand-crafted with an eco-friendly blend of hemp/silk.

Other places to look…

• Annatarian: amazing custom work on wedding gowns.
• Olivia Luca: Custom create your own eco-gown.
• Adele Wechsler: AMAZING GOWNS. In fact I’ll say it twice – AMAZING. The gowns here will make you swoon then faint.
• Rawganique: Organic hemp wedding attire for bride and groom plus the wedding party.
• Deborah Lindquist: Carries a unique but still traditional green wedding line.
• Morgan Boszilkov’s Natural Bridal Collection: Not entirely traditional, but sort of tradition with flare.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

zinnia • lavender wedding or party invitation

The eco-wedding line at Night Owl Paper Goods is beautiful, unique, and will kick your green wedding off right. The wedding line of products are made of eco-friendly sustainably harvested yellow birch wood. The wood grain varies, which means your invites will be super unique & lovely. Wedding cards includes custom text, or a fill-in section (yes, you can write on this wood), and outer envelope.

squirrel vows • golden pecan save the date postcard

Shown above:

1. flowering dogwood • sunny wedding or party invitation
2. zinnia • peacock blue reply card
3. Save the Date * Kelly Rosette
4. everlasting wheat circle wedding or party invitation

Pricing is the only downside of these cards. Being so unique they go for $3 to $6 each, so I’m guessing these are MUCH better for a small eco-wedding. If you’ve got the budget though, these are simply the coolest material cards for a green wedding you can get. If going with touchable cards is not your deal check out:

• Engagement Party & Wedding Invitations Go Digital
• Perfect Digital Wedding Cards

Visit Night Owl Paper Goods to learn more.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Twig & Thistle has the coolest of cool green weddings posted – A Summer Wedding. This wedding is totally lovely. There are scads of amazing images shared, and wedding elements are green and natural – great inspiration if you’re planning a green wedding.

Green Wedding Shoes has an amazing post about LA Floral Vendor: Dandelion Ranch. Dandelion Ranch creates breath taking flower arrangements for weddings (or other events) and use biodegradable alternatives to traditional flower foams plus house their arrangements in items like vintage pitchers, wine boxes, soup terrines, and retro ceramic sap buckets. Plenty of drool worthy images to see.

Holly Cottingham is an on-location Brisbane photographer who specializes in natural children and family portraits and wedding photography. She’s got a post at her site that shows you just how amazing wedding pictures can look when taken out in nature (in a second-hand dress). You’ll love these images and want wedding photos just like them.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

1. Elope!: Yes this is your most green and thrifty wedding choice. But, it’s not for everyone, so read on…

2. Skip the gifts and ask for favors instead: Wedding gifts are way overrated, especially if you like to live in a green home, because odds are, most folks will buy you stuff that’s not so eco-friendly. Ask that no one gives gifts and discuss people offering some help instead. For example, a friend with a camera can take pictures. A baker friend may be able to pull off a cake. Good gifts for people who want to give gifts could include things like candles, flowers, or cloth napkins for the reception.

3. Give eco-friendly favors that double as decor: Lucky Bamboo Wedding Favors look pretty (see above), are natural, and come in reusable containers. You can set them out for a pop of wedding table color, then give them away. Another nice favor that looks great on the table are soy candles in all shapes and colors. I like Garden Guys Organic soy candles because they come in lovely shades, great scents, and super pretty holders (see below). However, they’re a little bigger, and can cost more (although they do have sales on sets). You can also visit Evergreen Candleworks to see a whole line of pretty creamy white eco-friendly soy votive candles in amazing scents.

4. Go digital with your invites: While some digital wedding invites do cost money, it’s less than paper because you cut out materials and stamps. Plus you leave no negative mark on the planet.

5. Go with recycled attire: A used or vintage wedding gown is just as lovely as new, cuts out resources used to make a new one, and saves you money. You can also go used with male wedding attire and even your wedding party dresses.

6. Recycle your jewelry for the rings: Many places will recycle your old jewelry and make it into something new for you, like a wedding ring or other wedding pieces.

7. Cut out travel - have a local wedding: I never get why people hold weddings in say, Hawaii. Unless you happen to live on an island somewhere, this is not only super expensive, but sooooooo bad for the planet. When you have a wedding in a remote location you’ve got to fly or drive people out which creates a huge expense and releases massive amounts of carbon into the environment. Go local! Have the wedding close to where the majority of the guests live.

Got any other tips for a less expensive green wedding?

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Such as…

Bamboo Tiki Dress – at just $69 a pop, this 100% bamboo dress is pretty and inexpensive enough for your entire line up of wedding gals. The dress is from Sweetgrass Natural Fibers who carries products made in the U.S.A. from fabrics and fibers grown without any harmful chemical fertilizers or pesticides. They specialize in eco fashion made from hemp , bamboo and organic cotton. Simple, nice lines, and eco-friendly. PLUS this dress is available in a multitude of colors so you can match to your own scheme.

The Hoss Dress from Adili is beautiful and simple, made with sustainable soya jersey. I love the pink, but it also comes in jade.

BTC Elements has two good wedding picks – the Reversible Halter Dress – an owl neck halter that reverses for two dresses in one. Rich shimmery teal on one side, with a more casual silvery beige on the other. Handmade in Portland, Oregon out of reclaimed vintage Japanese qina nylon. I also like the Afternoon Latte Dress for a green wedding with vintage theme. Fashioned from reclaimed and secondhand fabric.

Personally, if I was getting married Posh Girl Vintage would be my first stop for dresses. The perks include vintage (reuse – very green) and lovely dresses of every type. There’s always something amazing at their shop. The downside with vintage is of course, you have to jump on it, and there’s a chance of an eclectic wedding party because odds are, none of your dresses are going to match. Also with vintage be aware that there could be some flaws. Posh Girl adjusts their price for flaws (cool beans) but you may need to alter the dress you choose.

However, if eclectic or non-fussy (i.e. non-matching) is your game this is your dream dress shop. I picked four current favorites that would work for a wedding. I picked mostly traditional colors, but note that their inventory changes often and that they have dresses in every color under the sun. PS the best thing about shopping at Posh Girl Vintage is that they’re very elaborate in their descriptions. If there’s fabric to let out, they let you know, if the dress is less than perfect they tell you. It’s an amazing shop!

Dresses shown above include…

1. 1950’s Beige Silky Satin Dress
2. 1950’s Yellow Cotton Frilly Coquette Dress
3. 1950’s Saks Fifth Avenue Beige Satin Dress
4. 1960’s Ivory Lace Shift Dress

Are you getting married soon? Would you go with a casual dress or do you want the whole nine yards sort of gown?

Coming up later, some more traditional minded green wedding dresses.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Tree Seedling in Tubes Favors for Weddings – 6-8″ majestic blue spruce seedling (roots need to be wrapped in plastic bag), personalized imprinted paper wrap in a handmade paper image with thank you message, poem, growing instructions, tube, raffia ribbon. Choose from oatmeal or forest green raffia ribbon. Tree-tube favors are also personalized for each couple and contain this message: “Thank you for sharing our “growing Memories”. Please plant this Seedling and nurture it in the spirit of love and watch it grow just as we will grow together in our new life.”

Tree Seed Gift Box Party Favors – This cool “green” wedding favor is made of recycled papers. The card is handmade paper and is personalized with your message. There’s a terra cotta clay pot included along with a peat pellet and tree seed packet. For this favor you can choose one of the following trees; Blue Spruce – Black Pine- Douglas Fir – Loblolly Pine (southern pine – Giant Sequoia (California redwood)- Honey Locust -
Paper (canoe) Birch.

The Arbor Day Foundation has some lovely seedlings available for weddings as well as plenty of ideas about how to display seedlings at your wedding.The hardy evergreen trees (Redwoods, Pines, or Spruces) included in these favor tubes can be planted outdoors when timing and conditions permit, stored in a refrigerator, or grown for months indoors. The trees come in a recyclable tube that converts into a birdfeeder after the tree is planted. You get to customize your own wedding label as well (see example below).

What do you think? Would you give trees as a wedding favor? I love the idea.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

greenKarat is maybe king of the green wedding rings shops right now. They carry a vast selection of rings for both engagements and weddings. They offer eco-labeling to inform consumers about green certification – you can read about each piece in a “green assay“. This company opposes diamond mining, supports ecological gold initiatives, have pieces made of recycled metals, and believe in Fair Trade gems. They have ready made pieces and also offer a service that can turn your old jewelery into something new. I picked an array of rings that I liked there, but they have tons of other choices.

Shown above are:

1. Gatsby Redux: ‘Antique’ Bridal Set
2. West Egg: Gatsby Style ‘Antique’ Engraved Engagement Ring
3. Kindred Souls: Leaves & Berries
4. Mont Blanc: Sapphire Engagement Ring
5. Vinea: The gold in this piece is 100% post-consumer recycled.
6. Under Blue Ice: Composed of ecologically and socially responsible created diamonds and/or sapphires
7. Watermelon Snow: Recycled white gold and a created pink diamond.
8. Canary, Uncaged: Classic Engagement Ring
9. Cathedral Pines: Inspired by Nat’l Park Svc Design

greenKarat also carries many more yellow gold pieces; I’m just not a yellow gold fan, recycled or not, so as you can see I didn’t choose many for my picks. They also carry a wide selection of basic but beautiful bands.

Which are your favorites? I think I’m partial to the Watermelon Snow, Canary, and Under Blue Ice.

Now while greenkarat is a large name in green wedding rings, they’re not your only shop choice, not by a long shot. There are plenty of places to get an eco-wedding ring. Later we’ll check out some more great spots to shop for green wedding rings.

Visit  greenKarat to see their whole collection.

[images via greenkarat]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Check out these beautiful designs….

CURRENT INK + WIT DEALS:

INK+WIT has new wedding ready made letterpress suites available; you can email for price list and details. There are two other special offers going on right now as well; first of all, you’ll receive a $50 INK+WIT merchandise credit with every ready made wedding order until August 1, 2009 plus you can score 10% off all custom designed wedding orders valid through August 1, 2009.

You also might want to check out INK + WIT’s adorable soy ink animal posters for kids.

[image via INK + WIT]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Amnesty International notes….

“Some diamonds have helped fund devastating civil wars in Africa, destroying the lives of millions. Conflict diamonds are those sold in order to fund armed conflict and civil war. Profits from the trade in conflict diamonds, worth billions of dollars, were used by warlords and rebels to buy arms during the devastating wars in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sierra Leone. Wars that have cost an estimated 3.7 million lives.”

And if you think you can find conflict-free diamonds, you’re wrong. It’s hard to prove that there are any actual conflict-free diamonds. Add to that the fact that diamond mining is very damaging to the planet, and diamonds just look less and less like a tree hugging girl’s best friend.

If you must have a diamond make sure it comes with a diamond origin certification, buy a recycled diamond ring, or consider a lab produced diamond.

Other general green wedding ring tips:

• Look for rings with recycled metals and gems.
• Consider getting just one ring each – do you really need both an engagement ring and a wedding ring?
• Go Fair Trade when it comes to colored gemstones.
• Shop at estate sales, antique shops, or vintage ring shops for a ring.
• Go with a non-traditional material like a wooden wedding ring.
• Wear a piece that’s been in your family for a long while. The Knot has a great guide on how to update an heirloom ring, so if your family has a ring for you, or you find one at an antique shop, but you don’t totally love it, you can fix it.
• Only buy recycled gold, if you go with a gold ring. New gold mining is terribly harmful to the planet.
• Skip the traditional ring and get a tattoo. Although, be aware, tattoos aren’t that eco-friendly either, maybe a little more so than diamonds though.

Also read:

Reader Question: Toss or Keep Non-Green Wedding Rings?

Coming up some green wedding ring choices.

Are you getting married? What sort of rings have you been looking at?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family