{Eco-Chic Weddings} by Emily Anderson

floret: spring is here so where's the sun

In celebration of Spring, some beautiful items from the Skagit Valley in Washington state, home of Floret, by Erin Bazakian. 

etsy wedding fun: wedding favors + bridesmaid dresses

all items available on etsy.com:
necklace: candysart
sweet treats: DoubleDippedSweets
heart ribbon: polkadotstrawberry
clutch: dalinda
bridesmaid dress: econica

*quote is by Robert Burns.

destination weddings: superfantastico recycled invitations + ebay retro gifts

You can have a "destination" wedding without leaving town--just incorporate some fun and quirky travel themes into your wedding planning. But if you are leaving on a jet plane for your destination fiesta, think about reducing your impact in other ways--carbon offset programs, recycled invitations, online rsvps....and bon voyage!

resources:
www.publiqueliving.com  (or  make your own version to add a little travel decor)
www.superfantastico.com (recycled invitations)--Love this site!
www.ebay.com (retro  travel bag)
www.vabest.com (organic peanuts)

gorgeous and green: a martha stewart weddings special on style.

I hope you had a chance to see the Martha Stewart Weddings Special on the Style channel, "Gorgeous and Green."  I was happy to be called upon by Darcy Miller and her team for some green, eco-chic ideas for this beautiful country wedding, which is especially sweet since Martha Stewart and the time I spent working for her provided a lot of inspiration for my book, Eco-Chic Weddings...here are some of my favorite green ideas:

Green tip:

Choose seasonal flowers, if possible. Not only is this a greener choice, but you'll also save money. You can find seasonal items even in the Winter months, like these pretty winterberries...

Green tip:

Skip petroleum based, toxic parrafin candles. Everytime you light them, you're basically breathing in burning petroleum. Yuck! Soy and beeswax candles are readily available, so make the switch.

Green Tip: 

Give your guests favors they won't toss in the trash...these sweet little fabric flowers can be worn by men and women, or they can add a little flare to a home. Skip the personalized favors...Trust me, only your Grandma will use the picture frame with your name and wedding date on it.

Green tip:

Let your bridesmaids and flower girls choose their own dresses that they will wear again after the wedding. Designate a certain color (give them each a fabric or paint swatch as a guide.) It's also a good idea to designate a certain fabric--this will help all of the dresses coordinate. Another way to tie the looks together is to add a little embellishment, such as these pretty little butterflies.

For more green wedding ideas, pick up  copy of my book. Be sure to check with the Style. channel for when they will be showing the Martha Stewart Weddings Special: Gorgeous and Green again.

xo

*all photos are from Martha Stewart

the green vase {livia cetti} + {anthropologie} eco-friendly weddings

I find this layout from an old Anthropologie catalog to be simply stunning. Livia Cetti, formerly at Martha Stewart Weddings, and now the creative force behind The Green Vase, styled this shoot. All other items were found on ebay...except for the gorgeous necklace, from eco-fabulous Lucina Jewelry.

{dreamy creamy} karen bussen + beatrix ong

Today I bring you...a dreamy, creamy, delightful assortment of eco-chic wedding inspiration...

find these things here:
www.beatrixong.com
www.ninareneedesign.etsy.com
www.karenbussen.com
www.yousendme.com
www.opheliamiller.blogspot.com

more inspiring sustainable, fair trade, and eco-chic ideas:
World of Good + Wishpot
Lucina Jewelry + Anthropologie
Wendy Komer + Darcy Miller + Martha Stewart

anna maria horner + huckleberry karen

I love Anna Maria Horner's designs, and she has great bundles of fabric that you make good use of. Maybe you could sew some sweet little pouches for your friends, or use them as colorful napkins on your tables. The beautiful little favors with paper flowers were featured at a wedding shot by Huckleberry Karen.           
*this is a "studio fat stack" from Anna Maria Horner.

martha stewart weddings: decoupage gift plates

I just looked through the current issue of Martha Stewart Weddings, and there's a fantastic decoupage idea in one of the featured weddings. What a wonderful idea for a table setting that can also be a gift for your guests. Decoupage (from the verb decouper, "to cut out") became all the rage in 17th c. France. Marie Antoinette is said to have been a fan of the technique...so let your guests eat cake and keep their plate ;)

Decoupage is a fairly easy, but if you do go with this idea I think that you should make chargers (so that the actual plate goes on top of the charger). In general, a charger is about 11.5 to 13", but they can be larger if you so desire. You can find used charger plates online, or maybe someone in your family has a few they wouldn't mind giving away.

   

    

*These lovely decoupage pieces are by Lorena Siminovich of Petit Collage. Each print is available for $140, and would make a nice addition to your wedding registry.

For more ideas and techniques check out: 
Handmade by Allison

contact: orders@handmadebyallison.com

don't have a green wedding

I am not a fan of the "green themed" wedding, as I think I've said before. For me, this is not about a theme...it's about a way of being. Saving resources, including your time and money, and enjoying the process is what it's all about.

Actually Eco-Chic Weddings is a little bit of a misnomer--because the way I define Eco-Chic doesn't necessarily have any connection to "Eco." At lease not in the traditional sense of the word. Eco-Chic Weddings  just seemed like the most expedient title at the time...plus, it's pretty catchy.  But what I really meant to say was "Sustainable Weddings." But at the time (2003), my editor didn't think anyone would "get" the word sustainable.

The idea is to have a wedding to match your lifestyle. We all need to be a bit more of a conscious consumer, and planning a wedding is a great way to start. The person I think about as my "inspiration" is my great-grandmother Sullivan, who was married on Sunday morning after Church in the parlour of her parent's home in Rock Island, Illinois. Following the ceremony, the guests retreated to the backyard for tea sandwiches and punch. Simple, sweet, and quite memorable.

I really don't want you to feel like this is just another layer to add to the already complicated matter of planning a wedding. It is the complete opposite. It is about taking a deep breathe and letting go of expectations, going with what feels natural. (the beautiful image above is from Brown Mouse Photography. Click here for more of their fantastic work.)

Still confused about what "sustainable" is? Click here for Sustainable Table, an excellent reference.

*eco my party + eco your party*

I have to admit, I do feel a little like a downer-debbie when I tell people that balloons are bad (non-biodegradeable, choking hazards for birds, squirrels, fish, little kids)...especially now in the heat of the summer when every kid seems to have a water balloon in their hand. Well now I can feel a little better because there's an alternative...

Eco My Party sells 100% biodegradeable balloons. To be fair, I doubt these balloons will degrade fast enough so that if they end up in a landfill, or scattered on the ground after a water balloon fight, birds won't choke on them...but it's certainly a step in the right direction.