Get Fresh !

I love lime and shades thereof for a wedding colour palette. So fresh, bright and alive! These shades look absolutely stunning when paired with white. Perfect for a "green" wedding.
Now check out the details of this inspiration board.....the shrug, simply ooh la la.....I swear by shrugs. LOVE them. See the bridesmaid's dress in the middle with the plunging neckline.....I want it.....nothing says a floral designer can't be stylish too ;)
Here is an idea for brides currently planning your wedding; when thinking of your bridesmaid's attire they do not all have to be in the same dress, but can be in various shades of the same colour or variations of the same dress. This can be really visually pleasing in your photographs, but also allows your bridesmaids to have a dress that fits their body, and style while still fitting your theme .
I can't wait for spring but in the meantime we can "Get Fresh!"

Floral Fashionista Fridays: Natural Bridals

In keeping with our earth friendly theme this week we are featuring Natural Bridals. A new line of eco-friendly designer wedding gowns and accessories designed by Morgan Boszilkov. Morgan is based in Atlanta, Georgia, but works with brides from around the world. These dresses are handcrafted with love in the United States, and 5% of profits are donated to environmental causes. Morgan uses sustainable fabrics and strives to apply green and socially responsible principles to all aspects of her business. Her designs are elegant, beautiful, luxurious and Green!
Some of these dresses have been designed with detachable bottom skirts! This is a great option for a bride who wants something a little different at her reception, or plans to wear the dress again in its shorter form. A multi-purposed dress! We Love it!
Some of the fabrics Morgan uses in her designs are Peace Silk, Bamboo, Organic Cotton, Organic Linen, and Hemp. I have a particular fondness for all these fabrics.Luxurious but practical.

This one is my favorite for it's simple elegance and almost Grecian styling. The neckline, empire waist and soft draping of the fabric is so flattering.
You also got to love the back. Beautiful, elegant and sexy!
Natural Bridals eco-friendly bridal wear for the eco -friendly bride! Maybe we could encourage Morgan to create a line of eco-friendly bridesmaids dresses too. Then you could have one stop shopping!

Earth Day 2009 : Seven Ways to a Greener Wedding

Well, Earth Day is almost over.It's actually very sad that we even have to have an Earth Day. In truth, we should always be thinking about how we can reduce our carbon footprint.Sometimes it's the smallest and easiest things that in the long term makes the greatest impact. Here are seven ways you can have a greener wedding:

1. Start with the Rings: No one ever seems to think that they can make a green choice when purchasing their wedding rings but you can. By purchasing a ring made with recycled gold, platinum or silver you can make a difference. There are many up and coming jewelry designers who only work with recycled precious metals. Do you have lots of gold and silver jewelry lying around? Take it to your local jeweler who specializes in custom rings and have them melt it down to create wedding rings just for you. You will be supporting a local artist and using that old jewelry you never wear anymore.
2. The Invitations: Invitations made from recycled paper, printed with soy ink or ones that after the event your guests can plant because they are embedded with wild flower seeds. Make your wedding invitations like a postcard because it uses less paper. Skip the RSVP inserts instead have an email address set up so that your potential guests can email you their RSVP. If you have a wedding website you could have it directly on your site. Saves paper,stamps and money.
3. The Wedding Dress: More and more designers are designing wedding dresses with hemp, bamboo, organic cotton and fair wage silk.Check in on Floral Fashionista Fridays this week where I feature such a designer. Think of reusing a wedding dress. It could be your Mother's or Grandmother's, even one you found in a second hand store. With a dry clean and some design adjustments by a good seamstress you could actually have the dress of your dreams without breaking the bank. It's very trendy by fashion designers to upscale garments and fabrics to make something new and modern.You can do it too! Think of purchasing a dress you will reuse somewhere else later down the road and don't forget this aspect for your bridesmaids dresses either.
   
4. The Flowers: By using locally grown in season flowers you support your local flower growers. Buy locally grown organic flowers. When purchasing organic flowers from California or Columbia it really doesn't reduce your carbon footprint when you think of what is involved to import them. Look in your own garden you may find some flowers and greens you would love to have in your bouquet. Don't be afraid to wild source, for example salal and ferns grow in abundance on Vancouver Island. Ask your neighbors, friends and family for flowers from their gardens. Have a neighbor who has a green thumb? I do. I'm notorious for spotting plants in my neighbors gardens. "Is that dusty miller I see over there? Would you like some plums in exchange for some?" It also helps to keep bottles of wine, boxes of chocolates or home baking around for bargaining leverage! Some florists do not mind if you bring in flowers from your own garden. I certainly don't. I use wild sourced, neighbor bribed and my own garden pickings all the time in my designs!
   
5. The Food: Buy local organic produce and use a caterer who is all about supporting local artisans. We've got some good ones in Victoria. Build your menu around organic, local initiatives. That goes for your cake too. You can ask your cake baker to only bake your cake with organic ingredients.
6. The Booze: Buy organic beer and wine to serve at your wedding. Even better if it's local.
7. The Candles: Use soy candles, beeswax or vegetable wax. So much better for you and the environment than petroleum based candles. Support your local candle makers.

By using the three "R's" of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in your wedding planning you can make a difference in your local economy and have a stylish, elegant green wedding.