My Dream Green Wedding

Our Dream Green Wedding

2011-06-29T15:18:00.000-07:00

May 14, 2011 On a “blustery” Spring Saturday in Chicago (yes, that’s how the weatherman described it), my husband and I celebrated our dream green wedding. 18 months of research, planning, preparation, emails, calls, blog posts, to-do lists... the day had finally arrived. I want to thank everyone who helped us along during those months... family, friends, and all those who

A greener way to keepsake the memories... instantly.

2011-02-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

At any wedding or special event there's that standard group picture that must get taken. And taken again and taken again and taken ten more times because every person needs a copy on every camera. And then it gets emailed another twenty times. Before you know it, your email inbox has lost 10% of space because of these pictures. Or each person sends a link to his favorite "photo

My Green "Dream Come Shoe"

2011-02-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

You know the wedding is getting close when the blogs get further and further apart... But the important thing is that I've learned (and accomplished) quite a bit in the last month that I am happy to pass along.... starting with my perfect pair of vegan heels. As some of you know, my shoe search was a bit of a process. I honestly didn't know which direction I wanted to take. One of

Vegan & Eco Wedding Shoe Shopping!

2010-12-30T10:46:00.000-08:00

I can safely say I may have spent more time looking for shoes than I've spent looking for my dress. If there's one area where the eco scene is lacking, it's in the dressy heels department. Sure, there are plenty of options for sneakers and sandals, but when it comes to wedding shoes, it's been a bit of a mission-impossible. One idea for eco wedding shoes: borrow from a fellow bride friend

Green garters... who knew?

2010-12-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

Eco holds no judgments... even the tawdry has its place. Welcome to the world of green garters. Here's one by Encore Bridal in my favorite beach town. It's made of 100% post-consumer polyester that comes entirely from recycled plastic bottles. Eco-garter by www.thegartergirl.com Another one by Garter Girl.com incorporates your "something blue" and is made out of recycled plastic bottles as

Don't Just Go Green... Look It!

2010-12-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

It goes without saying that you want to look and feel your absolute best on the big day, which will undoubtedly involve some beauty products. Now, what may you not have known before is that a big part of living green lies in these beauty "lotions and potions" we use on a daily basis. From our perfumes to our moisturizers, we can choose to invest our money and health into chemicals that

Save the E-Date!

2010-11-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

For a modern and very eco twist on save-the-dates, why not spread the word in true 21st century wedding fashion... Through the good 'ole internet, of course. No! Email is so impersonal, you may say. And, yes, you have a point. The internet does have its cons. Which is why I can understand not wanting to send your wedding invitations via email. But a save-the-date? It kinda

The Brilliance of "No Wrap" Parties

2010-10-22T18:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite childhood family videos is of my sister on her fifth birthday. Like most children celebrating a birthday, Blaire accepted each gift with wide-eyed anticipation. She would rip off the ribbons, tear the wrapping paper in a fury, stare at the gift.... and drop it, immediately sensing the next wrapped present. It was the element of surprise that was most desired. Well

Everything I Need to Know About Wedding Planning, I Learned From My Best Friend’s Wedding

2010-10-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

Crisp, bold colors of autumn’s arrival made her ivory pearls and pristine dress glisten. October 9, 2010 proved to be the quintessential Michigan day for a fall wedding. And after having planned the entire weekend sans wedding planner, Courtney- my best friend from college, deserved nothing less than the perfect day. I can safely say after last weekend that one never fully

Eco-Vintage. Where Old is the New "In"

2010-09-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

I never realized how much I liked vintage until I started planning my wedding... or maybe it's the new season of Mad Men. Either way, I'm happy with it. Recently, with the help of my dear friend Kenna (who took some time to help me with the bridesmaid dress search in spite of her endless grad school papers-- thank you!!), I found the perfect match. :-) Pictures to come..

A Website for Green Hotels and Carbon Friendly Flights!

2010-09-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

The wedding planning is certainly starting to speed up a bit. We are currently at the 7-month marker which (according to the wedding planning timeline) means a hotel needs to be selected for guests. On a side note, does anyone ever feel like their wedding has become a child that you're always referring to in terms of "how many months" it is? Anyway, we're looking for some "green" hotels in the

The Beginnings of an Eco-Registry...

2010-09-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

As we begin the registry search, I wanted to share a few alternative, eco-friendly options to the standard "go-to" wedding registry sites. Don't get me wrong... I'm a sucker for Crate and Barrel and Williams-Sonoma too and will most likely include one of them in the registry list. But I also want to search out some lesser-known, "smaller fish" companies that are

An eco place to lay your head... and your rings.

2010-08-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

The registry search has begun! One of the first items on our Eco-home-furnishing-hunt: Comfy pillows that make you feel like you're sleeping on a cloud... It is not a matter to be dealt with lightly. Since we are of the Eco mindset, organic cotton sheets and pillows have certainly become a consideration. But did you know bamboo is used to make pillows too?? As you can tell, I certainly

Your Wedding Party Will Flip for these Eco Flops

2010-08-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but shoes can sometimes be the deciding factor whether my memories of an event are amazing... or painful. If my feet are hurting, that's probably what I'll remember most. A bridal guide suggestion is to provide the wedding party ladies with flip-flops so they can ditch the heels if they wish. With the end of summer, I thought it might be a good time to search for

Planting a Tree in Your Honor.

2010-08-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

Whenever I think of "wedding favors" I think of that chalky pastel colored candy in a white mesh bag tied with plastic bells. I would always try one, thinking maybe I'd like it at this wedding. It always got tossed as soon as I got home. (In the compost, that is.) So, it got me thinking about what kind of favor would be better for the planet... and more appreciated by guests. Two

Trees for your Centerpiece

2010-08-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

Oh, to sit in the shade of a tree on a sweltering summer day... There’s something so tranquil, so comforting. In the words of that Kaiser-Permanente commercial (the one advocating electronic files to save more trees): “I will never see an 80-page document that’s more beautiful than a tree.” Or in the words of one of my students: “Homework kills trees!” No, I’m not trying to prevent

One Concert That Led to Five Eco-Friendly Confetti Picks

2010-07-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

The Rihanna concert last night was in one word... AMAZING. Not only was it thrilling, entertaining, and boldly visual, Eminem even made an appearance. Rihanna Concert, with guest appearance by Eminem Ok, ok... you got me. I really wanted an excuse to mention I was at that concert (thanks to two of my students as an end-of-year gift... best teacher gift ever!!). But I actually do

An "All-American" Bride

2010-07-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

When the recession began to take its toll, many American consumers realized their money was better spent supporting their own country's businesses. You may have to pay more for it. Companies that go overseas typically want to cut costs, namely, enlisting cheaper labor. Getting the "Made in America" seal of approval ensures products have not been manufactured in child-labor sweat shops.

You Should Really Mind Your Own Beeswax...Candles...

2010-07-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

The next time you want to set the mood, consider purifying the air too. (A major thanks to Libuse Binder, author of Ten Ways to Change the World in Your Twenties, for this tip!) While candles may be considered "green" from an energy-conservation standpoint, the majority are made with paraffin which is a petroleum-based ingredient. When paraffin burns, it pollutes the air. An

The Greener Way to Buy Your Magazines.

2010-06-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Let’s say you’re hosting a party. Oh wait- you are. So, Miss Planner Extraordinaire, isn’t it helpful to know exactly how many people to expect? You wouldn’t want to waste money or time because you over-estimated, right? Well, magazines are no different. And if they know you like theirs, let them know so they can reduce their impact on the environment! The stack of magazines

Sustainable... 'til death do us part.

2010-06-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

And to conclude our discussion of eco-food terms... drum roll please... Sustainable: -the capacity to endure (Wikipedia.com). When you think about it, the concept of sustainability translates perfectly to your future marriage, too. Ok, ok... it's a bit cheesy (the organic kind). But when you're making a commitment to endure a lifetime, you want to ensure its long term well-being.

Local-- it just tastes better when it's close to home.

2010-06-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

And we continue our journey of food... but this time, we'll stay in your neighborhood. Have you ever noticed how people mention how great the food in Italy is? How it just doesn’t compare to any Italian restaurant in the U.S.? The reason is because Italians typically use local produce. Food tastes best when it’s ready and ripe... usually 24 hours before it’s eaten... not a week prior

Why Organic is Just Better

2010-06-04T21:10:00.000-07:00

Organic. Does the word make your pocketbook shutter? Well, here's a bit about what you're paying for, why it's better for you, and what makes it the more Eco choice: The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) doesn’t take their organic certifications lightly, and rightfully so. Their quality standards are based on a number of factors.

Some very shady (and amazing) plates!

2010-05-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

I know this is a bit of a segue from our FROLS conversation... but the proper foods also require the proper tools for eating, and this info was just too good not to blog about asap! What better to eat your free-range, organic, local, sustainable food on than 100% biodegradable plates? Plates made from fallen leaves! Verterra makes dinnerware from fallen palm leaves. They assure that no

FROLS... your new grocery shopping companion.

2010-05-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

Time to eat again! But first, you should know where your food is coming from. Here's clarification of a few “green” food terms and what exactly make them Earth-friendly; I think it may help when you're presented with your eco-food choices. This is one of four posts since the info does get a bit lengthy... but bear with me and I promise your health and your planet will thank you for it!