So I think I've told just about everyone who might get mad at me if they read this here instead of hearing it from the horse's mouth ... Matt proposed!
I guess it's time to put my convictions to the test -- but can we plan our own wedding entirely green??
My first stop will be the jewelry store (his mother gave him some great advice NOT to buy the ring before popping the question). www.greenkarat.com is a great place to start, but regardless of where we go, I want to make sure that the gems are either antiques or fair trade, and the metal needs to be green. Another great source is www.brilliantearth.com. My only hesitation with either of these sites is that I really feel the need to see and touch what I'm buying before I buy it. Luckily, I love antique jewelry, so I should have no problem finding something to be reused.
However, there aren't, as of yet anyway, many sources for unique jewelry that is kind to the earth. Don't get me wrong -- both of the sites mentioned above have some beautiful items, but I'm looking for something a little bit out there. I feel like "green" is the biggest buzzword in the media right now, but the actual sources are still a bit elusive. My goal over the next year will be to uncover the hidden gems (excuse the pun!)
I actually found a new wedding magazine directed specifically toward eco-minded brides and grooms: Portovert. So far, so good, but I've been a little disappointed with the vendor sources that they refer, as many of the links don't even work, and most of the sources, although for jewelry, or fashion, aren't specifically geared toward one's wedding needs. ie: there may be jewelry, but there aren't any rings! Or, there may be dresses, but they're not white! (Now, I'm am certainly not one to impose the color white on any bride. In fact, my best friend wore a chocolate brown dress and it was phenomenal! But most people, when they're looking for links to wedding dresses, are gonna want to see something white.) Anyway, the point is, this market is wide-open! I can't wait to see the great stuff that pops up over the coming months!
Step two: find a venue! While my thought for a long time has been to gather the immediate family at a secluded beach house on the west coast of Mexico, that may not be the most earth-friendly way to handle this event. We may need to reconsider, or add carbon offsets as a major part of the budget. I'll come back to this as we continue to make progress in the planning.
Step three: invitations. While common sense would tell me that Evite is the most carbon-neutral way to tackle this, there's just something about holding a paper card in your hands and tacking it to the refridgerator that feels good, right? So, recycled, or tree-free paper (organic hemp or cotton are nice choices) will be the way to go. I like Good On Paper and Oblation. Green Field Paper has seeds embedded in their tree-free paper that guests can plant in their gardens after their done looking at the invitation on the fridge. Let's not forget about the printing process -- soy-based ink all the way baby!
Step four: look eco-chic. For many years, any clothing made from hemp fabric really and truly resembled a potato sack. But times, they are a-changin'! Hemp-silk blends are increasingly popular, as are organic cotton, "fair-wage" silk and believe-in-or-not BAMBOO fabric! I like several choices by Olivia Luca. Simple Silhouettes is another possibility. Buying vintage is always an option, but I'm not sure that I have the patience.
Step five: serve local, organic meals. Organic caterers are popping up all over, and even those that don't advertise themselves as organic often have great relationships with local farmers and serve seasonal menus on a regular basis. This is actually one of the easiest tasks in this project, unless we do go to Mexico, in which case, I'm sure we can find local, however, organic may be a little more difficult.
Step six: use environmentally friendly decor. Organic flowers, soy-based candles, rented or reusable linens, and real glass and china are the main staples of this department. www.organicbouquet.com, or www.californiaorganicflowers.com are two great resources. At the very least, we won't be overnighting specially ordered orchids from Holland to Hawaii as I have done in the past for some special events. (I should do the carbon analysis on that ... kind of sickening, really!)
Step seven: low-impact transportation. Shuttling guests in hybrid cars and biodiesel buses will not only help to save the air, but may also be the strongest statement we can make so our guests about how we feel about the current state of the environment. I really hope that this will spark a lot of interesting conversations. Try www.ecolimo.com, or www.planettran.com.
Again, this is only the beginning. I feel sure that every day I'll find more great vendors to mention here, but right now, it seems to be slim pickens. So, if you know of any great sites, please send them along! All input is welcome!
Congratulations on your engagement! Looks like you've done some great event design! I love the centerpieces for the La Quinta event. I recently got married myself and was rather disappointed in the lack of "green" options out there. Anyway, I just started a new blog which might be able to help you. (www.earthfriendlywedding.blogspot.com) I don't have a ton of content yet, but I'm having so much fun writing in it that I wanted to share it with somebody who might actually be interested. Happy Wedding Planning!
Posted by: Jennifer | July 13, 2007 at 04:25 PM