The Green Bride Guide

“Going Green” is not just for a select group of people who care about the earth anymore. It’s “catching on”, so to speak, with everyone (well, perhaps not everyone, but a lot of people). And one particular event people are paying particular “green” attention to is, you guessed it, weddings.

With this interest in green lifestyles and green weddings, a wealth of information and resources have popped up - and thank goodness for that! Today I am so excited to share with you a fabulous new book on green weddings, by environmentalist and recent bride, Kate L. Harrison - “The Green Bride Guide”.

The book was officially released on December 9th, so if you haven’t already picked up a copy, get to it! I’m a big fan of books (and websites) with valuable information and ideas in them. Information that I can actually use, ideas that I can execute using the resources I have, resources that will actually lead to other valuable information and ideas, and generally useful. This is exactly how I would describe “The Green Bride Guide” - valuable.

Kate does a great job of helping earth-friendly couples put being green at the top of the wedding planning to-do list. Her book includes a monthly time line, tons of great, doable ideas, and one of my favorites, “Sustainability Worksheets”. She also includes a recommended reading list as well as a few resource page - all with valuable information on them. Some other features of the book include:

**Price indicators ($, $$, $$$) to help you get an idea on how much things cost
**Markers by information that is expanded upon on The Green Bride Guide website
**Side notes with FYI and idea-sparking tidbits and traditional wedding alternatives
**A whole chapter on “Planning an Eco-Fabulous Honeymoon”

So, if you’re a green person through and through and in the process of planning a wedding, I’d definitely recommend this book. But, I’d also say it’s a helpful resource for the “green” environmentally friendly couple, new to the idea of leading a green lifestyle together or planning an eco-chic wedding. You can go wrong with showing a little love for the earth!

Before you go, check out The Green Bride Guide website to find even more ideas and advice. You can also find eco-products, peruse real green weddings, learn from the lessons of current and recent brides, and grab a list of great reads.

To get a copy, check out Amazon or Barns & Noble!

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My Invitation Link {GIVEAWAY}

Sorry I didn’t get this to you yesterday! Crazy day.

Let me tell you about MyInvitationLink.com, a fabulous online wedding invitation creator. It’s definitely something you should look into if you’re wanting to forgo the traditional paper invitations or if you’re looking for a way to be extra environmentally friendly.

So how does the site work? Once on the site, start by selecting a template (there are more than 40 to chose from). Next, upload photographs from your computer - engagement shots, your favorite “sweet” pictures, etc. The next step is to add text slides - tell your love story, share wedding day details, whatever you want to share with your guests. After the text slides, you can add music by choosing from a selection the site already has or uploading a tune of your own. Next, organize the slides in the order you want them, finalize everything, and create and send! Easy as that.

And just because we’re focusing on the wedding-related aspects of the site, many of the invitations can be used for showers, engagement parties, and even new babies!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: We will be giving away two free accounts! Yippie! MyInvitationLink will host the invitations for three months (the winners don’t have to create accounts right away, however). To enter, simply post a comment sharing with us your favorite eco-chic invitation alternative or other earth friendly wedding favorite.

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Eco-Tools

Looking for some earth-friendly ways to make your skin and makeup more fabulous? Let me introduce to you Eco-Tools, a line of skin improving products and makeup brushes!

The line includes facial and body loofahs and a full set of makeup brushes. They are all “eco-chic” with the use of natural loofah, bamboo, cruelty-free hair, and other natural and recycled materials. You just can’t go wrong!

Some wonderful pieces:

Bamboo Bath Sponge

Bamboo and Loofah Facial Buffs

Bamboo 5-Piece Brush Set

I absolutely love the brushes - they can be used for more than just “the natural look”, too, making them versatile (always great). Check out the Eco-Tools site to shop for some goodies of your own.

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boho magazine

While I’ll definitely be mentioning boho during Green Week (Curious? Come back in the following weeks!), I could NOT wait to share it with you.

This FABULOUS new magazine is ALL about being green. And while it isn’t a wedding magazine (it’s good to mix it up now and then) there is a ton of delicious stuff that can definitely help you as you’re wedding planning and in the days after the wedding.

I love how Gina La Morte, the editor in chief and publisher, describes why they chose the name “boho” for the magazine:

A real boho (or bohemian) is all about freedom: the freedom to express your own personal style and not simply be a copy of the latest celebrity trend. boho is about taking risks and living your dreams, about changing the world and being eco-friendly, about having a love of fashion and being a beauty brat. Being a boho is all about enjoying the eclectic mix of things you love in life while still wanting to make a difference in the world around you.

After that, how could you possibly not read the magazine cover to cover? What’s even better? They stress having personal style that’s all yours. Doesn’t matter what category it fits in, if any, as long as it’s your own. Sounds like some of the best fashion advice I’ve heard - whether it’s your everyday style or your wedding day style!

Here are a few of my favorite articles from the first issue:

Just Like Heaven
Former fashion model Taylor Foster-Allen followed her dreams to opening an organic specialty treat shop. Yummy!

Top Ten Tips : Eco To Go
Simple and quick ways to play your part in saving our earth.

My favorite features:

Planting the Seed
A page full of quotes to uplift and inspire - what more does one need to start the day off right? (I must say, the won me over right away because smack dab in the center of this page is my favorite quote of all time: “Be the change you wish to see in the world” by Ghandi. Fabulous!)

Stylish Girl
Featuring a stylish lady from which we can all draw inspiration is always great! This month the featured “stylish girl” is Audrey Hepburn. As the short article states, we love her for her style, but “her heart shows that we were attracted to her for much more”. They also quote her response when she was asked to share some her beauty tips. A little taste: “For attractive lips, speak words of kindness…”

* * * * * *

Want more boho? Check out their website, bohomag.com. You can also subscribe to the magazine on the site, which I definitely recommend!

Happy Reading!

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Save the planet. While wedding planning.

Here are a few quick tips for a little green wedding planning. They are pretty obvious, but sometimes simply overlooked.

1. Attend a bridal fair. At these fairs (or shows), you get to see a good number of vendors. You can talk to them face to face, ask questions, gather information, etc., meaning you save a little energy that you would otherwise be spending on your computer. (You’ll see lots of other fabulous uses your computer and the internet can play in planning in points 2-5.)

2. Collect as few brochures, hand outs, business cards (etc.) as possible. Help save those wonderful trees and just skip the photographer’s high gloss photo paper, three page hand out. A few minutes on the internet will likely give you the same information without using those resources.

3. Schedule appointments on the same day and in a smart logistical path. Instead of going to and from your house every time you have a vendor meeting, why not make a circle and get them all finished in one trip? Plus, you’ll use less gas which means more money for the wedding!

4. Do as much record keeping online or on your computer as possible. There is no need to print out your vendor contact list every time you add to it or discover a mistake. Just keep track with your computer!

5. Use your internet resources. Instead of rushing out and buying tons of books for ideas, tips, and inspiration, just look online! A favorite resource of ours? Wedding Blogs (of course!). But there are lots of other sites that can help track your information, give you ideas, and help you find what you’re looking for.

Best wishes in your green endeavors!

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Feeling Charitable?

Giving back is always a good thing. Your wedding is a perfect opportunity to give to your favorite charitable organizations by either giving a donation on behalf of your guests or registering for donations as opposed to the traditional items like blenders and toasters.

Below we have listed some resources to help you find the charities that are right for you - organizations that work and fight for something that you also believe in and are passionate about.

Brides Against Brest Cancer

Want to make that wedding gown really mean something? Yes, of course, you wore it on the day you tied the knot, but do you ever plan on wearing it again? Probably not. So donate it and give those loosing their fight against breast cancer a chance to make some of their biggest dreams come true. Side note: the donation, including shipping, is tax deductible.

I Do Foundation

Put together by a group of nonprofit leaders, this resource helps you find a way to give back, whether it’s through your gift registry, as wedding favors, or even giving back when ordering your invitations!

Just Give

Their mission: Dedicated to creating comprehensive tools and services to make charitable giving a part of everyday life, JustGive is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase charitable giving by connecting people with the charities and causes they care most about.

Charity Navigator

Their mission: Charity Navigator works to guide intelligent giving. We help charitable givers make intelligent giving decisions by providing information on over five thousand charities and by evaluating the financial health of each of these charities. We ensure our evaluations are widely used by making them easy to understand and available to the public free of charge. By guiding intelligent giving, we aim to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace, in which givers and the charities they support work in tandem to overcome our nation’s most persistent challenges.

Happy Giving!

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Paper Flowers

Years ago I saw a episode of Martha Stewart where her guest was a women that made, yes made, all of her flowers…out of paper! She would make a few here and there when she had some time and saved them up. By the time the wedding day rolled around, she had completed all that she needed!

There is no reason, if you so desire, that you couldn’t do the very same thing! Or perhaps you like the idea but do not wish to deck out your entire day in paper flowers - simply apply where you feel necessary!

Bridal and Bridesmaids bouquets

Found on Oh Joy, made by Kinzie Kate

Boutonnières

Found on Caroline Armijo

Corsages

Found on Instructables

Flower Girl’s carrying item

Found on Matthew Mead Style

Centerpieces

Found on Style Fragments

Favors for your guests

Found on Martha Stewart

Looking into paper flowers? Start with the Paper Source. I simply adore the store, but in the paper flower department, they are a great resource. Check them out!

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Fab Favor Idea

I saw this fabulous post about shower favors on Perfect Bound. I LOVE the teacup candles. There is just something so elegant about good old fashion, girlie teacups! The idea originally comes from the Martha Stewart wedding crew (I won’t lie - I love almost everything they come up with!).

For the DIY bride, this would make a perfect project for a Saturday afternoon. Start collecting tea cups and saucers from thrift stores and yard sales (NOT from Grandma’s cupboards and shelves…even though that’s where all the good ones are!). Practice making a few candles (that wax is HOT) before you produce the “real deals”.

Once the candles have been used, you can turn that tiny treasure into something else that is useful and functional. My favorite idea also comes from Martha and Emily (Eco-Chic Bride): using the cups and saucers as containers to store or display your jewelry!

Like Emily also suggests, whip out that green thumb and put a little plant in it. Or, simply use it for a small centerpiece container full of flowers and/or greenery.

And if you’re really adventurous, perhaps during a post-wedding craft session you could attempt a teacup chandelier! The image below is in fact a teacup chandelier that hangs in Petit Four Cakes in Dallas.

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Fab Find: Botanical Paper Works

Two things I really like: paper and flowers. So guess why I love Botanical Paper Works? They have cleverly combined the two in their fabulous Seed Paper! Like the site says, they are beautiful, handmade, plantable, and eco-friendly. These little pieces of fun consist of paper with seeds “baked” right in - they can go from part of the paper ensemble to a plant in the ground for the receiver to enjoy year round.

Botanical Paper Works offers everything from every-day stationary to birth announcements to wedding invitations. And the best part of all of them? They can be planted to sprout some beautiful flowers. Check out these examples!

The Love Tag Seeded Favor and Placecard

Share & Blossom Plantable Favor

Butterfly in Flight Favors

And for the babies…

(There is no reason these couldn’t act as bridal shower invitations if you can get the wording just right!)

Bella Butterfly Announcements

And last but not least, for the lovers…

Plantable Valentine’s Day Cards

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Some fun little articles

I’m a big supporter of young people getting out there and doing everything they possibly can to reach their goals. Go young people!

So, when one of my gal pals, Sarah, sent these articles written by students at the University of Missouri - Columbia, I was thrilled to be able to give these new writers a little “face time” on WeddingFanatic!

Read on for some great ideas and info!

Check out Wedding Trends of 2008: a short and sweet article that talks about what’s “now” as far as cakes, dresses, flowers, and favors. Written by Brooke Fletcher, Gabriela Lessa, Jacqueline Potoczek, and Megan McCalla.

Want to know what it’s like planning a wedding from the Wedding Planner’s side? Take a look at “Spill It: Debbie Hake” as writer Allison Bennett asks Mrs. Hake, a wedding planner in Columbia, Missouri questions from “Why should people use planners?” to “Is your job anything like J.Lo in ‘The Wedding Planner’”.

Searching for a honeymoon destination? Click on over to “Just Married“, where writer Gabriela Lessa breaks down the year into months and gives some of the hottest spots to honeymoon for each. Just reading makes me want to pack my bags and hop a plane to an exotic location.

Here’s what’s up with real-life bride, Nichole Wade, and the things she has learned since she started planning her wedding. Check out and lean from Nichole in her “Weddings: I didn’t know that…“.

And here is a great article about what to avoid on your wedding day. Paula Baker gives all brides (and grooms) a few reminders that will come in handy as The Day approaches. I must say one thing, though, about her #10: If the two of you do so decide to bounce down the aisle in tennis shoes, go for it. I’m a fan of the Converse look for the groom and his men, but hey, whatever floats your bridal boat!

And perhaps one of my favorites, by Jacqueline Potoczek, “Weddings Go Green“. She has some great ‘net resources from organicbouquet.com to ecoparti.com, and a few other tidbits about keeping your wedding green!

To contact the authors:
Jacqueline Potoczek - jap26b@mizzou.edu
Allison Bennett - acb4hf@mizzou.edu
Nichole Wade - nlwdz6@mizzou.edu

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