Wedding Ideas That Glitter

Plan a wedding that sparkles and shines! What bride couldn’t use a bit of shimmer on her special day? From decorations to attire to stationery, these are some fabulous wedding ideas that glitter.

The most obvious place to use sparkle is the wedding attire. There are so many ways that hints of shimmer and shine can be added that a bride can really feel like a star by the time everything has been pulled together. A great place to begin is with the wedding gown. For a very subtle shine, choose a silver metallic embroidery on a fabric with a gorgeous glow, such as sumptuous silk satin. When you want a bit more shimmer, it is time to incorporate additional embellishments. Sequins and rhinestones are options, and then there is the gold standard for sparkle: Swarovski crystals. Clear or “ab” finished crystals are stunning when used for beading on a wedding gown. If you want a silvery icy sparkle, opt for mirror back Swarovski crystals. They are available in a variety of shapes, such as tiny round discs, little flowers, or Art Deco inspired square mirror back crystals, which make divine decorative buttons.

Naturally, the bridal accessories are another great place to add glitter and glamor to the wedding. Start with stunning crystal bridal jewelry, which can be created in any number of styles from modern to classic to vintage. A beautiful set of crystal bridal jewelry will make any bride feel like royalty on her wedding day! Next layer in a tiara, comb, or set of hairpins with crystals and mirror back crystals to bring that wonderful shine to your hair. And don’t forget a pair of wedding shoes with sparkly details so that you shine from head to toe on your wedding day.

Make your wedding invitations shimmer with the addition of metallic accents. There are many possibilities, from a metallic silver ribbon wrapped around the center of the stationery to a silver envelope lining. A silver star motif (or a snowflake for a winter wedding) is another marvelous idea. For the diy bride, a really cool idea is to create your own glitter edged invitations. Take heavy white or pale blue cardstock, print your invitation wording, and then mask off a narrow border around the edge with painter’s tape. Apply white glue to the very edge of the paper, and then cover heavily with silver glitter. Once it has dried, remove the tape to reveal your very own custom glitter border. It is so simple to do, yet the effect is absolutely spectacular.

Glitter can be used to great effect for diy wedding decorations, as well. Try dipping branches into glue and covering with shimmering silver glitter for a fabulous addition to centerpieces and ceremony arrangements. This works beautifully in combination with very tall floral displays. Or use tall clear vessels for your centerpieces and fill them with a sparkling element. Crystals in either an “ab” finish or your wedding color look incredible in the bottom of a clear vase, especially when surrounded by low votive candles.

A variation on this concept would be to fill the tall vessel with glittering balls in either a metallic like silver or bronze or in your wedding colors. Christmas ornaments work well for this purpose; simply remove the metallic tops and arrange them so the openings at the top of the balls are hidden. When done in a color like pink, purple, or lime green, these glittery balls are festive and fun for any season, not just around Christmastime.

There are so many ways to add glitter to your wedding that you may find it hard to choose between them. If you opt for small touches of glitter and shimmer, you can use them throughout your entire wedding without it being too much sparkle (as if there were such a thing!). Nothing says celebration quite like a bit of sparkle!

Let us know if you need assistance in any area of planning your wedding.Take advantage of Bridget’s experience helping clients select crystal bridal jewelry and other accessories. For the best selection of handmade bridal jewelry, visit us at http://silverlandjewelry.com/, where all jewelry orders over $99 ship at no charge.

Purple Wedding Centerpiece Ideas

Purple flowers are one of the top wedding decorations. Happily, there are gorgeous purple flowers available in every season. Here are some great purple wedding centerpiece ideas for any time of the year.

In spring, there will be an abundance of lovely purple flowers from which to choose, ranging from lilac to deep plum, and everything in between. Bulbs are among the most popular spring blossoms, and many of them do come in a shade of purple. Tulips are iconic of spring and rebirth, and a very simple idea for a centerpiece is to arrange a simple bouquet of elegant purple tulips in a clear glass vase. It is not particularly fancy, but the flowers themselves are so perfect that they need little adornment.

A beautiful idea for a purple centerpiece for an afternoon wedding in the spring would be to plant a collection of hyacinth flowers in a white ceramic pot. For a more casual effect, purple hyacinth planted in a wooden box whitewashed in white or pale green would be lovely. They would also make a great parting gift for guests to take home at the end of the reception. A more lush spring centerpiece design idea is to take an abundance of lavender colored sweet peas and combine them with lilac roses, white peonies and some trailing greens. Arrange loosely in a tall footed urn for a breathtaking centerpiece.

Summer also offers some great options for purple wedding centerpieces. Many brides enjoy planning weddings which feature a range of purples throughout. For instance, the bridesmaids might wear lavender chiffon dresses with plum bridesmaid jewelry sets (or vise versa; rich plum bridesmaid dresses with pastel sets of jewelry). A mixture of purples in one centerpiece is another great way to create depth and interest with your signature color. Try combining dark purple mini irises with medium purple freesia, roses, and fragrant lavender for a beautiful centerpiece. Or create a classic table arrangement with pinky-purple hydrangeas, lavender roses, and lilac parrot tulips.

When people think of fall weddings, the colors that come to mind are often reds, yellows, and oranges, but there are actually some wonderful purple flowers in season in the autumn. The informal look of purple asters mixed with white mums and lilac colored statice would be great for a country wedding. For even more impact, arrange the flowers in a hollowed out eggplant. For more formal weddings, create the centerpieces from bridal flowers which are available year round, such as purple roses and lisianthus.

In the winter months, weddings tend to be very elegant. A gorgeous idea for a winter wedding centerpiece would be an arrangement of deep purple orchids. Try a spray of plum dendrobium orchids arranged in a dramatic tall dark purple vase with interesting greenery for a modern and sophisticated centerpiece. Or create a rounder table arrangement by combining the orchids with burgundy carnations and deep red roses; it would be stunning for an evening reception. Orchids can also be staked and formed into breathtaking Zen inspired table decorations; try vivid purple Mokara orchids paired with bright green accent flowers.

Whatever your style and whatever the season of your wedding, there are going to be stunning purple centerpiece flowers available to you. From pale pastels to exotic dark plums, purple is one of the very favorite wedding colors for the bride with discriminating taste.

Look to Bridget for advice on planning your wedding. Check out how we can help with your bridesmaid jewelry sets at http://silverlandjewelry.com/. We are pleased to offer free crystal samples for color matching and complimentary shipping on all jewelry orders over $99.

The Beauty and Advantages of Winter Weddings

The words “Winter Wedding” evoke visions of snow, sparkles, white, and all things glamorous. Think winter wonderland, and you have an excellent theme for a wedding. There are so many things that you can do with a winter wedding, and better yet is the fact that there is no “norm”. You can be as creative as your imagination and budget will allow.

Some of the advantages to having a winter wedding include the cost. Winter is considered the “off-season” for weddings, making the cost of certain items go down. Some of the items on that list usually include the wedding location and reception hall, both of which you will be more likely to book for your desired date. Since there are fewer weddings, your date is less likely to already be booked. Another advantage to having a winter wedding is the fact that more of your family and friends may be able to attend.

One of the first decisions to make when you are planning your winter wedding is the theme. Do you want to have a general winter theme or something more specific and special? One of the most common themes is the winter wonderland theme. The winter wonderland theme is exactly what it sounds like, whimsical and majestic. Think yards of fabric (organza or tulle) draped on the ceiling and cake table. Twinkle lights lighting the room and gorgeous center pieces. Most often the colors used for this theme are white and silver, or white and pale blue. If you are really adventurous you can use all of the colors together.

Once you have decided on your theme, you need to decide on your floral arrangements. Some of the flowers that work well with winter themes are white tulips, hydrangeas, and orchids. White flowers combined with bright green foliage look beautiful.

Wedding party attire is also a big decision. With a winter theme brides may want to wear satin gloves, a faux fur wrap, or even a tiara. Think princess, and you get the idea. You can make your bridal attire as lavish and fairytale like as you wish. Once you have decided on the bridal attire, next you need to think of the other members of the wedding party. Silvers and light blues look beautiful on both bridesmaids as well as vests on the men.

Wedding favors can be especially fun with a winter themed wedding. There are so many options available. You may want to go with something as simple as a beautiful ornament, or something a little more involved like a wintery snowflake inspired candle holder. Anything that will make you think of winter is a great choice.

Whatever winter theme you may decide to go with, winter weddings are beautiful. Not only are they fun and romantic, but they also give you a great excuse to find a sunny tropical destination for the honeymoon. Using a little creativity can give you a wedding you will remember for a lifetime.

Shop Elegant and Affordable Winter Wedding Accessories

Bridal Shower Do’s and Don’ts

Bridal showers can be a very special and fun event for the bride-to-be as well as the guests. The best of them are full of laughter, love, and great memories. The worst bridal showers, however, are tacky, greedy, or rude. To make sure that your party is one of the great ones, these are some dos and dont’s for bridal shower hosts, guests, and the bride herself.

Do: Invite the women in your life to whom you feel most close. Usually only local friends are invited to a bridal shower, unless they are in the wedding party or close female relatives. Although guests will travel from far and wide to attend the wedding itself, it is not generally the same for bridal showers.

Don’t: Invite anyone to the bridal shower who will not be invited to the wedding. This is one of the worst possible types of shower faux pas. It is incredibly rude to send the message that a person is welcome to come and bring a gift for the bride, but that she is not considered to be important enough to also witness the wedding and join in the celebration at the reception. It is either an invitation to both, or to neither.

Do: Give the bride a thoughtful gift that you think she will cherish, whether or not it is from her bridal registry. Think of the registry as a great place to start, but definitely not the only possibility. Since the people at a bridal shower should be the closest friends and family of the bride, the chances are that they know her tastes, and would be able to pick out a unique gift that she will appreciate.

Don’t: Give the bride a gift that is a “gag” gift, too personal, or in questionable taste. A beautifully embroidered white silk nightgown which she can wear on her wedding night could be nice (if you know her size and taste in such things), but a really racy set of red lingerie is really just too intimate. If the bride would be embarrassed to open the box in front of her grandmother, it is too risque. Gifts such as wedding jewelry can be among the most special a bride receives at her shower, but only if the person giving it knows for certain that it is the particular wedding jewelry the bride has been wishing for to complement her bridal gown. Don’t guess; if the jewelry does not go with her gown, the bride is put in the awkward position of having to wear something that is not right or not wearing it and hurting your feelings.

Do: Designate a guest at the bridal shower (ideally one with very nice handwriting) to make a record of the gifts as they are opened. She should note the type of gift, from whom it was received, and any other special information. The bride can then use this list to write her thank you notes after the bridal shower.

Don’t: Pass around envelopes for guests to address to themselves for thank you notes. This is an alarming trend in some circles, and it is an insult to the guests. Presumably the bride and hostess know where the guests live, since they managed to send them shower invitations. What’s next, asking the guests to write the thank you notes themselves?

Some of the other things that happen at a bridal shower are more a matter of local custom than etiquette. In some families, games are played, in others they are not. Bridal showers may be formal or informal, all female or co-ed, depending on what works for the particular bride and host. None of those choices will change the good natured fun of a thoughtfully planned bridal shower.

About the Author Bridget Mora

Look to Bridget for advice on planning your wedding. Check out how we can help with your bridesmaid gifts and wedding jewelry at http://silverlandjewelry.com/. All jewelry orders over $99 receive complimentary shipping, so visit us today!

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The Etiquette of Wedding Etiquette

Weddings are one of the few times in modern life when etiquette becomes a frequent topic of conversation. As people become more and more wrapped up in the idea of planning the “perfect” wedding, there are times when etiquette ends up being used as a weapon, which is certainly not what Miss Manners or Emily Post ever intended. To help you avoid this pitfall, here is the etiquette on wedding etiquette.

One thing that is oven overlooked is that one of the primary goals of etiquette is to make life as pleasant and sociable for everyone. The whole reason behind having a set of manners is to give our society a set of agreed upon guidelines to help us act in a way that will make our daily interactions with others easy and enjoyable. To put it another way, if we did not have etiquette, everyone would have to make up their own rules as they went along, which would mean that their intentions would be unclear to everyone else. It is like visiting a foreign country with different customs; you are likely to offend people inadvertently if you are not familiar with their set of manners.

What etiquette is not is a tool to put other people down. The idea is not to be able to “catch” someone in the act of using the wrong fork, but rather to help the diners know which fork to use for which course. Once learned, basic social manners quickly become second nature, which makes life much easier. So how does this apply to wedding etiquette? For starters, it means that wedding etiquette should never be used to put someone down or humiliate them. An example of this would be the mother in law who critiques the bride’s bridal attire by saying that everyone knows that only pearls are proper for weddings. Not only would she be mistaken (crystal bridal jewelry is always appropriate too), but by trying to correct another person’s etiquette, she is showing her own lack of manners.

There certainly may be instances during the course of planning a wedding where the bride or her mother realizes that someone else is committing a breach of etiquette. The trick, then, is to graciously get them to change their plans without being rude and telling them flat out that they have no understanding of what is polite or correct. A lot of this depends on your relationship with that person. Let’s say that the bride has mentioned to her mother that she plans to include her bridal registry information on the wedding invitation. Now her mother knows that this is a horrible faux pas that will be sure to offend some of the guests. And yet, if she were to blurt out, “How rude! Don’t you know anything about proper wedding etiquette?”, that she would be breaking the rule of etiquette which says that etiquette should not be used as a club to beat a person down.

But to take no action would be to allow her daughter to do something offensive and in poor taste. The polite way to inform another of their breach of etiquette is with extreme tact and gentleness: “Darling, I am sure that it is very common these days to print the registry information on wedding invitations, but some of your older relatives will find it in poor taste. Why don’t you just put the registry details on your wedding website and I will make sure to spread the word to anyone who asks?”

Etiquette does provide kind ways to help others out of their social miscues with grace and tact. It also says that there are times (like when someone drinks the water from the finger bowl) that the best thing to do is simply to overlook an etiquette accident. Taking care to treat your family and friends with kindness is far more important than always being “correct”, which is a great lesson for everyone involved in planning a wedding.

About the Author Laura Firenze

Laura is interested in wedding planning and wedding trends including jewelry,receptions and gifts. Bridal jewelry which is handcrafted with luminous freshwater pearls or sparkling Swarovski crystals is always in good taste.

For more on wedding etiquette visit:

Plan Weddings Now for wedding guest etiquette tips.
New and Blue for rehearsal dinner attire ideas.
Utah Weddings for receiving line etiquette tips.

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Practical Wedding Gifts That Don’t Break the Bank

Attending a wedding this winter? You’re probably looking for a wedding gift. Many people get anxious about finding the “perfect” wedding gift – and some go overboard spending way more than they can afford. Especially in today’s economy that can be a big mistake. Fortunately there are some great wedding gifts that don’t break the bank. Let’s talk about some of the bride and groom’s favorites that won’t be returned or wind up in the back of a closet after the honeymoon.

Personalized Photo Album. This is one of the best gifts you can buy them. Most couples spend thousands of dollars getting the best professional photographs they’ll ever have taken in their lives at their weddings. What better way to enjoy them than in a special photo album. But that’s not the only use for a photo album they’ll have. Remember they are often taking a special honeymoon to an exotic destination, a place where they will take many photographs. This photo album could be the one they use for wedding photos or for the honeymoon. Or get them two photo albums – one for each!

Gift Certificate/Card to a Restaurant. This a perfect gift to get a newlywed couple. Many newlywed couples find that their relationship changes, that they just don’t go out on “dates” the way they used to. Your gift certificate to a restaurant is an easy way to enjoy an evening out without the added expense to the family budget. Pick a restaurant that is near their home so they don’t have to think or plan extra hard about going out. You may be surprised, but this is often one of the bride and groom’s most favorite gifts.

Cookbooks. A cookbook is an ideal gift to get a newlywed. So is a subscription to a cooking magazine. Even if the bride or groom have been living on their own for some time, getting married often means adjusting your cooking styles. A cookbook offers some ideas and suggestions to make new meals together and find great family favorite meals. You could be creating family traditional meals by giving this cookbook!

Genealogical Research. This is a fun gift to give a newly wed couple. You can find professional genealogists and online services. Many brides and grooms are curious to learn more not only about the family they’ve married into, but about their own birth families after they have married. Learning genealogy is a wonderful gift. Especially if they have children or are planning a family. This is something they will treasure as they learn about new and old family relatives.

Gas Card. While this doesn’t sound like a very exciting gift, most bride and grooms would be thrilled to see a gas card as a gift. Gas is a regular expense – and weddings are expensive. Your gas card would offer great convenience and could make the difference between taking a quick family getaway for the weekend – or not being able to do it. Most major gas stations offer gas cards.

About the Author

By Jill Renee, President of DanforthDiamond.com, a leading authority on diamond engagement rings and fine jewelry and writes about wedding planning. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Visit A Practical Wedding for interesting discussions on having a practical wedding and married life.

Practical Wedding Gifts Ideas

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Including Nieces and Nephews in Your Wedding

If you have a lot of young relations running around, you might be wondering how best to include the little ones in your wedding. Children of all ages can have a role in a wedding, and their spirit always adds something special to the festivities. These are some ideas on how to include your nieces and nephews in your wedding.

Your nieces and nephews can have a place in your wedding ceremony no matter what their age. The most common role for young children is ring bearer or flower girl. Do not feel as though you have to choose between your nieces and nephews if you have a large family. While too many bridesmaids can end up being a bit silly looking, a large group of children in your bridal party will inspire many smiles and “awwwws”. Some brides who have a very large group of young relations to include in their wedding will decide to have only a maid of honor and best man for the groom, forgoing the rest of the bridesmaids in favor of having a wedding party comprised of all of their nieces and nephews.

The most common role for young children is ring bearer or flower girl. This tends to work the best for children who are between the ages of three and eight years old. The flower girl (or girls) can either carry a small bouquet of flowers or a basket of petals to toss (if permitted by your venue). They are usually dressed in sweet little dresses with patent leather shoes and possibly wear a floral wreath in their hair. The bride should plan on giving flower girl gifts to the little ones. Traditional flower girl gifts include silver lockets or very dainty pearl pendants.

The ring bearer theoretically carries the wedding bands down the aisle to the altar (I say theoretically because the rings on the pillow are often fakes). If you had two little boys and wanted each to be a ring bearer, they could each carry a small pillow, one with the bride’s wedding band, and one with the groom’s ring (or the facsimiles). When you have a larger number of nephews, they can be pages. This works best when the wedding is a large and formal affair. Pages traditionally help to carry the bride’s train. It is very sweet when the bridal gown features a grand cathedral length train, but would be rather impractical for a little sweep train. In that case, simply have the young men dress all alike and walk down the aisle in a group. Even without a specific task, your nephews can still be a part of the fun.

Older nieces and nephews can be invited to participate in the wedding as junior bridesmaids or groomsmen. This is a bridge position for a child who is too old to be a flower girl or ring bearer, but too young to be a full fledged bridesmaid or groomsmen. The typical age range for junior attendants is around nine to fourteen. Once they are about fifteen or sixteen years old, they are ready to be regular bridesmaids or groomsmen. The junior bridesmaids will wear dresses which are similar in style to the bridesmaids’ dresses, only a more demure and age appropriate. Since mens’ formal wear varies so little, the junior groomsmen can wear the same type of suits as the groomsmen, or they can wear a jacket and trousers instead of a full suit.

Even tiny children can play a role in your wedding as long as you don’t expect things to go perfectly. There is nothing more adorable than a very young niece or nephew riding down the aisle in a fancy wagon or sleigh pulled by an older sibling. I have even seen babies pushed down the aisle in flower bedecked strollers! It is wonderful fun to include as many of your nieces and nephews in your wedding as you like.

About the Author Bridget Mora

Look to Bridget for advice on planning your wedding. Check out how we can help with your bridesmaids jewelry and flower girl gifts at SilverlandJewelry.com.

Gift Ideas for Nieces and Nephews in Your Wedding

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Wedding Ideas Weekly

There are so many helpful wedding ideas and gorgeous wedding inspiration circulating on the web via blogs, websites and social networks including Twitter and Facebook. Here are 10 of my favorites for the week:

1. Ruffled shares 15 gorgeous wedding dresses for under $500!
2. Etiquette Expert Talley Sue Hohlfeld answers the question “Must engagement-party guests be invited to the wedding?”.
3. Expert make up artist D.D. Nickel shares makeup tips for your wedding day.
4. Learn how to properly cut a wedding cake at the Austin Wedding Blog.
5. Photgrapher Michelle Hayes shares a charming, fun Rollerskating Wedding.
6. Wedding Music Unveiled shares information and a free checklist that busy couples should use before letting their Musician choose their wedding music.
7. Ajalon Printing and Design share lovely Invitations for Nature Lovers.
8. The Wedding Diva’s share gorgeous vintage-inspired birdcage veils.
9. If you’re having a vintage themed wedding and looking for a cool way to include some retro correspondence into your wedding plans, Globetrotting Bride shares a clever idea.
10. Something for the guys- The Man-gagement Ring. What an awesome way to show he’s taken!

Have a stress-free wedding planning week!

Wedding Frames – 4 Ways to Display Your Wedding Memories

Weddings are one of the most celebrated, joyous and happy celebrations that a couple experiences in their life. So, why not remember the happiness of the day with a gorgeous wedding frame? Wedding frames make fantastic wedding presents and great gifts for newlywed couples.

Here are four unique wedding picture frames that will be sure to make every wedding picture look fabulous.

Wedding Collage Frames:
Collage frames are an excellent way to display multiple wedding pictures in a single frame. These could be formal wedding portraits, candid pictures or your favorite silly picture from a disposable camera.

With wedding collage frames, you can also customize your wedding collage by using a mat. You can have guests write special messages, or write your vows, special poems or meaningful notes on your picture frame mat. You can either buy a collage frame with a mat for a personalized or casual look or select a more formal looking collage frame with framed openings.

Wedding Scrapbook Frames:
If you love creating scrapbook pages, you’ll love displaying your favorite wedding scrapbook pages in a beautiful scrapbook frame. Scrapbook wedding frames allow you to create a wedding keepsake that can protect and display your beautiful wedding memories. You can add a host of wedding keepsakes to these frames, including wedding cake napkins, vows, invitations, and much more.

There are endless options in which to create and design a scrapbook wedding photo frame and you will be able to unleash your creativity and artistic ability while sharing these memories with the people you love.

Engraved Picture Frames:
An engraved wedding frame is perhaps the most simple and best choice for a wedding gift. The three most common wedding frames for engraving are silver plated frames, pewter frames and sterling silver picture frames.

Keep in mind that when considering engraving wedding frames, the frame should be of high quality so it can be enjoyed for years to come. If you use an inexpensive metal frame or one that’s not designed for engraving it will usually result in a poor quality engraving and not give you the look you want. Only engrave a wedding frame if it’s a high quality precious metal like pewter, silver plate or sterling silver that will be kept as a wedding keepsake or family heirloom.

Wedding Shadow Boxes:
Every wedding has a lot of special keepsakes and mementos that are kept to help remember the day. From the invitations to the napkins, the figures on top of the wedding cake, and the bride’s veil, there are more than pictures that can be combined to make a wonderful and heartfelt wall display in a wedding shadow box frame.

Wedding shadowboxes are great for brides who want to capture their special day and keep their wedding mementos safe for years to come. Too often, wedding items become damaged in boxes and are never seen or appreciated. Wedding shadow box frames solve both of these problems beautifully.

By framing wedding pictures and mementos, every bride can cherish her special day and keep her memories beautifully displayed and protected for decades to come.

Autumn Lockwood is a writer for YourPictureFrames.com and is passionate about picture frames, hiking and photography. Your Picture Frames offers a large selection of unique, quality picture frames with free design assistance to help you find the perfect picture frame quickly and easily. If you’re looking for quality wedding frames as a gift or for your own wedding pictures call us toll free at 1-800-780-0699 or visit us at => YourPictureFrames.com

Visit Lazy Bride for a cute flower frame idea you can use at your wedding reception.

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Green Weddings Tips – 5 Ideas For the Eco-Chic Bride

What could make your big day even more special, beautiful and memorable? Showing that you’re stylish, eco-friendly and hip with these five tips for a fabulous green wedding.

1. Create inspired arrangements of cacti and succulents instead of using cut flowers.
Does the world really need another bridal bouquet of roses and peonies? We think not! Especially since eighty percent of cut flowers are imported all the way from South America, where they’re grown with harmful pesticides. Cacti and succulent arrangements are a unique, stylish, and eco-friendly alternative. If you’re DIY-inclined, you can create your own succulent centerpieces weeks before the wedding – they require minimal care and watering. And afterwards, you can replant them in your garden, where they’ll take root and grow alongside the marriage. Awwwww!

2. Serve delicious local, organic, sustainable foods.
Organic/sustainable food isn’t just good for the Earth – it actually tastes better too! Treat your guests to real foods that are healthy, pesticide-free and locally grown. Search online for a caterer who offers organic menu options. If you don’t find one in your area, get creative: We know one Massachusetts bride who convinced four different vendors from her local farmer’s market to cater her wedding with fresh salads and veggie dishes, locally raised roasted chicken, farm-fresh fruits and home-baked pies! Even if you don’t go totally organic, limit the number of meat items on your menu, and choose sustainably farmed, low-mercury fish and seafood.

3. Have a super-sweet hometown wedding.
The number one cause of gargantuan carbon footprints for weddings? Travel! Whether your guests arrive by car or by plane, the miles they rack up en route to your big day can add up quickly. A typical destination wedding causes 50 tons of carbon dioxide (eek!) to be emitted into the atmosphere. Choosing an event location near where most of your guests live will help cut down on their travel. And you can reduce your impact even further by buying carbon offsets to create a zero carbon wedding. Who says you need an exotic locale to make your dream day special? Create a stylish hometown wedding that incorporates unique elements from you or your fiancee’s childhood.

4. Choose a vintage engagement ring and post-consumer gold wedding bands.
There is already enough gold in the world to satisfy the demands of the jewelry industry for the next 50 years. Meanwhile, both gold and diamond mining (even of “conflict-free” diamonds) continue to poison the environment and global water supply with waste and toxins like cyanide and mercury. You can be part of the “elegant solution” by choosing a vintage engagement ring. Vintage and used engagement rings are often priced more reasonably than the new rings sold in retail stores, and come in a dazzling array of styles. And when it comes time to choose wedding bands, look for rings made from post-consumer white, yellow and rose gold.

5. Buy a gently used wedding dress, recycled bridesmaids dresses, or preowned bridal shoes.
The secondary market for wedding items is booming! Smart brides who don’t want to sacrifice style and luxury are finding gently used wedding dresses online for half their retail price. And wedding recycling doesn’t just save you money – it also reduces your wedding’s environmental impact. By buying gently used wedding items, you’ll avoid the consumption of natural resources and carbon emissions associated with the manufacture and transport of new items. And you can even sell your used wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses and accessories again after the wedding!

About the Author Tracy Dinunzio

To buy or sell a gently used wedding dress, gently used bridesmaids dresses, vintage engagement ring or used wedding ring for free – absolutely no commissions or fees – visit http://www.RecycledBride.com

Visit Green Weddings for ideas on fabulous eco-friendly dinnerware.

Eco-Friendly Favor Ideas

Natural Bamboo Eco-Friendly Coaster Favors (Four Coasters per Favor!) Price: As low as $1.50	“Tranquility” Eco-Friendly Bamboo Place Card Holder with Matching Place Cards (Set of 4) Unit Price: As low as $1.00	“In Favor of a Cure” Pink Ribbon Plantable Wildflower Favors (Set of 12) Unit Price: As low as $1.60
“Have a Blast!” Biodegradable Celebratory Wedding Poppers (Set of 12) Unit Price: As low as $0.80	“Love Rocks” Engraved and Polished Stone Price: As low as $1.60	“Shells by the Sea” Authentic Shell Placecard Holders with Matching Placecards (Set of 6) Unit Price: As low as $1.10

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