Simple Summer Tips from BeGreenNow

Summer is coming fast and here are some great tips from BeGreen to help you stay cool and be green this summer.

BeGreen (http://www.begreennow.com/) is one of the country’s leading carbon offset providers.

BeGreen has put together the following tips to help them save the planet and “look cool” doing it.

Sure, we know that taking steps to cool down Mother Earth needs no reward, but there’s no harm in making oneself seem a little more hip in the process:

Become A Groupie for “Green” Artists

If your iPod playlist is getting stale, download the latest hits from trendy “green” artists like Radiohead, Jack Johnson and G Love & Special Sauce.

These and other artists have become known for their efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their concerts through activities such as running tour buses on eco-friendly bio-fuels, avoiding plastics, using solar powered sound and stages and offsetting travel with carbon offsets.

G. Love & Special Sauce has taken the environmental message to social networking by setting up MySpace pages devoted to “green” initiatives and using video (http://www.myspace.com/glovebegreen) to educate fans about way to make a difference.

By buying their music, you’ll also be supporting earth-loving causes.

Scoot Around On Greener Wheels

Once considered an eyesore, the Toyota Prius is the vehicle of choice for Hollywood stars like Jennifer Aniston and Leonardo DiCaprio.

But if a Prius isn’t a person’s cup of tea, there are a number of “green” vehicle alternatives like scooters, other hybrids, or the Smart Car. Even tough guys like Mickey Rourke have been spotted scooting around town in eco-friendly Vespa scooters. Best of all, you’ll save a lot of green by making the switch.

Eat and Be Seen At Green Eateries

Eco-friendly eateries are all the rage. And, not by any coincidence, these “green” food spots tend to be some of the places where all the “cool kids” hang out. Places that promote themselves as vegetarian or use organic products are a good start, but even those shops that buy their produce, meat and fish from local sources save the pollution created from shipping food from different parts of the country.

With a little searching, it isn’t hard to find a handful of local “green” restaurants and cafes that you can incorporate into your dining out routine – starting you on the path to coolness.

Bag the Handbag

Whether you’re doing some shopping, going to the gym or simply strolling the beach, eco-friendly totes, made from recycled materials, provide an easy way to make an impact – and look cool doing it.

Perfect for summertime and designed as environment-loving alternatives to plastic grocery bags, “green” bags, like the BeGreen Pod can update your wardrobe while being fun and functional. And they’re cheap chic, to boot – most are under $15.

Win 250 Greeting Cards from Uprinting.com

• Want to win 250 greeting cards?

Uprinting.com is offering one lucky winner 250 greeting cards for free, all you have to do is pay shipping.

Uprinting is making the effort to be a green business through sustainable practices and offering the options of recycled paper content, soy and vegetable inks.

From the website- "UPrinting.com recognizes the importance of everyone doing their part to help the environment. We are committed and have taken steps forward to truly offer an environmentally friendly green printing service and not just a hot new buzz word. "

They proudly use vegetable-based inks which have lower levels of VOC than traditional petroleum inks and they coat most of their prints with non-toxic water-based aqueous (AQ) coating to improve bio-degradability of the products and improve print drying times.

UPrinting.com also recycles all unused paper scraps, printing plates and ink waste.

I love companies that make the effort to go green!

About UPrinting.com

For over 25 years, UPrinting has been a trusted leader in Online Printing , featuring its signature easy-to-use website and the famous free file review, a complimentary proofing service which requires no upfront payment. UPrinting offers convenient marketing support services such as design, lists, and direct mailing to help grow small and medium-size businesses nationwide.

UPrinting.com's high quality printing services include Greeting Card Printing, Envelope Printing, brochures, canvas prints and more, all at the most affordable prices.

How to Enter

1. Leave a comment at the end of the blog post, describing what you would use the free greeting cards for.

2. You must then make a blog post on your own blog about the contest and include the URL of the post along with your comment to be eligible to win.

Prize

250 greeting cards for one winner

Rules

Printing is free, winners only have to pay the shipping fee

Winner will be chosen two weeks from today on Monday May 11th!

Happy Earth Day Everyone!

Today is the greenest day of all, Earth Day.

Of course we should care and be as concerned about the Earth everyday but today we celebrate it and hope that the awareness lasts with us the rest of the year.

Please drop by some of the green sites and links to the right in my sidebar. Many green sites are offering giveaways, steals, deals and loads of green information. Support the green economy and see what everyone has to offer.

Butterfly Effects Soy Candles

Butterfly Effects offers beautiful soy candles perfect for gift giving, home decor and for decorating your green wedding.

Butterfly Effects soy candles come in tumblers as well as in little glass jars with lids. They come in several sizes and a multitude of yummy fragrances.

Why Soy?

Paraffin candles are often made from petroleum by-products dependant on foreign oil. Soybeans are grown here right i the US and are a renewable resource. Not only that soy wax is safe, eco-friendly, and if you cause a spill it is an easy clean up.

Another great thing about soy candles? No harmful soot to clog your lungs.

They also burn 30-50% longer than regular candles. Which means more burn time for your buck.

All Butterfly Effects candles are handcrafted, made with lead free cotton wicks and natural soy wax from American farmers, with hand selected fragrance oils insuring that you get high quality, fresh candles.

Butterfly Effects candles are also dye free so you get a purely natural candle experience.

I personally love the selection of aromas available: Eden's Apple, Black Currant and Nectarine, Cool Citrus Basil, Green Tea and Lemongrass, Honeydew Melon, Lavender Vanilla, Moon Lake Musk, Ocean Breeze, Strawberry Shortcake, Tuscan Melon and Apricot, White Tea and Berries and several others.

They all sound so delicious I want to fill my home with their heady, natural aromas. I have Eden's Apple and Honeydew melon- both which smell absolutely divine before, during, and after burning. And they are in adorable little jars with lids.

Their signature soy candles would look lovely on your wedding tables and come in three different sizes: 5 oz, 9 oz and 15 oz.

If you aren't looking for lidded candles check out the tumblers which come in 7.5 oz and 14 oz sizes.

New Places The Everything Green Wedding Book is Mentioned

I just received my copy of The Georgetowner today -I was interviewed for an article on green weddings for the publication. Very cool.

Scanning the web today I also found these mentions:

My book made it in the Columbia Daily Tribune's Literary Links for the month of April, "Each month, the Columbia Public Library offers a selection from its collection related to a current best-seller or hot topic. Reference librarian Svetlana Grobman compiled this month’s selection."

And I'm #5 on this top ten wedding book list, woo hoo!

I also found myself mentioned in quite a few green resources for libraries. That's awesome.

New Products in My Etsy Store

I have several new wedding products in my Etsy store drop by and check them out. http://www.wildrosegarden.etsy.com/

SPIRIT BEAUTY LOUNGE OFFERS CUSTOM GIFTS AND FAVORS FOR GREEN BRIDES

Here's a press release I received. Green Brides in New York may find this very interesting.

(New York) – For a truly custom green wedding, brides can do their one-stop-shopping for gifts and favors at Spirit Beauty Lounge, which offers custom party favors and gift packages for the green bride’s wedding, shower, and event needs.

Spirit Beauty Lounge allows customers to choose from four eco-friendly packaging options including fair trade recycled paper gift bags, recycled jewelry boxes, recycled pillow boxes with organic cotton, and sustainable raffia ribbon. Then choose any combination of luxury organic products from the site’s entire inventory to create a custom bag or box.

Some of Spirit Beauty Lounge’s favorite favors include All The Better To Kiss You With organic lip balm tins in peppermint, lavender vanilla, chai, or pomegranate. Dirt Organic soy tea light candles in a variety of natural aromas including “Wedded Bliss” and “Open Arms.” Skinny Skinny organic bar soaps are beautifully wrapped in pages from discarded books.

In addition to sample size bath and body and skin care products that make great favors, Spirit Beauty Lounge can also custom order organic chocolates and other items from its vendors, or integrate other items at the brides’ request into the favor sets at no additional service charge.
Spirit Beauty Lounge can custom-fill most favor sets for up to 200 guests within 2 to 4 weeks.

Spirit Beauty Lounge is the only carbon-neutral online boutique for luxury green, organic and cruelty-free beauty and lifestyle products.

The company was launched in fall 2008 as a one-stop shop for organic and sustainable beauty products from companies with clearly defined humane, ethical, and environmental policies. Spirit Beauty Lounge also carries recycled and vintage jewelry, hard-to-find European skincare lines and non-toxic household cleaning products.

SpiritBeautyLounge.com was founded as a place to shop online for the best in organic beauty and lifestyle products safely, knowing they’ve done the research for you.

Artist, activist, and beauty school dropout turned “beauty warrior,” founder Spirit Demerson has spent years searching for effective organic beauty products. Frustrated by the less-than-luxurious selection available at natural foods markets and misleading labels at drugstores, she decided to become an expert, spending hours obsessively researching ingredients and often mixing up batches of lotions and potions in her kitchen.

At Spirit Beauty Lounge, the product selection process involves countless hours of research and testing based on their “3P” scoring system:

· Performance: a product should do what it promises and do it well, period.
· Potency/purity: Spirit Beauty Lounge demands the highest possible percentage of organic or biodynamic, active ingredients.
· Presentation: packaging must be beautiful as well as biodegradable or recyclable.

Spirit Beauty Lounge discusses all aspects of manufacturing and production with its vendors to ensure that no sweatshop labor was used and fair trade claims are certified; products and ingredients were not tested on animals and do not contain inhumane animal byproducts; and products are manufactured, sourced, and transported with minimal impact. Featured brands include: Acquarella, Alima Pure, Alkemie, Alex and Ani, Amazon Beauty, CTonics, Ila, Intelligent Nutrients, Jurlique, Lulu Organics, Nahui Ollin, Nvey Eco, Organic Apoteke, Patyka, Priti, Suzanne Aux Bains, Tsi-La, and more.

The site rivals the big box beauty stores by offering services like a live personal shopper and live chat customer service, free shipping offers, and free samples with every order.

Spirit Beauty Lounge’s shipping and office facilities are powered by 100% Green-e certified renewable wind and hydro energy, and the Web site is hosted with 100% solar energy. The company ships and gift wraps using only biodegradable or recycled materials, and offers carbon offsetting for the shipping footprint of every purchase.

Spirit Beauty Lounge also makes efforts to reduce its own carbon footprint. As a member of 1% for the Planet, the company donates 1% of sales to a network of 1,458 environmental organizations worldwide, and its annual donation to Carbonfund.org supports carbon-reducing projects like renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reforestation projects.

Spirit Beauty Lounge can be reached at (888) 409-8889 or www.spiritbeautylounge.com.

Green Wedding Article in Trumbull Times

Kate Harrison author of The Green Bride Guide and I were interviewed for this article in the Trumbull Times by Stacy Maxwell.

Download a pdf here at Kate's website.

Kate is really great with statistics and tips, you should check out her website. She also has photos from couples that have had green weddings and have shared their own ideas and tips. It's a great place to learn more about green weddings...from someone that has actually had a green wedding.

My own wedding was greenish back in 2003 but green was not all the rage yet back then and almost unheard of here in Flint, MI by anyone except die hard greenies.

I borrowed and rented a lot of things and used all local services, family and friends. We did a lot of DIY stuff. Like I did all my flowers and centerpieces and my unity candle arrangement.

My husband's family did the catering.

Our wedding and reception were in the same location (and only about two miles from our house) in a building that stays decorated for weddings so we had to provide minimal stuff, centerpieces were pretty much was all we added which were floating candles in glass bowls (which have been used and reused multiple times for parties and other weddings) on top of mirrored tiles.

I also bought bouquet holders and clips and after the ceremony my bouquet and all my attendants' bouquets (five) were placed in the holders at the present table and across the front of the bridal table. The six bouquets in clips and stands added beautiful double duty decor without spending extra.

I also reused the two flower girl baskets by placing them on a table as decorations.

Things I couldn't make myself I bought from artisans that handmade them like my castle guest book and castle cake topper. (We had a fairytale theme.)

Even our (one night) honeymoon was close to home, only about an hour drive from our house.

We saved a fortune by staying close to home and going DIY, we also saved a bunch of resources.

Turtle Love Committee: Diamond Free Affordable Wedding Rings

Turtle Love Committee offers gorgeous rings at super affordable prices-all diamond free.

You have got to check out some of the rings-they are stunning. I wouldn't mind having a few myself. I am a huge sterling silver fan and I love garnets which are featured in a couple of the rings. If you are on a tight budget and think you can't afford gorgeous wedding rings think again. Some of the sterling silver bands are as low as $50. Wow. And they are super beautiful.

Read more about Turtle Love in their press release below:

"Even in this tight economy, people are still getting engaged. But these days, couples are looking for value and timelessness, and it has become tacky to flaunt “bling.” As a result, non-diamond engagement rings are gaining popularity."

"Turtle Love Committee is an online jeweler that has embraced that back-to-basics approach. The Portland-based company focuses exclusively on non-diamond engagement rings and wedding bands at prices between $100 and $200."

“Orders are coming in from all over the country,” says Adrianne Zahner, the company’s founder.

"The Turtle Love Committee collection includes a wide range of styles, all in sterling silver: there are vintage replicas, classic solitaires, organic designs and modern pieces."

"Non-diamond engagement rings are not a new phenomenon. Johanna Farrell of Bellingham, Washington, has worn a garnet solitaire much like ones in the Turtle Love Committee collection since she and her husband became engaged in 1978. She says she loves her ring “because it is a reflection of who we are as a couple. I like knowing that my husband and I put creative thought into the ring I’d wear for the rest of my life.”

"Other jewelers have also reported an increase in sales of non-diamond engagement rings. Nina Dinoff, a New York jeweler, has been selling rings from her accessories collection to couples who plan to wear them as engagement and wedding rings. “I asked one client if he’d like me to use diamonds instead of small gold balls in the setting, and he said no, his fiancée would love it just the way I’d designed it,” Dinoff marveled.

"Turtle Love Committee was founded last year by Zahner, 29, an attorney who was alarmed by her colleagues’ subtle competition to have the best or the biggest diamond engagement ring. She chose the name “Turtle Love Committee” because she liked the “TLC” acronym and the imagery of a group of wise elders dedicated to promoting love."

"According to Zahner, an engagement ring from Turtle Love Committee’s collection “is priceless - it represents a huge emotional commitment, not a huge financial commitment.”

For more information about non-diamond engagement and wedding rings, visit Turtle Love Committee online at http://www.turtlelovecommittee.com/. "

Gearing Up for Earth Hour

Less than an hour to go, in fact in about 35 minutes EST it will be Earth hour. I pledged to turn off my lights. Did you?

My house will be dark. I am pulling out flashlights and soy candles as we speak.

Time for spooky stories and shadow puppets with the kids.

Earn a Free Honeymoon with Hyatt

Book a dream wedding at Hyatt and earn complimentary nights toward an unforgettable resort honeymoon in the U.S., Mexico or Aruba

CHICAGO (March 25, 2009) – Couples who celebrate the start of many memorable years together with an extraordinary wedding at a stunning Hyatt hotel or resort in the U.S.; Canada; Cancun, Mexico; or Aruba will receive complimentary nights towards a honeymoon at a participating resort property, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts announced today.

When qualifying charges for the wedding or commitment ceremony total the following minimum amounts on the master bill, couples will receive complimentary nights at participating Hyatt resorts:
· Complimentary 2-night stay for wedding when master bill totals $10,000
· Complimentary 3-night stay for wedding when master bill totals $20,000
· Complimentary 4-night stay for wedding when master bill totals $30,000
· Complimentary 5-night stay for wedding when master bill totals $40,000

The wedding and honeymoon offer is valid for weddings booked now through June 2010 and held by June 30, 2010. The complimentary honeymoon must be completed by July 31, 2010.

Whether a couple chooses to combine a destination wedding and honeymoon in a resort location like Hawaii, or to have a city wedding followed by a honeymoon spent relaxing at the beach or in the mountains, Hyatt’s experienced catering and event teams are available to assist in planning an unforgettable, authentic celebration. Hyatt wedding specialists can guide the couple in everything from selecting the menu to arranging accommodations and activities for family and friends, choosing flowers and finding the perfect photographer.

“Sharing memorable moments and special occasions with our guests is what motivates us the most at Hyatt,” said Scott Seed, director of leisure marketing. “We’re delighted – especially in this economic climate – that this offer will enable couples who start their lives with us to experience the honeymoon they’ve always imagined.”

To book the wedding and honeymoon offer, please call the Wedding Specialist at the desired Hyatt wedding location and reference offer code WEDNIGHTS. More information on participating hotels and resorts is available at www.hyattweddings.com.

Additional days for the honeymoon and other options can be added through the Hyatt Wedding Specialist.

The number of free room nights earned will be based on the total final bill (pre-tax, surcharges, gratuities, labor, hotel fees (i.e. daily resort fee), third-party contractors and other incidental charges not stated in sales contract) for the wedding (includes commitment ceremonies, and rehearsal dinners etc).

Free room nights are valid at any participating Hyatt resort in the United States, Cancun and Aruba. Hyatt Place, Hyatt Summerfield Suites, Park Hyatt (except Park Hyatt Beaver Creek) and Andaz hotels are not participating in this promotion.

To take advantage of the complimentary nights, the honeymoon must be booked within 30 days of signing the wedding contract. Free nights will only be issued for qualifying weddings or commitment ceremony that actualize.

This offer must be requested at time of wedding inquiry and is subject to availability of function space and guestrooms at time of booking.

The offer is not valid in conjunction with previously booked or held weddings or any other promotion or offers. Qualifying planners who are Hyatt Gold Passport members may also be eligible for Hyatt Gold Passport Planner Rewards bonus points. Full terms and conditions are available at http://www.hyattweddings.com/tc/default.asp.

Get Married On MySpace

Interactive Reality Series, Sponsored by Touchstone Pictures’ “The Proposal,” Allows Online Community to Plan The First Wedding on MySpace

Leading Wedding Site, The Knot, to Provide Editorial Content and Wedding Planning Expertise

MySpace, the world’s premier social network, and Endemol, a world leader in entertainment programming, today announced that the submission process has opened for engaged couples to win the wedding of their dreams on a new reality web series, “Married on MySpace.” The interactive online series will allow one lucky couple to receive the wedding of a lifetime while the MySpace community contributes to planning and experiencing their big day first hand.

Video submissions will be accepted on the “Married on MySpace” profile page (www.myspace.com/marriedonmyspace) through April 17. Finalists will be announced on April 24 when MySpace users will then be able to cast their vote for their favorite couple. The series will debut on MySpace in May with the announcement of the chosen couple and conclude in early August with the wedding ceremony.

Leading wedding website, The Knot, has joined on as an editorial content sponsor. As part of the cross-promotional partnership, The Knot and their team of wedding and style experts will provide planners to guide the couple throughout the process. They will also supply additional content including an application called “My Inner Bride,” allowing MySpace users to create their own bride avatars.

The interactive nature of “Married on MySpace” enables users to influence almost every step and detail of the wedding by voting on two key elements each week leading up to the big event.

The MySpace community will decide on important aspects including:

Casting the engaged couple – After submissions have ended, users will choose their favorite couple from a group of finalists to decide who will win the wedding of their dreams.

Selecting the attire – The couple will get to preview the hottest wedding attire and the MySpace community will vote for what they think should be worn.

Bachelor and Bachelorette parties – MySpace users will decide where the couple will celebrate their respective events.

Picking the wedding location – On the special day, friends and family will gather to witness the couple exchange vows, but the location will be chosen by MySpace users.

The series, consisting of 13 webisodes, will conclude with a live wedding ceremony where many key details will be revealed. The MySpace Video channel (http://www.myspace.com/video) and series profile page will spotlight a variety of exclusive series content including profiles of the wedding party, behind-the-scenes video footage, and blogs from the winning couple chronicling all the highs and lows that come along with planning a wedding.

Touchstone Pictures’ upcoming film The Proposal is sponsoring the “Married on MySpace” series. The film stars Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, Denis O’Hare, and Betty White, and is directed by Anne Fletcher. The Proposal focuses on high-powered book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) who faces deportation to her native Canada. The quick-thinking exec declares that she’s engaged to her unsuspecting put-upon assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), who she’s tormented for years. He agrees to participate in the charade, but with a few conditions of his own. The film opens nationwide on June 19.

MySpace Video is the video destination for the MySpace community. The platform aggregates the best elements of professional, licensed and user-generated content to enhance the user’s experience and enables them to view, create and share videos in a new way within the MySpace community.

2009 Green Boston Wedding Giveaway

8 eco-passionate wedding vendors have decided to join forces and sponsor a green wedding giveaway in Boston.

They're looking for engaged couples to write in and tell them about the ways they incorporate socially and environmentally conscious behaviors into their lifestyle, and why they desire an eco-friendly wedding.

The entry deadline is April 19th.- the contest is open to all eco-friendly engaged couples regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation. Want to know more? Drop by Green Boston Wedding.

The winners will receive a prize package that includes:

• Full service wedding coordination package provided by Swank Events

• Full service photography package provided by Anne Ruthmann Photography

• An organic cake provided by the Hippie Chick Bakery

• An organic wedding gown provided by Natural Bridal Collection

• Floral design for the wedding party provided by Faxon Green

• Recycled paper wedding invitations provided by Rugg Road Paper Co.

• Transportation for 12 people via the Hybrid Tahoe Stretch limo provided by Christopher Limousine

• $500 credit towards recycled metal wedding bands

• plus free processing of any myKarat gold submitted ($250 value) provided by Green Karat jewelers

Giving Away a Copy of The Everything Green Wedding Book

Every Friday (or almost every Friday) Roxanne over at Fang-tastic Books holds an event she calls, Free Book Friday. This week to welcome in Spring I offered a copy of The Everything Green Wedding Book to be the giveaway.

It's not the type of book she normally gives away. Fang-tastic Books is a site devoted to...you guessed it, vampire books along with other paranormal types. She loves anything and everything spooky, dark and scary...as far as books go. I'm the same way and a big fan of the site and of the books. I just wouldn't want to meet any spookies, ghosts or ghoulies in real life, I prefer to keep them in the books...where they belong :-)

Anyway, drop by Fang-tastic Books and leave a comment to be entered to win a signed copy of The Everything Green Wedding Book. You have until Wednesday to enter then Roxanne will be choosing a winner.

Eve Organics for Glowing Skin on Your Big Day

If you are looking for one of the best all natural skincare lines and the absolute best mineral makeup you have got to check out Eve Organics.

They have natural skin care products and fabulous mineral makeup that will leave your skin glowing.

I admit I was skeptical. I have heard all the hype about minerals for awhile now but had only tried a powder that wasn't very good. Then I got Eve Organics mineral foundation...WOW! My skin looked better than ever.

"Eve Organics’ mineral makeup contains all natural, aluminum free titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which provide natural broad spectrum sun protection without irritating chemicals. The zinc oxide also provides anti-microbial properties. It feels light on the skin, is perfect for all skin types (including rosacea, acne, dry, sensitive and post-laser treated skin) and never tested on animals. It is suitable for all skin types and is shown to promote certain types of healing. Because mineral powders are inorganic and contain no moisture, bacteria does not grow and therefore no preservatives are needed. "

I love the stuff and I can't think of anything better to wear for your wedding for natural brides or any brides.

Just make sure to experiment for a couple weeks before the wedding to get the hang of wearing mineral cosmetics, it is different than applying regular make up.

Beautiful Wedding Rings by Payson Jewelry

If you are looking for something different when it comes to your engagement or wedding bands, check out Payson Jewelry.

These handcrafted beauties are simply stunning...and eco-friendly too. "All of the jewelry is locally made by Payson Cooper or other small family owned businesses in New York City, and, except for chains and a few parts, all of the jewelry is Eco-friendly. The sterling silver has a recycled metal content of over 92%, while the 14K gold has over 78% recycled metal content. Payson also uses recycled, US made packaging whenever possible and is dedicated to being as green in every business practice as possible."

Very eco-cool, Payson.

Payson's rings are so extraordinary. This is the stuff I was looking for when I got married but couldn't find it anywhere.

Check Out Some of My Green Wedding Articles and Craft How To's

Brides are Going...Going....Green

Easter Baskets Get Wedding Makeovers

DIY Flower Girl Baskets

Use the Three R's to Green Your Wedding

Tin Pail Transformed into a Flower Girl Basket

Creatively Green Weddings

I was Quoted in an Article in Shoestring Magazine

Check out this article at Shoestring Magazine: Weddings on a Shoetring: DIY Decorating. I was interviewed for the article and quoted in it.

Make Your Wedding Day a Charitable Event with JustGive.org

"As wedding season nears, couples everywhere are planning their perfect weddings and looking for ways to creatively stretch their budget to make them special.

For the all-important day to share and declare love, no wedding detail is too small or insignificant. The ceremony and celebration are full of meaning. Expressing their unique union. Making priceless memories. Starting their life together as one.

With JustGive.org, couples can easily make their ideal wedding a reality with several budget-friendly and eco-chic choices:

1. Thank guests in a personal and lasting way. Make a heartfelt donation as a Wedding Favor and honor a loved one's memory or donate to a cause the two of you care deeply about. It's the type of favor that says a lot about how you're starting life together: giving back.

2. Create a Charitable Wedding Registry and offer guests a meaningful and affordable gift option. In only three steps (create account, wedding details, add charities), JustGive lets you customize a wedding page that tells friends and family why giving to charity is important to both of you. We take care of the details and make it a cinch to announce the registry and keep track of gifts. You receive a distinct link that takes guests directly to your registry (easy to add to your wedding website too), and emails from JustGive inform you when donations are made. Your thank-you list is simple; all gifts are conveniently recorded online, in a password-protected account.

3. Share the love with your wedding party. Donate to their favorite cause or give them personal GiveNow charity gift cards they can use to support a cause that means the world to them.

Guests appreciate that donations made through your Wedding Registry are tax deductible, including the five-dollar transaction fee. This nominal fee, less than typical shipping charges for traditional gifts, helps support JustGive's services and ensures that more of every dollar donated goes directly to those who need it.

More than 18,000 wedding donations honoring 2,000 JustGive couples have raised nearly $1.5 million for charity in the last six years. Shara S., of Elverson , Pennsylvania , attended a friend's wedding where donations were made to the families of fallen solders and loved the idea of making her own wedding favors a meaningful charitable gift to help others. She described the process as "hassle-free and so worth it," saying it "beat any mints, picture frame, or wine stopper you can buy."

For couples looking for more earth-friendly and charitable options, JustGive's Wedding Center offers additional ideas—from selecting a "green" reception site to donating leftovers to help the hungry to asking that wedding vendors donate a portion of their fee to charity."

Last year, we expanded the site to make it easier for engaged couples to include charity as part of their special day," comments Founder Kendall Webb. "We added more options for personalizing gifts, more creative ideas for giving, and more convenient ways to find charities where their wedding gifts can make a difference."

San Francisco-based JustGive.org, started in 2000 by Harvard graduate Kendall Webb, was among the first nonprofit organizations to harness the power of the Web for charitable purposes. JustGive is guided by its mission to connect people with the causes they care about most. The destination for online charitable giving, JustGive.org has been recognized by Forbes as one of the Best of the Web. "

Something Blue for Brides that are a Bit Naughty and Wild

Now I had to laugh at this, who would think of something this wild and crazy for brides?

A bride is the picture of innocence and virtue, that is what the white symbolizes. Then there's the old rhyme...something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue...and for the blue you get this....

Malibu Betty, a fun and sexy blue color for the hair down there.

Malibu Betty Blue allows brides to let their nether regions match one of the oldest wedding traditions! How outrageous is that?

This fun shade of blue hair dye will let brides walk down the aisle feeling sexy and confident...and more than a little naughty. This is definitely for the brides that like to walk on the wild side.

The Malibu Betty Blue product is also the perfect bachelorette party gift that won’t break the bank.

And won't the new hubby be surprised when he unwraps his bride and finds...something blue.