3 Everything Wedding Books for Brides to Be

The Everything Wedding Book Description: Ever since it was published as the first book in the Everything series, The Everything Wedding Book has been the go-to resource for brides-to-be. Now it's back and better than ever! Written by trusted wedding planner and expert Katie Martin, this new and improved edition includes information on: Multicultural and interfaith ceremonies Having a nontraditional wedding Floral design, with a new lighting and decor section Planning an eco-friendly wedding Using the Internet to set up a wedding website and to buy products and services From the guest list and invitations to the honeymoon and thank-you cards, this is the definitive guide for anyone planning, helping to plan, or hoping to someday plan the wedding of her dreams! About the Author Katie Martin is the president of Elegance & Simplicity, Inc., a wedding- and event-planning company that has been featured in magazines such as The Knot. Martin has appeared on the Style Network, Channel 9 (CBS) local news, and on WTOP. She is also the founder and director of the Washington D.C. Couture Wedding Consortium. The Everything Wedding Checklist Book Description: The registry, invitations, reception, flowers, rings, placecards--how's a girl to remember it all?! During this insane time when every detail seems to take on a life of its own, brides need help! This book provides solutions that target every bride's greatest worry: "Did I forget something?" Loaded with timesaving tips, this handy guide helps you stay on track and focused with checklists for: Making tough budgeting choices Determining wedding party responsibilities Choosing ceremony options Figuring seating plans Packing all that's needed for the honeymoon . . . and much, much more! With simple, step-by-step checklists for each aspect of planning the wedding of your dreams, you won't forget a single thing for your unforgettable day! About the Author Holly Lefevre is a sought-after wedding expert. Her planning expertise has earned her acclaim in TV and print media. Lefevre is the author of How to "I Do": Planning the Ultimate Wedding in Six Weekends or Less. The former editor of the Southern California magazine, Brideworld Magazine, Lefevre has appeared on Lifetime Television's The I Do Diaries: My Best Friend's Wedding and NBC's The Other Half. The Everything Bridesmaid Book Description: Dress fittings? Bridal showers? Bachelorette parties? What's a bridesmaid to do? Today's bridesmaids are finding that their brides expect help and enthusiasm when planning the best day of their lives. "The Everything Bridesmaid Book, 2nd Edition" is the perfect handbook for bridesmaids looking for practical advice on their integral role in the wedding. It features no-nonsense, updated information on how to: help her find the perfect dress; keep your bride calm on her big day; tame a 'bridezilla'; throw an unbelievable bridal shower; and, plan and survive the bachelorette party. From knowing the proper etiquette to handling any and all responsibilities that come your way, "The Everything Bridesmaid Book, 2nd Edition" is the one guide guaranteed to get you through the wedding looking like a pro.

Book Review- The Bride’s Guide to Musicians

Book Review- The Bride’s Guide to Musicians: Live Wedding Music Made Easy and Affordable by Anne Roos

Picking out the right wedding music is one of those things that can be more complicated than you would ever expect.

Other than the song my husband and I were going to dance to I had no idea what to use for the father daughter dance, the mother son dance, or any other special songs.

And then there’s trying to choose between hiring live musicians or a DJ and just not knowing how it’ll all work out.

Anne Roos has written a book that will simplify everything for the soon to be married couple. And what I think is super cool about this book- Anne Roos is a musician that I considered for my wedding. Not live since I’m in Michigan and she’s not. But she plays Celtic harp and I wanted Celtic music in my ceremony so her recordings were at the top of my list when choosing music.
She’s been playing the Celtic harp at weddings for more than 25 years and has worked with every kind of wedding—and every kind of bride Now that she’s written a book I had to check out her advice.

In this new book Anne explains how any couple can incorporate live music into their wedding—and how they can do it on almost any wedding budget. The biggest myth she dispels is that live music is more expensive than a DJ. According to her- not true.

In the book Anne will guide you through planning the music for your perfect wedding with help from her practical advice, worksheets, checklists, sample contracts, tips from other wedding professionals, and so much more.

If wedding music advice is what you need you’ll find it in The Bride’s Guide to Musicians.
Here’s just a sample of what this book will show you:

* Five principles of shopping for musicians along with the most important questions to ask
* How to save money by booking the band yourself
* How to audition musicians
* Suggestions for making the most of bridal shows
* How to spot overpriced musicians—and how to recognize a bargain
* How to work with musicians to select the songs that will reflect your personality and your wedding’s theme—and how to pick songs that will get everyone up on the dance floor

* What to include in the performance agreement
*Sample contracts you can fill in and use
* Lists of hundreds of song ideas for your ceremony and reception, grouped by style, theme, genre, and era.

That’s a lot of much needed information packed into one book- The Bride’s Guide to Musicians. I wish this book had been around when I was planning my own wedding but at least now I can recommend it to other brides.

Enter Online Photo Contest to Win $13,000 Dream Wedding and Honeymoon

Velas Resorts in Mexico are offering the chance for couples to win an all-inclusive destination wedding.

Velas Resorts have earned 26 AAA Diamond ratings and many other international awards. Their resorts include Casa Velas, a boutique adults-only hotel and ocean club located on the Marina Vallarta Golf Course; Velas Vallarta, a family-friendly all-suite resort located on 10 acres of oceanfront; and Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit on the Banderas Bay and Grand Velas Riviera Maya, with both jungle and beach settings. Velas Resorts offer packages for weddings of any size which include romantic extras like candlelit dinners and aromatherapy couples massage.

Now the Velas Resorts are offering to make wedding dreams come true with their new photo contest which opens on Valentine’s Day.

One lucky couple can win a complete, all-inclusive, luxury beach wedding at Grand Velas Rivera Nayarit and a three-night honeymoon at Casa Velas.

The grand prize winning couple will have the opportunity to stay for four days and three nights in a luxury ocean-front suite at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit and have a complete wedding ceremony with up to 8 guests that includes: a welcome dinner, a symbolic ceremony, a full wedding reception, decorations, minister, live music, wedding cake, and a three-hour open bar.

Plus the couple will receive a wedding package that includes: a photographic session by Dream Art, a 50-minute couple’s massage, a gift certificate and necklace for the bride from Diamond International, and lingerie for the bride from ëa Lingerie.

The winning couple will also receive a honeymoon complete with accommodations in a Grand Class Suite with private plunge pool, VIP roundtrip airport transportation service, a bottle of champagne or wine upon arrival, one Spa Experience for two, and gourmet dining along with premium beverages.

Second prize winners will receive a three-night honeymoon at Velas Vallarta, where they will stay in a luxury ocean-view suite and enjoy champagne, a romantic dinner, boat tour for two, and other romance amenities.

The contest is open from Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2011) to March 14th, 2011.

This contest is open to residents of USA, Canada, and Mexico who participate by sending a creative photo along with 50-100 words describing why you want to have a wedding at Velas Resorts.

For more details on how to enter the contest and submit your photo and essay, please visit http://www.velasweddings.com/.

All photos entered will be published at http://www.velasweddings.com/.

The Velas Resorts Communication Committee will choose the best 14 finalists, based on originality, enthusiasm, and emotion.

Final voting will be open to the public and the the first prize winners will be chosen from among the finalists.

Entries must be submitted between February 14th and March 14, 2011.

Public voting will occur from March 16th-31st, 2011, and the winners notified on April 1st, 2011.

BambuHome One of the Vendors That Sponsored My Mother's Wedding

Plates and Trays from BambuHome

When my mother announced soon after Thanksgiving 2010 that she was getting married in January of 2011 I was stunned- briefly.

Then I quickly got to work on planning her green wedding.

I am green partially because of my mother- the woman has always been a "save that don't throw it away repurposing person". I got that from her and she got it from her mother who lived through the Great Depression and a lifetime tough economics. Growing up my world was naturally crafty and green.

So I knew that her wedding had to be green as well.

Having a less than a little over a month I had no idea if I could pull off a green wedding. I didn't have a lot of time to do DIY projects that I normally would have done with more time. I did still manage to create all the floral arrangements and bouquets from artificial flowers I had on hand (left over from my floral design days) and I used glass bowls and mirror tiles for centerpieces that have been making the rounds from friend to family member for various parties since 1999 when my best friend originally purchased the bowls for her wedding. I added the mirror tiles in 2003 for my own wedding.

The biggest challenge other than food was the table settings- I couldn't stomach Styrofoam or plastic disposables yet with our minimal budget we couldn't afford fancy china and real silverware.

Bambuhome offered a fabulous solution with their bamboo veneerware plates.

The plates offered simple elegance and eco style while still being convenient and disposable. The larger plates were used for the buffet table while the small plates were absolutely perfect for the cake and dessert tables.

The bamboo bar trays in kiwi added a gorgeous splash of color to the tables and were perfect for holding napkins and silverware.

My mother was very pleased with the eco products and everyone at the wedding commented on how stylish and unique the plates were.

The wedding was a simple, budget and eco-friendly wedding done in record breaking time (from start to finish less than 2 months). It wasn't lavish and over the top but simple and down to earth just like my mom. It was perfect.

I can honestly say I'll be turning to bambuhome products for future events.

small cake plates and another kiwi tray from BambuHome

Your Essential Guide to Green Weddings in 2011

Your Essential Guide to Green Weddings in 2011

As a bride-to-be, you may be wondering exactly how to plan the lavish wedding of your dreams without causing a negative impact on the environment or breaking the bank. Fortunately, you have come to the right place…

1. Give thought to your guest list. Not only will it reduce stress to only invite people that you really care about, but it will also cut down on the environmental impact caused by sending extra invitations, paying for additional guests, and asking more people to travel to your wedding.
2. Ask your guests to carpool to your wedding.
3. Check out local artists to create wedding invitations, favors, and decorations for your reception.
4. Look for a wedding photographer that prints photos and albums on recycled paper.
5. Use organic disposable items like sugarcane plates and plastic supplies made of corn-based materials.
6. Choose a convenient wedding location to cut down on gas and travel costs.
7. Opt for an outdoor wedding to cut down on the use of lighting and also provide a beautiful and natural location for your ceremony.
8. If you’re having a night wedding, light the tables with candles to cut down on lighting and also create a romantic ambience.
9. Choose a location wisely that focuses on recycling and water conservation.
10. Use green transportation on your way to the church, like arriving in a new hybrid car.
11. Have your ceremony and reception in one place to reduce travel that creates excess carbon emissions.
12. Create your own wedding website to offer convenience and cut down on save the date cards, RSVP cards, registry cards, and even invitations.
13. Create your own wedding invitation design to minimize the resources used.
14. Print your wedding invitations on cotton, hemp, and bamboo products.
15. Choose a vintage gown as opposed to a brand-new, very expensive wedding dress.
16. Customize your mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress to offer a sentimental touch as you recycle old materials.
17. Consider renting a wedding gown to save serious money since you will only use it one time.
18. Purchase a wedding diamond that is certified as conflict-free.
19. Choose wedding diamonds from Australia and Canada that were mined in peaceful conditions.
20. For original wedding bands, choose wooden touch rings as an eco-friendly option.
21. Decorate your reception with potted plants instead of cut flowers.
22. Decorate your ceremony with organic candles made from soy or beeswax.
23. If you use balloons for decoration, make sure that they are FSC certified.
24. Choose a wedding vendor that caters local, seasonal, and organic foods.
25. As a healthy and environmentally conscious alternative, serve mainly vegetarian cuisine at your reception.


Not only will these innovative ideas ensure a fun and memorable wedding celebration, but they will also seriously cut down on your total budget and environmental impact!

Bethany Ramos is a professional makeup artist that also co-owns her own website, The Coffee Bump. For a great selection of the Bunn coffee maker, check out Bethany Ramos' website today.

I Planned My Mom's Real Green Wedding

I have been writing about green weddings for a couple years now but I have not put my advice into real wedding planning practice, at least not completely from start to finish, until now.


I used a lot of green ideas and DIY ways in my own wedding back in 2003 but this was before eco-friendly cups, napkins, and the like were readily available and somewhat affordable. So we did what we could with lots of DIY decorations and accessories along with many other green and greenish practices.


I've also helped many brides incorporate green and eco ways into their weddings over the years from using reusable décor to recycled materials.


Recently though I had the chance to plan a green wedding from start to finish and realized... sometimes it's not easy being green.


The biggest obstacle I encountered was time...or lack thereof.


My mother announced a couple weeks before Christmas that she was getting married- and the wedding date was set for January 15. Yikes, a little over a month to plan a wedding- with the holidays smack dab in the middle of it all. My next obstacle was discovering that due to the major economic downturn of the past few years almost all of the wedding companies I had previously worked with locally were gone. My cake lady was gone, the small bridal shops all gone, even my decorating and supply store was gone.


Keep reading here.

Decorating the Newlywed Home

After the wedding when you've sorted through all your newlywed gifts and goodies are you still lacking a few things?

Or did you receive items that just aren't your style?

Return what you can and look for items that are uniquely you online. One great place I found is AllModern.com one of the 200+ stores in the network of CSN Stores.

They have a little bit of everything for those with uniquely modern tastes.

Lamps, furniture, wallpaper, and a fabulous selection of wall art and decor

Just glancing at their site I fell in love with stick on chalkboards and sticker stick on photo frames (which I've seen featured in magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, and Women's Day) and their mirrors that come in unconventional shapes like puzzle pieces and can can dancers.

I bet there's something there that you'll fall in love with as well.

If you see something you like you don't have to wait until the wedding is over either- you can create a wedding registry with AllModern.com and any of the other CSN Stores. Pick something from any site within the CSN network of stores and add it your wedding registry.

I'm adding the photo frame stickers to my wish list. My daughter seen them in a magazine and would totally love them for her room. I bet she'd love the chalkboard too. I'd actually like it for my kitchen but I bet it wouldn't stick to my textured walls.

Do you see anything at All Modern you'd love to have?

Check Out These Interesting Ideas for a Green Wedding Shower!

A wedding shower is definitely a rite of passage, where you get to gather together with all of your closest female friends and family members to eat cake, drink punch, and maybe open up some sexy lingerie…

Still, in today’s world, you may be hoping to not only have a memorable wedding shower but also make it more eco-friendly - and here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Organic Wine Tasting: Not only is wine full of beneficial antioxidants to promote a healthy heart, but there are also many local wineries that grow organic grapes with sustainable practices that benefit the environment. If you have an organic winery nearby, consider hosting your wedding shower there for not only a fun and beautiful venue but a memorable occasion to celebrate your big day!

• Go Potluck: If you request that each guest to your wedding shower brings their favorite locally grown, organic food, you will have a great time tasting new dishes that you may have never tried before, and you will also be benefiting the environment at the same time. Simply brilliant…

• Spa Trip: Going on a girl’s day spa trip is a wonderful way to relax and curb pre-wedding jitters, so make sure to seek out a spa that uses organic and natural skin care products, as well as organic cotton in their robes and towels. This is an innovative way to beautify, relax, and be kind to the earth!

• Try Ecotourism: Ecotourism is an interesting industry that is rapidly growing, and you can easily book a green and environmentally conscious weekend getaway online. This could include a short cruise, ski trip, or stay in a local cabin that will give you and your bridal party a small break with a minimal carbon footprint by staying in green hotels, traveling in hybrid cars, and eating in local organic restaurants.

The truth is that there is no set recipe to what makes a wonderful and memorable wedding shower for a bride-to-be! If you are a bride that is also concerned about your impact on the environment, then you can choose from one of the many creative options above to plan a unique shower that is also environmentally conscious…

~Bethany Ramos is a full-time freelance writer and professional makeup artist that also co-owns her own business, The Coffee Bump. For a great selection of the Bunn coffee maker, check out Bethany Ramos' website, The Coffee Bump.

5 Easy Ways to Green Your Wedding Without Spending a Fortune

Having a green wedding is trendy; green weddings are fabulous... and according to many people green weddings are expensive.
This isn't always true.

Sure if you go out and buy all brand new green items made from eco-friendly materials you may spend more than if you purchased conventional not so green goods.But there are many ways to be green without spending more- in fact there are some ways to green your wedding that can actually save you money.

Here are five ways to green your wedding while being budget friendly.

1. Find gently used or pre-owned wedding items. There are many places where you can find gently used or pre-purchased but never used wedding items- like CraigsList.org, RecycledBride.com, and eBay.com. Some people buy too much for the wedding, others may have decided not to get married while other items may have been overstock from a retail store. Whatever the reason it's to your advantage because you can find anything and everything from wedding gowns to jewelry to guest books and cake toppers for a fraction of the retail price-and you'll be saving money and resources.

Keep reading here.

Eco Invitations from Twisted Limb

Looking for gorgeous wedding invitations that are eco-friendly as well as stylish? Look no further than Twisted Limb Paperworks in Bloomington, Indiana.

The carbon- neutral studio creates handmade 100% recycled paper from used office paper, grocery bags, and recycled water. To give the paper an extra special natural touch they add flowers, wildflower seeds, and even grass clippings from their lawn.The result is gorgeously textured natural paper that gets transformed into beautiful wedding invitations, business papers, greeting cards, announcements, thank you notes, place cards, menus and favors.

They offer a wide variety of color options to coordinate with any wedding color palette they also have a nice selection of invitation styles- you can even decide whether to receive the invitations pre-assembled or save a few dollars and purchased DIY kits.

Twisted Limb offers circle invitations, panel invitations, bookmark styles, fold over styles, sidebar invitations and many other styles- all in your choice of colors.

My mother recently married again and we opted to be as green as possible.

We received beautiful eco-invitations from Twisted Limb in the 5x7 Fold over style.

I fell in love with the delightful texture of the paper and the simple elegance of the invitations. The main part of the invitation was made with handmade paper- we received lavender and sagebrush colors.

The handmade papers are folded over on the top and the printed part of the invitation is made with eco-friendly vellum. The folded over border is finished with a zigzag stitch that offers visual appeal.

Keep reading here.

An Eco-Friendly Wedding All Starts with Location!

If you want to make eco-friendly and green choices with your upcoming wedding, then it all starts with location, location, location! Of course, your wedding venue sets the scene for your special day, and it also makes up a serious chunk of your budget. This is why focusing on an eco-friendly setting for your wedding venue will not only save you money, but it will also minimize your impact on the environment.

Here are some important considerations to keep in mind…

• Convenience. It really does make a difference to choose a venue that is convenient to the majority of your guests, which will minimize gas and travel costs for everyone in attendance. This means that it pays to shop around locally and off of the beaten path, where you may choose to rent out a library, city center, or even local park so that everyone in your city can conveniently attend your wedding and reception.

• Individuality. Instead of renting out a large hall for your wedding, which may be quite expensive, you can search for unique venues, like a nonprofit organization, botanical garden, organic restaurant, or even art gallery. This is a fun way to choose a venue that supports a cause that you already believe in, and they may be more likely to offer you organic food and drinks to cater your reception.

• Outdoors. There’s no better way to be close to Mother Nature than choosing an outdoor wedding venue! This will require less decorating on your part, and it will also allow you to focus on the beauty of the earth as you celebrate your union. On top of that, if you happen to have anyone you know with a beautiful backyard or property, you can often cut down on your wedding venue costs astronomically by holding your ceremony and reception at the beautiful property of someone that you know.

• Entrance. You can still go green when you arrive at your ceremony by choosing a hybrid car, rickshaw, or horse-drawn carriage to minimize your carbon footprint. Not only is this friendly to Mother Earth, but it is also a fun and unique way to pull up to your wedding that all of your guests will remember!

• Awareness. Last of all, make sure that you help all of your guests choose eco-friendly transportation and hotel options if they are coming in from out of town by giving them links to green hotels in your area and resources for hybrid rental cars. Your guests will be thankful for the helpful information, and you will also be giving them the opportunity to go green as they visit you to celebrate your wedding!

~Bethany Ramos is wedding makeup artist and professional freelance writer that co-owns her own business, The Coffee Bump. For a great selection of Bunn coffee makers, check out Bethany Ramos' website today!

Win an Eco Prize Pack from Ecotensil

Announcing an Eco-idea competition sponsored by EcoTensil is offering a eco-gift basket worth $200!

Let's make 2011 a green year.

EcoTensil wants to know how you make your life green.

EcoTensil is the company that has created the world’s most eco-friendly single-use spoons and they invite you to share your favorite green ideas and inspire the rest of us!

And in doing so you could win a $200 eco-friendly prize pack.

All you have to do is share a unique way you are reducing, recycling, reusing.

How are you reducing the impact of your trash to create for a greener world for yourself and the next generations?

At home
At the grocery store
In the office
At the coffee shop
On the internet
At school…


EcoTensil wants to hear from you!

Whether heroic or mundane, the impact of our actions add up. Tell Ecotensil your most innovative and inspiring solutions for minimizing your trash impact and you could win your very own Zeroing in on Zero Waste Kit -market value: $200


The Zero Waste Kit includes:

1 gallon compost pail with filters
Verterra Compostable Square Plates
Preserve To-Go cups
2-tier Recycled Cotton Carrier Bag
Water Bottle Sling with ChopStick Holder
Simply Gorgeous green chico bag
“How to Make and Use Compost” book

Second place is a To-Go-Ware lunch kit!

To enter, like EcoTensil on Facebook and post your suggestion on their wall.

Get your audience to participate by posting the contest on your site. If the winner heard about the contest on your site, you will both win the prize!

The contest will run through January and winners will be announced in February.

Thank You to All of My Mother's Wedding Sponsors

My mother's wedding yesterday was a beautiful and wonderful event.

We had a pretty good turn out even though the weather was terrible and a bad case of the flu has been going around.

And we had many, many compliments on the green wedding items and everyone wanted to know where everything came from- so we told them. Announcements were made and everyone was given this web address to find links to the merchandise.

So I want to give an extra special thanks to all the companies- and the people behind the companies- that sponsored this wedding with invitations, favors, plates, napkins, bowls, eating utensils, and accessories.

It is much appreciated and added an extra special touch to the wedding that did not go unnoticed.

Big thanks go out to:

Twisted Limb Paperworks who provided the gorgeous invitations

www.twistedlimbpaper.com

Sunflower Seed with Mini Pot Favors from Tree Beginnings

http://www.treebeginnings.com/

Plantable Butterfly Seeded Paper Favors from Tender Seed Company

http://www.tenderseedcompany.com/

Bamboo Plates, Cake Plates & Trays

from Bambu Home

www.bambuhome.com

Salad Bowls from Verterra

www.verterra.com

Eco Picnic Packs that contained plates, ecoware eating utensils and wysi wipes

www.ecowareproducts.com

www.canawipe.com

www.earthentrading.ca

Birchware Eating Utensils

www.Birchware.com

Napkins from Green Party Goods

www.greenpartygoods.com

My Mom's Wedding Flowers That I Made

Today's the big day, my mom's wedding-

take a look at some of the flower bouquets and arrangements I made

The maid of honor bouquet

Boutonnieres for the guys

The bridal bouquet- these photos came out blurry but I will add more non blurry ones soon

The unity candle arrangement which will also serve double duty

as the centerpiece for the bridal table

I will be adding actual wedding photos very soon so you can see all the previous items

I've shown you- in use at the real green wedding

Organic Wine and Champagne for Your Wedding

For Your Green Reception, Pop the Cork on Organic Wine and Champagne
By: Liberty Kontranowski

Unless you’re planning a dry wedding reception, you’re sure to encounter the issue of buying wine and champagne for your green wedding. And serving your guests organic wine and champagne means a host of good things for them, the planet and for others. Take a look at the benefits of serving organic bubbly at your wedding:

Rich and delicious flavor – Organic wine farmers cultivate rich soil, free of pesticides and other harmful toxins. When the fruit is planted in this superior soil, it is able to develop to its maximum natural potential and is therefore more flavorful, intense and pure. All of this makes for one amazing harvest of fruit, which then turns into one amazing batch of wine…and ultimately very happy wedding guests.

Poison-free – You wouldn’t dare set out a glass of anti-freeze for your guests to drink, would you? Of course not! So why would you serve wine or champagne that’s been contaminated by pesticides? Grapes continuously make the “Dirty Dozen” list of crops that are most heavily sprayed with pesticides. By serving organic wine, you eliminate spreading that risk to your guests. What’s more, you’re helping to support an organic farmer, his family and the planet by choosing organic beverages.

Less sulfites – Many people are highly sensitive to sulfites, which are salts or sulfurous acids added to many foods and beverages for preservation purposes. While limited amounts of sulfites occur naturally in wine, no added sulfites are allowed in 100% Certified Organic wines or beverages. By serving organic wine, your guests will surely thank you for eliminating the allergic reaction that sulfites cause in some people, along with the “sulfite headaches” that some experience.

One more thought: While most organically-grown items cost more than their traditionally-grown counterparts, organic wines tend to be priced approximately 20% less than similar vintages. So, with all the benefits of organic wines plus the cost savings at hand, why on Earth would a gorgeously green bride like you serve anything else? Our thoughts, exactly!

**

~Liberty Kontranowski is a freelance writer with hundreds of articles published online and in print, covering topics like health, parenting, lifestyle, beauty, celebrities and more. She is a regular contributor to the health blog at eDrugstore.md, a safe and secure medications facilitator.

Disposable Dinner & Cake Plates Plates from Bambuhome

The buffet table at my mother's wedding featuring-

BambuHome Veneerware plates and trays, napkins from Green Party Goods and eating utensils from Birchware and EcoWare

If you can see the flat bowls on each side of the big salad bowl those awesome small bowls are from Verterra- they are made from leaves

http://bambuhome.com/shop/picnic-barbecue1/natural-disposables2/

For my mother's wedding one of styles of dinner plates we used were Bamboo Vennerware from BambuHome- they are "the original single-use bamboo collection of plates, sereeware and utensils."

All Occasion Veneerware® is the one and only single-use product made from 100% bamboo and Certified Organic.

All Occasion Veneerware® is ideal for meals at home, picnics, catered events, weddings, birthdays, conferences or almost any occasion. All Occasion Veneerware® is our answer to the paper plate.

See the shop

About BambuHome Veneerware

Certified Organic
FDA approved food-safe - No bleaches or dyes
After disposal, biodegrades in 4-6 months
Not recommended for the microwave
Intended for single use

We also used bambuhome's small bamboo VeneerWare plates for the cake plates and their gorgeous kiwi colored trays held eating utensils and napkins

Choosing a Green Wedding Dress

Easy Steps to Choose a Green Wedding Dress

No, I’m not talking about a bright green wedding dress (although it’s your prerogative), but instead, choosing a dress that is eco-friendly and easy on the environment! Yes, it’s actually possible to find a gorgeous wedding gown with a minimal carbon footprint if you are savvy shopper that explores a few wedding dress options off of the beaten path. The greatest advantage to choosing an eco-friendly dress is benefiting the environment, but you will also be able to find a one-of-a-kind style that very few other brides will be wearing in 2011.

· Handmade: If you know a talented seamstress in your family or local community, having your wedding gown handmade from sustainable fabrics, like bamboo, organic cotton, hemp, or vintage fabrics, is the way to go. If you’re feeling crafty and are confident in your own skills, you can even design and create your own wedding gown from sustainable fabric choices. If you don’t know a dressmaker near you, you can also order a wedding dress made from sustainable materials through a designer on Etsy.com or similar websites. Again, the greatest advantage to going handmade is that you have an input into your wedding dress style, and you will come away with a gown that is 100% unique!

· Vintage: Vintage wedding gowns are an excellent choice since you will be recycling an old wedding dress and can also channel a classic style to make you even more beautiful on your big day. You can start by searching through local thrift stores, vintage stores, or consignment shops, and you can also check online on websites like eBay. If you do find a dress that doesn’t fit you exactly, that’s not a problem at all since wedding dresses can be easily altered. In fact, if you buy vintage, your wedding dress may be quite inexpensive, and you can spend the rest of your budget on alterations so that it is the perfect fit


· Designer: If you have the big bucks to spend on the wedding dress of your dreams, there are quite a few eco-friendly wedding designers popping up these days. Several years ago, it would have been very difficult to find top wedding gown designer using sustainable fabrics, but today, many notable designers use hemp, bamboo, organic cotton, and other vintage materials. Check out Leanne Marshall, Isodora Clothing, Poetic Justice Gowns, and Conscious Clothing to get you started on your quest for the perfect eco-friendly wedding gown.

As a bride planning your upcoming wedding, first of all, congratulations! This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your love as a couple and also be good to Mother Earth as you select the wedding dress of your dreams.

~Bethany Ramos is a professional wedding makeup artist and also works full-time at her website, The Coffee Bump.

For a great selection of the Bunn coffee maker, check out Bethany Ramos' website today!

Flower Girl Basket

Here's the flower girl basket I decorated for my mom's wedding.

I found it at Goodwill for like .25

I cleaned it up, wrapped the handle with ribbon. then glued on beads and flower

I used a leaf to cover any telltale signs of glue and ribbon, I always like to cover my tracks

Here's the finsihed basket complete with leftover petals from my own wedding back in 2003 (yes I am a packrat when it comes to sentimental stuff and craft supplies)

My Mother's Real Green Wedding in Progress: Favors and Plates

It's almost here- Saturday is the big day for my mom.

We're wrapping up all the fine details.

Friday we'll purchase the remaining food and Saturday morning I'll be cooking everything in crock pots and roaster pans.

My house currently looks like a wedding exploded in it. :-)

Here's some of the things I have lying around and in boxes:

These favors by The Tender Seed Company are gorgeous- plantable butterfly paper on a card with beads and directions for planting

(butterflies are my mom's favorite thing)

Then we received these great eco picnic packs that contain eco-freindly plates, ecoware utensils, and biodegradable Wysi Wipes

Wrapping the Eating Utensils

Napkins from Green Party Goods

Utensils from Birchware



Wrapped Napkins

Hubby wrapping everything up

I put my husband to use over the weekend- he wrapped the Birchware eating utensils in forest friendly napkins from Green Party Goods.

Everything's eco.

I had a bag of rafia that we used to tie everyhing up instead of using plastic based curling ribbon.

The napkins from Green Party Goods are gorgeous, shades of ivoryand cream roses that match the wedding colors and the guestbook I found on ebay.

The napkins are also eco-

"The pulp comes from sustainable managed forestry from trees in Sweden and Finland. The pulp is oxygen bleached - no chlorine. The inks used are water based and kind to the skin. The cell wrapper is made from post- consumer waste that is formulated to burn without leaving a residue."