A Warm Natural Glow

SwankUnderpinnings

Want to have a warm natural glow on your wedding day but don't want to expose yourself to the harmful rays of the sun/tanning bed or get that fake sprayed look..... Then here is your Eco/Green Tip of the Day, Eat your YELLOWS, ORANGEs, and REDS.

It is a best to get a rainbow of colors in your diet but foods that NATURALLY have yellow, orange, and red (no M&Ms don't count) will add a great warm color to your skin. You will not only look healthy for your special day, but also, these veggies have beta-carotene which is a type of pigment found in plants, especially carrots and colorful vegetables.

KRISSY167

Here are some more great benefits you will get from beta carotene:

~ Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A which  is needed for good vision and eye health, for a strong immune system, and for healthy skin and mucus membranes. 

~ Beta-carotene is an antioxidant, It protects the body from damaging molecules called free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to cells through a process known as oxidation. 

~ Studies suggest that people who eat 4 or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene may reduce their risk of developing heart disease or cancer.

~ Studies suggest that high doses of beta-carotene may decrease sensitivity to the sun.

 Post by Beccijo of TheEnchantedCupboard ~ Enchanting Wooden Toy and Cake Toppers

Confessions of a Seam Ripper

Bustle

Consider this a very brief primer on upcycling /recycling dispelling a common misconception..

Recycled items should cost less.

This is probably one of the most common. You can go the DIY route then and yes it will be smaller cash outlay.Upcycling ,however, is a labor intensive process and as we’ve all heard ‘time is money’.

If you are working with textiles the amount of ‘woman hours’ that go into finding what you need is staggering .I go to my local thrift stores sometimes several times a week because good stuff gets purchased right away.(okay I like going too!) Usually I have a mental list of what I am looking for but keeping an open mind if I see something worthwhile. For me this tends to be any silk garment with an interesting color and sometimes pattern, though I usually go for the solids. For someone else it might be lace, or broken jewelry but you get the idea.

ecoblingcouture

Once purchased and after cleaning you sit down with the most important tools in your arsenal-the very high tech seam ripper. And a good pair of scissors. If you have ever had to take out stitching then you know how tedious it can be. It is a time suck to be sure but there is no way around it. Again-time is money.

It is easier to buy yard goods and cut your pieces from a nice flat consistent width fabric but they just don’t make fabrics like they used to or if they do they are prohibitively expensive, possibly milled in sweatshop conditions and spewing chemicals in to our environment.(Moment of gently preaching here)

So you see how much time and care goes in to preparation for an upcycled garment. I haven’t even gotten into the design process and the making process so you see that this is a large amount of labor. A labor of love.

LondonParticulars

Toms Wedding Collection - Green & Charitable!

I did a little happy tap dance when i found out that Toms was coming out with a wedding collection. Soft, flat soled, comfy, do-gooder wedding shoes!? Awesome.

And did you know that for every pair of Toms shoes that are purchased a pair is donated to children in need? Eco friendly and charitable!

They even have wedges!

Happy shopping!

Eco DIY Family Friendly Wedding

Elizabeth and Joshua Goldapp decided to have a wedding to match who they are; fun loving, Eco-conscious, and family oriented.  Elizabeth’s advice to couples is to remember that the day is about you as a couple.  Your guests will appreciate a customized representation of who you are.  The amount you spend is not a representation of your commitment or love for each other.    Elizabeth and Joshua took this to heart and you can see it in all of the fine details of their amazing day.

The couple was married close to home by Elizabeth’s little brother (ordained online) at the Pinecone Amphitheater of the 4H Center in Madrid Iowa.  They chose this location because their money would go to a local organization they feel should be supported.  The Goldapp’s have been Wal-Mart free for more than five years and typically buy local and independent.  If they couldn’t buy local then they specifically purchased for the reduced impact on the environment or from an Etsy.com shop.  See the list at the end.   The BBQ dinner meat, cupcakes and flowers were all locally purchased.  They purchased an invitation template from Empapers on Etsy.com and had it printed locally on recycled paper.  Mason jars that decorated the tables came from freecycle.org a free classified site, where every item is free/given away.  Elizabeth’s beautiful diamond wedding ring was a deliberate ethical Eco friendly choice.   Her wedding dress is organic cotton and bamboo by Isadora.  Each option chosen for this wedding clearly represented how much the Goldapps respect the local economy and the environment.

Responsibility aside, fun certainly reigned at this wedding too.  An overall casual feel surrounds the guests with name tags (because seriously who knows everyone at a wedding), picnic style dining, paper lanterns, butcher block paper covered tables (with crayons for drawing of course), and to top it off matching Chuck Taylor shoes for the Bride and Groom.  Come comfortable was a clear instruction to the guests.  Sounds like my kind of wedding!  The favors were inspired directly by the bride and groom.  He has a passion for guitars.  She is covered in tattoos.  Each guest was given a custom guitar pick from www.steveclayton.com and a temporary tattoo.  Too cute!  I think their guests had a blast.  If they didn’t well…that’s their fault.

All the fun was for one reason; to bring the loved ones of Elizabeth and Joshua together to celebrate this union.  When Elizabeth was writing her wedding details to me I don’t think she realized how much her family was included.  It was especially touching to see that traditional family recipes were cooked and shared at the wedding.  Lefse for Elizabeth’s side and peanut butter balls for Joshua’s side.   I loved her explaining why her flower girl received a bubble gun instead of flowers.  (Extreme shyness Elizabeth thought could be thawed with the toy)  There was so much kindness and tons of thoughtful consideration to the comfort of those around her.  (Anybody notice the golf cart in the pics ?– easier travel for the Grandparents)  Tragically Elizabeth lost her father two years prior in Afghanistan.  She did an entire table of memorial photographs to allow even those missing to be a part of her and Joshua’s day.  These special touches are what make a wedding a day to remember.

Thank you to the Goldapps for telling us about your Eco DIY Family Friendly wedding story.  A special thank you to Chris Fowler and Michelle Boettcher for being ‘free’ photographers for a day.

Dress: http://www.etsy.com/shop/isadoraclothing

Earrings: http://www.etsy.com/people/spiffingjewelry

Place card holders: http://www.etsy.com/listing/47875767/handcrafted-set-of-12-rustic-place-card

Name tags: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PansyPatchDesigns

Free classified: freecycle.org

Cupcakes: http://amescupcakes.com/

Paper lanterns: www.lunabazaar.com

Guitar picks: http://www.steveclayton.com

Temporary tattoos: http://www.tattoosales.com/

Eco utensils: http://www.ecoproductsstore.com

Table décor/art favors: http://www.etsy.com/shop/horseshoecrab


Krissy
Make Believe'N Wedding Alternatives LLC
www.etsy.com/shop/krissy167

Resources for an Eco-friendly Wedding

Whether you are you are just starting to plan or hoping to offset your destination wedding carbon footprint with a eco-friendly honeymoon, there are a million ways to go green with your wedding. Here is a quick list of a few fashionably eco-chic sites and blogs to inspire!

This site offers a wonderful planning guide for an eco-wedding A to Z!
ecowedding.org

A wonderfully elegant and inspiring place to shop for favors, decor and invitations.

green-wedding.net

Get your FREE Eco-chic wedding planner here!
myecochicwedding.com

If you are wondering about where to go for eco-friendly flowers - look no further!
organicbouquet.com

Eco Chic Wedding Ideas

I can totally understand why my carbon footprint is important, even if I haven't done everything I can to reduce it.  For the wedding couple that is making every effort in having the most Eco friendly wedding.....


These tumblers were originally wine glasses that are now reused and created into a set of glasses anyone would enjoy.  Perfect for the entire wedding reception as favors or as a gift to the Eco conscious wedding couple.  Bottlehood has vision!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/58396890/set-of-six-tumblers-made-from-recycled

10eisha is one of the originators of cruelty free feather wedding products.  All of the feathers in her amazing items are collected without any harm to the birds.  She can also go vegan and recycled at a clients request.  Her Eco friendly supplies can be purchased for your own DIY wedding adventure at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ethicalfindings

http://www.etsy.com/listing/52077805/fully-customizable-cruelty-free-wedding

LaurenLoweDesigns takes the time to do Eco friendly invites right.  There are no new trees used the the production of these invitations.  All of her designs are original and super chic!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaurenLoweDesign?ref=seller_info