Candles and aspirin and face cream, oh my

Candles - a ubiquitous wedding item. Are made from petroleum, of course. Unless they're made from beeswax or soywax. Here is a helpful (though distressing) website from PlanetGreen helping you to free yourself from oil dependency.
and then there's hairspray, body lotion, and even aspirin - who knew? Don't obsess, but consider alternatives to some items for your green wedding.

Red Mango, Red Velvet

We had a great wedding this week at the Hotel on Rivington - (on the penthouse floor, with a great view of the fireworks for the Manhattan bridge!) And yummy wedding cupcakes from Red Mango - red velvet and double chocolate vegan, with cream cheese icing. Red Mango is located in Brooklyn, on Albany, but they are wholesale, and you can pick them up many places.

Checklist for a green wedding from the Toronto Botanical Garden

I found this nice green wedding article on the frugalbride.com. It was written by Kristin Campbell at the Toronto Botanical Garden. Botanical Gardens are great location for weddings & receptions, if they have the facilities. It would be an interesting task to see if weddings at Botanical Gardens, or City or National Parks are actually -- GREEN! Take this list to YOUR Botanical Garden and see what they say...

Here are a few criteria: Facility on public transit. Bike racks! Green roofs, green cleaning products, WATERLESS URINALS (!), green caterers, local sourcing, no disposable items, etc.

Here's another post with even more ideas

Piezo-electric sustainable wedding dress?

For the ultimate in a sustainable wedding - why not wear a stylish ENERGY-GENERATING piezo-electric dress? This model is by Amanda Parkes. (Of course you could wear a solar dress as well, perhaps for the ceremony) but you could change to this for the reception. It generates energy AS YOU MOVE, so charge your removable battery with your first dance! Gives a new meaning to kinetic energy.
(and a little more romantic than this equally stylish POLLUTION-sensitive dress).

Etsy - vintage wedding dress and 'not so vintage'

As a granny, I have a little trouble with dresses from the '80s listed as "vintage" - (heck, I have difficulty with my own wardrobe from the 60s listed as vintage :-) But Etsy vintage sellers are a great resource for wedding accessories, not to mention spectacular finds that surprise you. Here's a lace blouse with rhinestones from the '30s - which, as the seller Posies for Lulu suggests - "would look gorgeous with a full or slinky cream skirt for a wedding ensemble!". Very reasonable at $38!

Wedding hats: Vintage hats for men!

Of course weddings tend to focus on style for the BRIDE. But we're starting to get some better marketing for the GROOM's side, especially on places like Etsy. However, it still seems to be a case of 'treasures among the weeds'

"....etsy has lots of men's vintage hats, if you can luck into the right size -- not so many on the handmade side, plus you have to wade through acres of knits..."

WeddingCo. and the Wedding Crane Chandelier Project

The WeddingCo.com, based in Canada, is one of the sponsors of the BrooklynPopUp Wedding chapel They are creating the CRANE CHANDELIER PROJECT.

This is a "wonderful way for brides and grooms to become part of an international community that is fighting for cancer victims and research". The Crane Chandelier is being constructed with the cranes that you send in with you and your fiance's signature, where you're getting married, and your wedding date. For each crane that is sent in, The Wedding Company is donating $.50 for cancer research. Their goal is to reach 10,000 cranes that will be displayed on a chandelier which will not only serve as a representation of the fight against cancer, but you're also part of your own art installation. You can see their world map of where the cranes have 'flown in' from here. You can request a crane HERE, mail your own crane (they fold flat) to:

The Wedding Co.
110 Givins St.
Toronto, ON M6J 2X

Get Married at the PopUP Wedding Chapel in Brooklyn

Last night we married the winning couple in the Brooklyn "Martha Stewart PopUP Wedding Chapel" in Williamsburg. ABCNews came to film the wedding. You can read about the fun and get super 'low impact', but trendy and charming wedding ideas on their blog and see vendors on FACEBOOK. Paper decorations, hand-made items, fun ideas. And lots of great weddings!

the weirdness of googleads

Interesting. I posted a notice about organizations working to fight trafficking (below), and all the GoogleAds turns to "find sex offenders" and "become a detective". The tags are "Human Rights". Funny how the ads didn't turn to: "help fight trafficking", eh?

Human Rights, Human Trafficking, and nice necklaces as an ethical gift.

I just posted a short article on a successful campaign at Change.org to stop the Diners Club from trafficking brides on the installment plan by credit card - incredible, but real. Here are some lovely handmade bracelets and necklaces made by trafficking survivors - by recycling magazines into beads. Quite inexpensive, and profits support trafficking victims, women and children.

Green Bride in Toronto

Here is a beautiful Toronto bride on her way to her wedding on Algonquin Island for a lovely outdoor wedding. My daughter alerted me to this week's article in the Toronto Globe and Mail on green and diy weddings, as she knew the lovely bride. Sarah mentioned in the paper's blog that they forgot to credit her photographer: Derek Wuenschirs, so please go look at his site!

There are some good links in the article, including TheWeddingCo.com, a Toronto-based group who are also a sponsor of the Martha Stewart PopUP Wedding Chapel in Brooklyn - where we're going to marry a few lucky couples at the end of June. The WeddingCo people are sponsoring a global DIY wedding project called The Crane Chandelier Project they are collecting 5000 origami cranes from engaged couples, and donating $.50 per crane to cancer research. More info soon.

I'll also add Winnipeg's BotanicalPaperworksto our paper suppliers, and some of the other links on this Globe article to our various categories.

Locavoring in New York - Blue Hill and Greenapple

I was sad to have to turn down at wedding at Blue Hill Farms (sniff!)- as an organic farmer married to a chef, it sounds like heaven. But if you're in New York this weekend, go to the Green Apple Festival, and Blue Hill will be there, as well as on a panel at the Museum of the City of New York on Tuesday panel with the greenmarket director.

Update: So happy to hear the Obamas dined at Blue Hill!

Vegan / Vegetarian Catering directories

Cross posted from Ethicalceremonies -
Lots to think about in Vegetarian catering - from wines to food to garnishes to "anchovy-free Worchester sauce" ...

Here are few resources: HappyCow It's a nice directory, but rather limited. If you know any vegan cooks or caterers, suggest they enquire about adding their profiles. You have to email the directory for details, so not sure if there is a cost for listing. Lots of CA, some Florida, and a Torontonian...

Veg.ca is a Canadian directory. Coded for Veggie/ Vegan, and localized.

Lots of UK sources, of course. Veggies.org is a place to start

Vegan gardening?

I'm distracted, thinking about planting. I've got heirloom tomatoes and leeks and mung beans sprouting in the windowsill... But as a former sheep farmer, I just hit this website about 'manure-free' (or animal-free vegan permaculture) and was fascinated with the concept of "stock free farming" - meaning, no manure. Of course I know about sea kelp and compost, but no manure? Hmmm

If you live in the UK, The Welsh College of Horticulture runs courses on stockfree organic farming; VON provides bursaries for animal-free farming. (tmi: I once did some graduate courses in Aberystwyth - and loved it!). Read more at stockfreeorganic.net.

Are Pearls ecological?

A complex question. There are sellers on Etsy advertising "Organic Freshwater Pearls" in the wedding section. Pearls ARE organic (living). They grow in fresh and salt water. So far OK. However, read this article on the freshwater 'organic' pearls from China, and caveat emptor. Note that the article, though it seems to discuss potential environmental hazards, appears to greenwash some of the freshwater pearl culture aspects - bleach, chemicals, manure slurry, and fish farms (and doesn't discuss labor at all), and it was first printed in Modern Jeweler. Time for more research

Make your own wedding ring in 2 days

(cross-posted from elopenewyork) Why not make your OWN rings, from recycled gold and other metals?
"Spend a day in our fine jewelry studio learning to make your own wedding rings. Our professional jewelry workshops allow you to make meaningful custom wedding rings with your own hands while you enjoy the fun experience of being a goldsmith for a day. Create your own wedding rings with 100% recycled: gold, platinum, palladium, or mokume gane... Most of the custom wedding rings (on this site) were hand made in one session by a client with no prior metal-arts knowledge". This studio is downtown in NYC on Maiden Lane. They now have a sister site in San Francisco.

Digital Camera RENTAL?

I don't know. It's a sort-of good idea. Avoid those disposable cameras and Rent digital wedding cameras, no damage fee, have your guests document your wedding, send them back and get a free wedding website, etc. Popular in Seattle territory. 10 cameras - $500. But couldn't you BUY cameras for that money locally? And really, doesn't your Uncle Fred and everyone else have a digital camera they're going to lug around? The shipping carbon footprint alone seems counter-intuitive... But it IS a good idea to ask an IT friend to set up a wedding pix website for you - and everyone can upload their 'documentary' stuff. And DO hire a good wedding photographer or draft an artistic media friend with good equipment who remains outside of the chatter and hugs - so you get an editorial record. YOU will be otherwise occupied :-)

Eco lingerie

Who knu? Bambu! Enamore (UK) features 95% bamboo lingerie on their wedding website. And here is their organic silk white wedding lingerie set. I'm certain there are local US and Canada suppliers, I just haven't gone looking. Let us know if you spot some.

Recycled (remelted) family jewelry in your ring

Portovert has an intriguing post about recycling gold into a new ring. They suggest collecting gold from your relatives (old jewelry and rings) and having your jeweler refashion the existing gold into new rings. As they say: Experts say there’s enough gold currently above ground to supply the jewelry industry for the next 50 years. Translation: Gold mining and extraction, which exposes workers to toxins like cyanide and mercury and wreaks havoc on the environment, isn’t necessary. By using what’s available to you, not only are you gaining a responsibly produced, handmade heirloom, you’re also saving about 75% of the cost of new rings.. See the post above on making your own rings.

Silver "water rings"

From JSurine on Etsy: Interesting patinaed silver rings from the same block: "These bands are made from the same original piece of metal that has been forged and formed into the band it is now. What was one piece has been cut into two...These rings are then patinaed together, and although the patina process is somewhat unpredictable, the coloring on the rings is more likely to match because it was done at the same time and exposed to the process the same length of time. Resulting in a more similar coloring and finish." Michigan

Poetic Justice Wedding Dresses

A reader sent us to PoeticJustice organic clothing,(aka Marylou Sanders of M.L. Marsh) which has a very nice line of hemp and organic cotton dresses, quite feminine and traditional. Seem to be N. Carolina, and they state "fairsewn", without attribution, though.

Vintage clothing treasures

Many brides we meet are looking for vintage clothing from the 50s for a stylish wedding. I sometimes find great sites with clothing from earlier times and simply enjoy window-shopping. Here is an Edwardian lace dress from a great Vintage Textiles, in NH. This site also has men's embroidered shoes, Victorian wedding dresses, 18th century shoes, and wonderful embroidered purses, shawls, and accessories.

Vegan shoes - paint your own!

OffbeatBride has a great article on how to prettify vegan shoes. The author took a pair of cheap Payless shoes (red! lovely!) and did her own freehand paint job. (Her husband designs and paints sneakers, so she had a place to start). Painted shoes also echo 18th century brocade and flowered silk shoes, so you can look at a few museums shots to get inspired. (Here's a discussion of a 17th century Venetian shoe from the Bata Shoe Museum, in Toronto)

Locavore wine in Brooklyn?

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), aka Locavore you join - runs the social gamut from fancy weddings at the Plaza Hotel to supply-chains in poor communities. It's usually yer box of kale and vegetables, but SouthsideCSA in Williamsburg is adding "New York’s first ever Wine CSA in partnership with Bridge Vineyards, bringing you great bottles from local vineyards!". Next question, is it vegan?

Hudson Valley Seed Library -- Freebies!

Sew Local! Hudson Valley Seeds
The Hudson Valley Seed Library is a homestead-based farm and business devoted to developing a seed production network in our region. Using hand tools and low-tech processes, we cultivate dozens of varieties of agronomic plants on our own farm. We also collaborate with certified organic, certified naturally grown, and other small growers throughout our region to grow dozens of additional varieties. Our goal is to offer high-quality heirloom seeds to the public through both our Seed Library program and retail sale. This year we are offering over 25 varieties of locally grown seed. By 2014, we aim to offer 100% locally grown seed. We invite you to join us in this effort by growing our seeds in your own home garden. (If you join, you get 10 free seedpacks). Consider nasturtiums for your wedding favors. Check the blog comments for other local seed savers, including Baker Creek in Missouri

No dirty gold -- Norway delists Barrick

Norway finds Canada's largest publicly-traded company,Barrick Gold unethical.

BREAKING: Norway's Ministry of Finance announced it would exclude mining giant Barrick Gold and U.S. weapons producer Textron Inc from the country's pension fund for ethical reasons. This is an especially significant judgment for Canada, as Barrick Gold is currently Canada's largest publicly traded company... Gold mining produces an average of 79 tons of waste for every ounce of gold extracted, 50 percent of it is carried out on native lands, and about 80 percent of it is used for jewelry, according to the "No Dirty Gold" campaign, a project of Oxfam and Earthworks.

Beautiful Recycled Lace Dresses

JanaStarr makes dresses (and headpieces) out of antique lace. Here is a dress made of Belgian lace from the 20s.
"These magnificent, one-of-a-kind wedding dresses have been redesigned from one hundred year-old, handmade European lace from Victorian and Edwardian periods. They are the perfect choice for the discriminating bride. Most of the laces and embroideries had been created by women and children a hundred years ago. Jana Starr considers it a privilege to give this remarkable craft another “go around” as the centerpiece of a woman’s most special day. Her creations are unique and deserve to be passed on to future generations". Location: New York City, by appointment.

Eco-Moving: Greenboxes!

Green moving! Rentagreenbox.

Here's a first person account from a BoingBoing.net editor who posted on GOOD.is BoingBoing.net

"It doesn’t make any sense, when over 20 percent of the American population packs and moves each year- generating massive quantities of waste, that ultimately ends up in a landfill...New or used cardboard boxes are expensive, inefficient, wasteful and really bad for our planet....rent a green box has re-invented the cardboard moving box as RECOPACK - made from 100% hard to recycle plastic trash mined from local landfills..it stands for [recycled ecological packing solution]. Available in 3 sizes and delivered direct to your door on our fleet of eco-trucks powered waste vegetable oil and bio-fuel. All you need to do is pack, stack and move. When the Recopack are empty, just call us and we’ll come over to your new place and pick them up. Sadly, though they serve "240 cities", it's all in California. But they're taking applications for francises.

While waiting, see if you can work out your own 'green moving' solutions, for your wedding, and your new home. (I remember 20 years ago that we packed with resealable rubber cartons, and then drilled holes in them for worm composters). Flashback!

Green caterers

, Cleaver and Co. My husband used to cook for these people in Chelsea Market - he recommends them highly, as they do a lot of local sourcing, they are professional, efficient, very CLEAN, very tasty menus, and offer vegetarian menus.

Got any of favourite caterers to recommend?

Vegan Wine

Organic, Bio-organic, and "not filtered through animal products". Because Wine is clarified, or cleared, after fermentation. Some ingredients used include:
- edible gelatins (made from bones)
- isinglass (made from the swim bladders of fish)
- casein and potassium caseinate (milk proteins)
- animal albumin (egg albumin and dried blood powder)
There are lots in the UK and Europe. US suppliers?
Freywine (US)
eco-wine (US) Will ship

Vegan Wedding Shoes

Still looking for vegan bridal shoes. There are some beautiful shoemakers in the UK, such as Elegant Wedding Shoes (pix at left), "Elegant Wedding Shoes are a small team of lifetime experienced shoemakers supplying quality shoes to highstreet retailers. Based in the North of England, we make children's to ladies weddings shoes and boots. Our boot range also includes the traditional Victorian and Edwardian boot styles some of which are available in wide fittings...All our ranges of shoes and boots are our own designs, we offer a bespoke service which means we can make our styles from materials supplied by you the customer...As a specialist service, we can make our shoes and boots to meet the requirements of vegetarian and vegan principles. We use only the finest satins and silks and swarovski crystals to add sparkle to our designs where required.

But I'm struggling to find some in the US, where most Vegan shoes are casual. Here are black and brown pumps on VeganShopping (US) and also a blurb pointing out why they won't sell non-leather shoes from China. So be careful when you find sites that offer 'vegan' shoes, to make sure they aren't just dumping Chinese vinyl.
Mooshoes has some dressy items. But their white "synthetic patent leather" is made in China. Beware.

Let me know if you supply dressup vegan weddings shoes. (Esp anything other than sandals).

Fun: Vegan Perfume Bar for a Bridal Shower

From StrawberryHedgehog, here is how to set up a "Perfume Making Bar" for a bridal shower, using essential oils and extracts.

More invitations

Mail: "We've specialized in eco papers and letterpress printing since 1995. See our treefree and 100% postconsumer recycled paper designs at: Eco-Wedding Invitations
"Our designs are sold as kits, which customers can print or we can print, but they assemble. We include all the tools, as well as diecut and format to make the process easy as possible".

I've added it to the invitations category.
Yep. Send us your stuff. If we like it, we'll post it.