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?