Eco-chic Weddings

In case, you missed this before, I'm sharing it again because there are so many great ideas, I don't want it to get lost in the shuffle of my blog! I recently finished reading "Eco-chic Weddings" by Emily Elizabeth Anderson and have LOTS of great information to tell you about. As you know my passion is sharing eco-friendly ideas that you can consider for your wedding, it doesn't have to be everything, even a few green efforts can make a big difference. This will be a pretty lengthy post, so stick with me, have a cup of coffee, get a piece of paper to take notes, or get ready to click on links and bookmark them! Most of this information is directly from Emily's book and some I have added in.

Facts To Think About:

• According to Conde Nast Bridal Group- American Wedding Study 2006 the average American wedding is now $27,825 in 1990 it was $15,208
• Prioritize!! What is the most important part of your wedding that you are willing to spend money on and what could be edited out?
• Borrow -  Emily wrote in her book that she borrowed her friends pearl bracelet which was special since her friend couldn't be at the wedding. Maybe borrow someone’s veil too.
• Think about one-time-use items like your wedding shoes that you will only wear once, do you really want to spend that much on them?
• According to the Bridal Consultants of America, October is now the most popular month of the year to get married.
• Ask and find out if your venue/caterer compost leftover food? Could they donate to a compost community garden?
• Reduce: Send your wedding invitations earlier than planned so that you don’t have to send out save-the-dates, or it’s too late to send out save-the-dates so you just send invites
• Self-adhesive stamps come with non-recyclable plastic sheet backing so if possible get the moisten and stick stamps
• Recycle your ink cartridges, more than 300 million ink cartridges end up in landfills every year. You can take them to Staples and get a discount!
• Average money spent on honeymoon is $3.700
• This is a BIG FACT I DID NOT KNOW!! 10% of honeymooners go on a cruise, but did you know that one of the largest waterway polluters is the cruise ship industry! Discharge into the ocean by cruise ships is not covered under the Clean Water Act. I have actually never been on a cruise but it's such a huge industry for tourism.
• Consider going to a “green” location and doing “green” activities and rent from Enterprise Rent-A-Car since they have the Toyota Prius

{Vendor Spotlight} Chocolat by Adam Turoni

I lurve chocolate!! Yep, if I could eat chocolate everyday 24-7 I would, so when a local chocolatier contacted me about tasting his gourmet handmade luxury chocolate, I said YES of course. Adam has a long history with chocolate and many years in perfecting his skill. He says that, "with lessons learned from the kitchens of my grandmother to Chez Panisse to Chef Greweling I am spinning chocolates that taste like the magic of memories". You will remember his chocolate too!!! You can find his chocolates at all Wright Square cafe and Paula Deen's store or place an order with him for your event.

I was impressed with Adam's beautiful presentation of chocolates seen below, his gorgeous office space which is located on Desoto Row one of the few certified “green” buildings in Savannah, but more so by how delicious the chocolates were! Adam supports local businesses such as Savannah Bee Company, PERC, Brighter Day, and local spice and tea shops. He only uses premium chocolate chips to start with in order to make his delicacies. All of his chocolates tasted amazing, but my favorites were:

• Raspberry Mouse ganache, always a favorite combination but WOW he is good!
• Peanut Butter Cup, he makes the peanut butter from scratch and you can tell since it's so fresh and smooth.
• Sourwood Sea Salt Honey Caramels are soooo good and my husbands favorite (I let him sample my leftovers!)
• Cafe Americano has a nice robust infusion of local PERC coffee which is right across the street from Adam, perfect for an after dinner dessert with fresh brewed coffee!
• Blood Orange and Grand Marnier Truffle is very BOLD and sophisticated.
• Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Peel is also potent and a nice compliment to the orange truffle.

I loved this wall in his office that he painted and created a fun frame display!

Here is a close up of his signature Almond Bark Lion Medallion

Chocolat by Adam Turoni
2423 Desoto Ave, Savannah, GA
(570) 510-1820
chocolatat@ymail.com
http://www.chocolatat.com
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{Pin it Friday} Succulent Favors

Source: theperfectpalette.com via Layla on Pinterest

I saw this on The Perfect Palette and it's such a great favor idea and so easy! 
Buy succulents at your local lowes, homedepot of garden center, then get the little tins at michaels crafts!
They could also be nice escort cards for the little signs that they have stuck in with toothpicks.

{Organic Wednesday} Mirage Lip Gloss

On Sunday and Monday we had a blast working on styling for a Victorian Styled Shoot along with a handful of talented wedding professionals. More details to come on that adventure, but my exciting news to share with you today for {Organic Wednesday} is this new all natural lip gloss. Gwen of Pretty Woman Day Spa did the make up for our model and used their mineral based oil free make up and WOW so beautiful!! Plus it didn't feel caked on and lasted for the entire shoot without any retouches!! Gwen used her new mirage lip gloss that they just launched and are now selling it at the spa located at 23 Plantation Park Dr., Suite 302, Bluffton, SC 29910. The lip gloss has a mirror on the side of it and it even lights up! So cool. 
This is definitely on my wish list!

If you missed my blog post about the Pretty Woman Day Spa click here to read more

UPDATE!! I finally went by the Spa and bought my very own mirage lip gloss! 

I bought the Color "New York" LOVE IT!!

{Vendor Spotlight} American Bridal

Today I have another great online vendor to share with you. Planning your wedding takes a lot of time and sometimes you just don't have enough time to go shopping at 5 stores to get the last little details or gifts, so shopping online is easier!!  I was browsing online to find more ideas for unique bridal shower favors and wedding favors and came across American Bridal. They have so many great options for you to choose from and even some Eco-friendly gifts too! Some of you may know that I love bird theme weddings and they had the cutest mini bird cages and ring bearer pillow that would be perfect for a spring time or summer wedding. 

American Bridal is all about personalizing the gifts for you and finding the perfect style for your dream wedding. There are so many one-of-a-kind gifts that it took me a little while to sort through all of them. Unlike many online companies, American Bridal keeps most of their inventory in stock at their warehouse so it can be inspected before shipping. Many of their items can be personalized like the wedding favors below, and their technicians personally perform the tasks one at a time, making each gift as unique as the person ordering it. They are all about quality! 

So after browsing through their wedding favors and gifts I found 8 that I wanted to share. Here is a funny story to go along with the first favor: One of my friends had plantable wedding favors at her wedding and at the end of the night when people left theirs behind, I went to every table and took all the seed infused little cards! Of course I asked my friend if it was ok, and she said sure. So I planted all of them at my apartment and was so excited to see them bloom! These plantable favors at American Bridal can be customized with a little note to your friends and family. They are embedded with wildflowers seeds and are a great Eco-friendly choice!

At my wedding we did a bubble send off at the end of our ceremony and the photographer was able to capture some amazing photos! These little bubbles are perfect since they have a bubble wand already inside and won't stain clothes. You could add a little ribbon around the top to match your color scheme and hand them out to guests when they arrive.

These three bird theme gifts are wonderful for your garden wedding or backyard event. Plus they have various adorable bird decor items online too. These black metal bird cages include a standard tea light candle. The door pops open and there’s a “perch” for displaying the included bird-design place card. Aren't they just so charming!? Plus you could use them in your house after the wedding and put new candles in them.

When your guests arrive toting cards in their hands, providing a stylish birdcage at the gift table is a classy and convenient place for them to put their cards for you two. Your wedding doesn't have to have a bird or garden theme to use this birdcage greeting card holder, since many weddings are using this idea. The design was based on a vintage bird cage; this gift card holder is fantastic for any gift-giving event.  

The last bird theme item I wanted to share is this lovebird ring bearer pillow, which is so sweet for displaying your wedding rings during the wedding ceremony. This ring bearer pillow is embroidered with a design of two love birds in black and very graceful lines of tree branches in stunning colors. The pillow itself is in neutral ivory color. It would look great at your house when your wedding is all over and remind you of your promises made to each other. 

Besides wedding decor you can go online and find great ideas for your bridal shower registry, wedding registry and some great gifts for your bridal party! Enjoy shopping online in your pajamas or at work during a break time.

*I was financially compensated for this post. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.*

{Organic Wednesday} Green Field Paper Company

So once I run out of my thank you cards I plan to purchase these beautiful cards. 

As you know I love flowers and sharing my love to others would be perfect. 

It is so neat to be able to put this card into some soil, give it water and sun, then watch it grow!

"At Green Field Paper, we are all about the paper- tree free paper. We offer both handmade paper and machine made hemp paper. It is our fine tactile Seed Embedded Paper (embedded with wildflower seeds) that we are known for throughout the world. Since 1992, Green Field Paper handmade paper has been crafted one sheet at a time here in San Diego, California. Our machine-made Hemp Heritage paper is manufactured in New England, home of the first American paper mills".

Eco-friendly Thank You Cards... 100% recycled ingredients, using no chemicals, dyes or additives. 

Plantable... Each card is embedded with a colorful array of wildflower seeds. The recipient can plant the card in the ground and watch it grow. Planting instructions are printed on the back of every card along with the seed mixture.  
Package of 5 (Price $13.95)

WRITE IT - GIFT IT - PLANT

Two gifts in one! If you buy a lot of gift cards for people, why don't you buy a bunch of these plantable gift card holders so they can enjoy shopping and growing a new plant! Or maybe get a gift card to a Spa for a massage or pedicure and give it to your bridal party or mother. Or give it to the Bride! Price: $4.50

A FIRST CLASS USE FOR THIRD CLASS MAIL 

It's not too early to buy your holiday cards now!

Saving the landfill & the trees... 

This is the ultimate tree-free paper created with the junk mail collected by Green Field Paper employees, clients and friends.

Unique... A truly original concept, shredded junk mail is combined with post consumer pulp to create this distinctive paper- no two sheets are alike.  You can even recognize fragments of actual junk mail in this confetti-laden paper. 25 Card Bulk Pack & Envelopes (Price $62.50)

www.greenfieldpaper.com

858-565-2585

ALSO REMEMBER Earth Day 2012 will be April 21st in Forsyth Park www.earthdaysavannah.org

{Organic Wednesday} Way Out Wax

Way Out Wax was founded in 1992 with a vision to produce hand-crafted works of art utilizing socially and environmentally responsible business practices. They firmly believe in the "Triple Bottom Line" (People, Planet...then, Profit).


APPROACH
They believe that healing botanical essences should be accessible and incorporated into every aspect of daily life.  They're committed to producing high-quality, truly healthy products with integrity—products that represent the powerful connection between individuals and the environment.


Their wax is 100% natural and biodegradable.  They use 100% soy wax in all of the container candles. Their scents come from 100% pure essential oils without any dyes or synthetic fragrance. None of  their products contain additives. All of their products are handcrafted in Vermont. 


FREE SHIPPING
for online orders over $100!

Keep bugs away the all-natural way!  Their three blends utilize Mother Nature's best defenses (pure plant essences) to effectively deter insects in a way that's safe for you and the environment. These 100% GMO-free soy wax candles and water-based sprays were created with the same integrity as all of their other products: Clean, Pure & Natural. Now you can enjoy effective insect control without compromise!

Non-Scents Collection knows how to act accordingly. These finely crafted, hand-poured candles are made with their high-quality, long-burning wax blends without essential oils. 


http://www.wayoutwax.com/weddings.html

If you're planning a special event, they can help!
Are you looking for the perfect addition to the centerpiece for your wedding reception?
Unsure of how to give a unique and meaningful gift to your guests?
Send friends and family home with a memorable keepsake!


Elegant candlelight will never go out of style and with a minimum order of 150 candles, you can create a personalized label to celebrate your special event. Whether you're looking for large freestanding pillars or votive candles for your ceremony or celebration, let Way Out Wax shed some light on your gathering.


www.wayoutwax.com
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{Organic Wednesday} Scentsations by Julie

I recently went to a Women In Business Expo and happened across a women who makes the most AMAZING bath products. I'm a huge fan of Nourish who was a previous post but sometimes you like a little change. Scentsations by Julie is for those who are looking for that European French inspired fragrance that is a little more sophisticated. I'm such a sucker for bath products and CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY!

Here is a little bit about Julie: "Long before I was certified in Aromatherapy I had discovered the wonderful benefits of pure essential oils. For years, as a hobby, I would mix oils and enjoy them in the bath to help relax and quiet my thoughts. I soon wanted to share the magic with my friends and family. From there, the Scentsations by Julie story began. Each blend/scent has its own special story inspired by those who have encouraged me along the way. The blends/scents have been named after those special friends". She creates spa quality handmade aromatherapy products and gifts using 100% pure essential oils and other natural ingredients. Lotions, Salt/Scrubs, Soaps and Massage Oils. The fun part is to choose which blend is your favorite: (my favorite is the Signature!) What is a "Blend"? A blend is a careful formulation of two or more essential oils designed for a specific therapeutic purpose. 

• Signature is a calming, balancing and sensual blend. Excellent for insomnia, gaining clarity and lowering stress levels. Superb for maturing and dry skin. Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Clary Sage
  
• Hope is a romantic, balancing and uplifting blend that ignites creativity, spurs confidence and instills a sense of value. Jasmine, Rose, Bergamot
  
• Jay is a calming and centering blend. Excellent for meditation and prayer. Soothes dry skin conditions and promotes well-being.Sandalwood, Patchouli, Orange
  
• McKenzie invigorates, purifies, revitalizes and soothes. Brings alertness and clarity. Aids stomach problems, headaches, respiratory ailments, sore muscles and joints. Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Orange
  
• Moosey is a cleansing, grounding and uplifting blend. Helps improve the immune and digestive systems. Very relaxing an euphoric at the same time. Tangerine, Orange, Clary Sage, Patchouli, Rosewood
  
• Sarah is a healing, soothing and peaceful blend. Helps in restoring skin damaged by burns, blisters and even stretch marks. Our mildest blend suitable for babies. Lavender, Chamomile and Mandarin

Read more about her products and order your online: www.scentsationsbyjulie.net
juliemansfield@earthlink.net
912-704-6913

{Organic Wednesday} Biodegradable Wedding Confetti

To continue on with more Eco-friendly wedding favors I have added another great website filled with green wedding ideas. If you have missed my previous posts on wedding favors be sure to read these too!! 

Eco-freindly-favors

Savannah-bee-company

Robins-chocolate

bamboo-beach-favors

Give your guests biodegradable tissue-paper confetti and streamers for your grand exit and be Green. The perky popper wrapper, which gives guests instructions for use, shows a cartoon bride and groom holding hands, surrounded by festive confetti and streamers, with the words “Wedding Poppers” overhead.

Measurements: 4 ¼” h x 1 ½” in diameter

Sold as a set of 12 poppers. 

More ideas for Eco-friendly wedding favors: www.blissweddingsmarket.com

CHOOSE GREEN

CHOOSE GREEN: There are so many fun and unique ideas out there for designing a wonderful wedding or event that won’t create a huge carbon imprint on our world, while still being organic and beautiful. A green event is simply a way in which you can make choices that limit the negative impact to the planet. A green event doesn’t have to mean compromising your dream or having no style. Whether you want to incorporate local wines, serve a completely organic menu, wear an organic wedding dress, use Eco-friendly invitations, or photographers, there are many perfect options for you.

Does my event need to be 100% green? 

That is up to you! It can be a little or a lot, because every aspect of your event can be greener.

Each one of the 2.5 million weddings this year in the United States will produce an average of 62 tons of carbon dioxide and 400-600 lbs of garbage. That's a lot of waste! If every engaged couple made just one small green choice, which would be 2.5 million greener choices a year and that is an amazing impact! 

- According to the Green Bride Guide's research

Sharing the love of green on my blog at: http://simplysavannahevents.blogspot.com/p/green.html

GREEN IDEAS:

     

☛ Donate your flowers: Hospice Savannah, St. Joseph's/Candler Hospital, Memorial University Medical Center, Ronald Mc Donald House of Savannah, Buckingham South in Savannah- Retirement Community, Union Mission Inc. Savannah, GA-shelter for men women and families

☛ Support local companies for your guest favors or welcome baskets (see my unique gift ideas on my blog at: http://simplysavannahevents.blogspot.com/p/vendors.html )

☛ Support Etsy vendors, the world's most vibrant handmade marketplace – ask me about my list of unique wedding artists including: refurbished ties and bow ties, cake toppers, banners, accessories, and more 

☛ Hire local Savannah recycling company, Footprint to set up and pick up your recycling at your event

☛ Don’t give guests favors, instead donate the money to your charity of choice:

https://www.idofoundation.org/ 

https://www.justgive.org 

http://www.globalgiving.org/

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/ 

http://www.redcross.org/ 

Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

☛ Green favors – small plants if they live locally or infused seed favors that can be planted, biodegradable confetti, 100% latex balloons that are biodegradable vs. plastic balloons (bad for the ocean & ocean animals), canvas totes, bamboo, organic chocolate, and I have more!

☛ Have your ceremony and reception at the same location to cut on transportation

☛ Choose a Green Certified Reception or Botanical Garden

Richmond Hill City Center

Savannah Botanical Garden

Bamboo Farm & Coastal Garden

Hunter Cattle Co.

☛ Use Eco-friendly invitations, or just have the save-the-dates be a post card to cut on postage and paper

☛ Choose an organic caterer like Thrive

☛ Choose an Eco-friendly florist: Urban Poppy or A to Zinnias

☛ Have Eco-friendly gift registry items: even Target has great Eco-friendly options now or shop these online stores: http://www.plateswithpurpose.com/ or http://www.dwellsmart.com/ or http://www.branchhome.com/

☛ Use horse drawn carriages or pedi cabs to move your bridal party from one location to the next, if near by

I'll keep them coming don't worry! So what GREEN choices will you make for your wedding?

{Organic Wednesday} Eco-freindly Favors

 

Natural Color Cotton Canvas Tote Bags. They are great for crafts, hobbies, screen printing or just for carrying. These tote bags come in a full selection of colors for only $1.49 Each. I already purchased mine! cheaptotes.com

 

Maybe buy a tote that already has an Eco-friendly message and can be reused for a grocery bag. These totes are all-natural cotton and printed with a "go green" Eco-conscious message: "Reuse, conserve, recycle, sustain." Each bag measures 14.5"L x 16"W. www.beau-coup.com

Try to screen print something onto the bag that pertains to the area where your wedding will be. You can also buy the printable paper from office supply stores that can be ironed on. Going for a nautical look? Go here for a free printable anchor: marthastewartweddings.com

*Keep the monogram of your initials or your names and wedding date to a little tag since most guests may not want to use their bag again if it's not their style or has initials that are not theirs.