{Eco-Chic Weddings} by Emily Anderson

organic wedding: le pain quotidien

Alain Coumont was ahead of his time when he started his organic bakery and cafe in 1990.
Le Pain Quotidien came to be when Coumont, a renowned chef in Brussels, had trouble finding good bread. Now you can find his communal tables all over the world. Beside providing inspiration to serve organic and fair trade ingredients, there are a variety of items that would make lovely wedding favors. For a smaller celebration, you can carry-out some of their delicious treats, including: artisan bread, cakes, pastries, jams, Belgian chocolates and imported Mediterranean delicacies (olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, olives)...yum...

   

reduce + reuse: clever wedding invitations

I write about sending invites that can be reused, or even saved because they are so lovely in my book Eco-Chic Weddings. Some ideas: seed packets with a bellyband for the invite, an ornament that can be hung on a tree. But, don't do anything tacky, like a magnet. Here are two ideas I really like from past issues of Martha Stewart Weddings:

Bookmarks

The bookmark idea is really for save the date, but I think you could just as easily turn this idea into your wedding invitation. I have always loved glassine envelopes (probably not too eco-friendly), but you could fill the envelopes your favorite {fair trade} tea, or locally harvested, or organic, dried lavendar. The envelopes pictured here have confetti, and are favors, but I think an invitation with the same idea would be sweet too.

And don't forget to use recycled materials!
When I was planning my 2005 wedding, and writing my book at the same time, I went to countless invitation web sites and combed the sites looking for recycled paper options, to no avail. Things are changing, behold Not From A Box Unique Invitations--they've just added a line of recycled paper...that doesn't have any seeds or petals in it ;)

More invitation ideas:
Handmade Paper
Recycled Invites
Tree Free

{pinks + yellows} eco gold + paper flowers

Pretty is as pretty does...and not only are these items pretty, they are all fair trade, eco, and ethical...

 

Sources from the top:
Invitation...Paperwink
Bridesmaid/or Rehearsal dinner dress...De Sentino
Bridesmaid/or Bride's shoes...Form + Fauna
Plates...Terra Keramik
Pencil favors...Remarkable
Candle stick....Terra Keramik
Wedding band...Toby Pomeroy
Handmade paper peonies...Martha Stewart

have an {organized} wedding with lovelydesign

LovelyDesign has the perfect things to organize all of the creative details that make planning an event so much fun...everything is handmade using reclaimed paper and materials.

{alyson fox} creates eco-chic fashion

Artist Alyson Fox has an individual artistic expression that I find refreshing. She doesn't just recycle other people's ideas...but, with her (small) eco-chic fashion line, she does recycle materials--from buttons crafted out of fallen tree branches, to repurposed fabric, every item in her line is truly eco-friendly fashion...

And in case you weren't aware, Alyson also has the most delightful drawings for sale as well.
I previously posted one of Alyson's drawings here.

More eco-fashion ideas:
Eco-friendly Lingerie
Eco-Chic Bridesmaid Dresses
Eco-friendly Wedding Dresses