Eco-Vintage Weddings

Green Monday: Mason Jar Love

Happy Monday, readers! I was gifted the entire weekend off from my part-time job at Gymboree, and I got a few wedding-related crafts done! I can’t wait to share them with you soon.

A few weeks ago on Twitter, I stumbled upon a post from Intimate Weddings that literally made me stop in my tracks. Besides boasting a comprehensive venue search for intimate weddings on her site, Christina of Intimate Weddings has also collected tutorials and inspiration for some of the best DIY projects out there, making Intimate Weddings a literal hub of DIY goodness.

Because J and I plan to incorporate mason jars into our wedding decor, Christina’s post on these multi-purpose lovelies caught my eye recently. Before seeing this post, J and I figured that we would utilize mason jars as vases to hold flowers on on our reception tables. But after seeing this picture (at left), I now am on the hunt for more mason jars to achieve this affect!

I’ve always wanted to be married by candlelight, and this picture literally is just oozing with romance. Can you imagine collections of these mason jars lining the aisle?! How amazing.

The best part about mason jars is that they can be reused post-wedding for canning, storing foods like salsa, or utilized for gifts, such as hot chocolate mix, hard ingredients for cookie dough and more. Plus,mason jars are an easy, always available vase for your favorite garden flowers! Therefore, making an investment in mason jars is an eco-friendly, budget-friendly decor idea.

[Photo credit: Intimate Weddings]

Green Monday: Green Favor Ideas!

Hi everyone! Today I wanted to introduce you all again to Dream Green Weddings, an online marketplace FULL of inspiration on eco-chic weddings.

Not a fan of wastefulness, but still want to offer your guests favors? Look no further than Dream Green Weddings‘ marketplace of eco-friendly wedding favors.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Organic Shea Butter Soap Wedding Favors

These favors, in the shape of X’s and O’s (how cute!) are made with pure, natural ingredients. Plus, the little soaps come with a tiny little gift box, adorned with a ribbon and a personalized label. And at just $3.25 a box, they’re affordable, too!

Birdseed Heart Organic Wedding Favors in Organza Bag

Inspired by the beauty of nature, give your guests little hearts adorned with birdseed made with natural ingredients. These little beauties will be handmade just for your wedding, and allow you to get creative: hang them from trees at your venue!

Live Bamboo Eco-Wedding Favor in a Bubble Vase

Nothing is more eco-friendly than giving your guests a living plant! These bamboo shoots are shipped directly from a California nursery. Symbolizing love, luck and happiness, bamboo is also a sustainable natural resource that takes little energy to harvest.

Have a great Monday!

Green Monday: Winter Weddings

Having a winter wedding? You’re likely already saving some “green” by having your wedding off-season; great job! Here’s a few more “green” tips for you:

1. Utilize the holiday decor that’s available to you in your venue(s)! Winter is a time marked by garland, wreaths, twinkle lights and pine trees, and you could save a fortune by embracing these winter staples.
2. For your flowers, think white! Like the blankets of white snow covering the ground, use beautiful white flowers for your arrangements, such as white roses, lily of the valley, baby’s breath, and calla lilies. Remember to use flowers in season to save some “green,” or use synthetic silk flowers!
3. For other decor, think cozy fabrics like velvet. To you reception tables, add velvet table runners in your wedding colors, and you have instant warmth! Yardage of velvet is rather inexpensive, but will make your guests feel the warmth that wintertime lacks. As an added bonus, reuse these runners around your home to adorn your holiday tables, or sew these runners together into a quilt as a holiday gift!
4. Red and green color patterns are so overrated. Silver metallic is a great hue to utilize if you’re saying “I Do” in the winter. Think grey suits and silver bridesmaid dresses for instant chic. Check out retailers like Rawganique for suits for your guys and Two Birds for your girls. Shabby Apple is also coming out with a bridesmaid line in February 2010, according to their web site.
5. As an overall tip, the white hue of snow looks beautiful, and can only help to showcase the special details of your wedding more by providing a blank canvas for colors to pop.

Do you have any other tips for green winter brides? Please share!

[Photo credit: Big City Bride]

Our Wedding: So Many Blooming Choices!

Happy Tuesday, readers! For me, today marks my second-to-last day at work this week – yay for Christmas! I am anxious to spend time with family this week.

Today’s post is all about flowers!

I already plan to incorporate green(er) floral choices in terms of our reception decorations – my Mom and I have discussed planting wildflowers in her backyard garden and utilizing these in mason jars adorned with lace and twine for our reception tables. I’ve also thought about frequenting the local farmer’s market the week of the wedding and picking up a few collections of flowers to utilize on our wedding day.

As you recall, I’ve expressed my disdain for shelling out hundreds of buckaroos for real wedding flowers that will merely die in a week, so I’m making friends with the idea of carrying silk or synthetic flowers. However, the more I think about it, I would love to carry real flowers myself on my wedding day. (As I say that now, I’m wondering if that’s fair to ask my girls to carry synthetic florals and to carry real ones myself?!)

Remember this inspiration board I made a few months ago on the Style Circle?

While I know that my girls will be carrying sunshine-colored flowers, I still haven’t concepted a clear-cut idea of what flowers I want to carry on our wedding day.

My Mom has always loved yellow roses and daisies, and I think they would make a beautiful combination for my wedding bouquet. I also LOVE these little button mums (that’s probably not at all what they are, but I love them), so I’d be delighted to have those in my bouquet as well. I also am a HUGE fan of sunflowers.

Yet, I once saw a bride’s bouquet that was completely beautiful – and white! She carried only one bloom, but it was beautiful – she carried only lily of the valley, tied with a ribbon. Here’s a lily of the valley bouquet found via the Boards on Wedding Bee:

How sweet, simple and lovely!

What are your thoughts, readers?

Real or synthetic flowers for me? For my girls?

What blooms should I carry?

What is your favorite yellow flower?

Green Post: Reusable Decor

Good morning, all! I hope you’re coming back from a relaxing, wintery weekend – we had SO MUCH FUN at our engagement shoot yesterday; thank you to all of you who left suggestions for me on how to “winterize” my dress! I can’t wait to see (and then show you all!) our pictures.

Today’s post is a hybrid of sorts, combining the usual “Green Post” theme with an “Our Wedding” feature.

My mother collects birdhouses of all shapes and sizes. In the home that I grew up in, my mother showcases her collection of these birdhouses atop various overhangs in our formal living room and kitchen. I’ve always loved how completely diverse her birdhouses are, and would often admire them as a young girl. I love how a weathered birdcage would sit next to a mossy birdhouse on one side and a refined church birdhouse on the other.

Before Jordan and I were even engaged, we knew that our wedding would not be the typical affair, partly because we’re not mainstream people (both of us are fascinated by imaginary worlds of television and fiction), but mostly because of money. We (smartly) did not want to dive head first into the big ‘D’ (debt) to afford letterpress invitations or chocolate fountains.

So, after Jordan and I were engaged, I began diving into wedding blog after wedding blog, trying to find a theme or motif that inspired me. I came across Olive You Deerly relatively early in my search, and I fell in love with the floral/birds’ nest fascinator that she wore in her hair. I love the imagery of lovebirds, and after a little more brainstorming, I thought back to my mother’s birdhouse collection. Why couldn’t we utilize her wonderful collection for our reception centerpieces? From there, I began Google searching everything “rustic” and “bird-themed,” and after a few months, I now have a honed vision on the main theme of our wedding: lovebirds with a touch of rustic elements, heavy on the vintage.

The point of my story is this:  instead of purchasing (or renting!) tall clear vases, mirror squares, candleholders, etc. for our centerpieces, we’re utilizing reusable decor and found items. By showcasing my mother’s birdhouse collection, we’re being budget-friendly AND eco-friendly (no waste!). I feel like learning this lesson early in my wedding planning has not only helped me to accomplish a honed vision, but has also contributed significantly to our desire not to go into debt or contribute to mass waste. As an added bonus, I feel very satisfied that we’re honoring my mother by including her collection of birdhouses. Utilizing her collection also gives our wedding personality – how many weddings have you attended where birdhouses sit center stage?

Do any of your family members have collections
that you could utilize in your own wedding?

Photo: www.bymyhands.com

Showcase Wednesday: The Wedding Perch

Hello readers! For our first annual Showcase Wednesday post, I have a real treat for you from Etsy:  The Wedding Perch!

I stumbled upon The Wedding Perch when I was looking for a unique and rustic alternative to the typical guest book you sign at weddings. I can’t wait to show you all of the goodies from this Etsy shop, so here come the photos!

Here’s the guestbook I was talking about; according to the seller, “this authentic tree trunk slice is hand burned with the couple’s initials. The initials are surrounded by a hand burned heart and arrow. Your wedding party, immediate family members, or every wedding guest can sign his/her name on this unique wooden piece to create a lasting and decorative memory!”

I know we’ll LOVE to frame this and keep in visible in our home for years to come!

Next up are The Wedding Perch’s lovely little favor bags. How cute would these be filled with candies made locally or birdseed/petals/lavender to throw in the air post-ceremony?

Last up are these adorable escort cards made of Lotka (or plantable) paper! Lotka paper is handmade in Nepal, and is produced through an environmentally friendly process. Also, half of the paper’s materials are recycled! Plus, as an added bonus to your guests, they can plant the escort cards in their gardens after the wedding for a beautiful floral display of your love and commitment! Now that’s eco-friendly decor.

Check out The Wedding Perch Etsy shop here!

All photos from The Wedding Perch shop

Green Post Monday: Color Me Mine

Good Monday morning, everyone! If I seem a little cheerier today, it’s because today is my 23rd birthday – yay for birthdays!

Today’s Green Post Monday is devoted to Color Me Mine, a paint-your-own ceramics studio right here in Sioux Falls, SD. If you’re looking to make your own handmade gifts this holiday season, look no further: Color Me Mine has many ceramic pieces, from plates and mugs to vases and figurines, that you can personalize for your family and friends!

For the bride-to-be, Color Me Mine can provide the tools needed to create wonderful and personalized gifts for bridesmaids and other special people. Also, because brides are investing their time and energy in creating something special for their loved ones, they aren’t contributing to commercialized waste by purchasing gifts at a store that doesn’t uphold eco-friendly practices!

The Color Me Mine studio is also available to rent. How much fun would it be to get together with your bridesmaids and paint the afternoon away! That’s a bachelorette party or wedding shower in the making, if you ask me.

While Color Me Mine isn’t the most “green” venue in Sioux Falls, the studio strives to encourage community between novices and professionals, and to provide an open environment to create beautiful pieces of art. I would love to treat my bridesmaids to an afternoon at Color Me Mine!

Photo: Color Me Mine

Coral?!

Check out this Style Circle board – I am loving the idea of coral and slate grey…goodbye yellow?!

Credits: Karen Wise, Zoom Photography (4), Jose Villa, Olivia Leigh, Dollface Studio, Suthi Picotte

Sara’s Etsy Finds: Part I

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I once again find myself apologizing for not posting yesterday, but I wanted to give you all a chance to browse through my post on wedding gown shopping – I hope you all enjoyed reading it! As a reminder, if you would like to see photos/links of the dresses we DID like, email me and I’ll be sure to send them your way!

Today’s post is fun, because it’s full of Etsy goodness! As you may know, Etsy is an online shopping mall of homemade goods. Whether you’re looking for handmade gifts for friends or family, woodworking beauties or a ring bearer pillow for a wedding, Etsy is your one-stop shop! Plus, the best thing about Etsy is that many of the sellers on the site simply reuse fabric or craft goods to make new things, thereby decreasing the amount of waste that’s accrued each year! How’s that for eco-friendly!

Up first are Amanda Archer’s lovely dresses. Made from natural fabrics and trims, Amanda’s creations are both eco-friendly and beautiful; check out this AMAZING printed number! Perfect for summer bridesmaid dresses! Her other dresses (including an adorable blueberry frock and a champagne silk dress) are just as lovely, and are reasonably priced!

Next up is an idea for gifts for bridesmaids or just for fun! Sakizome’s shop on Etsy is full of whimsical handmade bags that really cover the spectrum; from fruit-covered satchels to hydrangea clutches, Sakizome’s shop is your one-stop store for handmade purses!

Up next is a HUGE favorite of mine – RedLightStudio! Seriously, if you’ve never heard of this shop before, click over to their store and you will be WOWED by the whimsy of their wedding cake toppers! Since J and I plan to incorporate an aviary motif throughout our wedding, I can’t imagine putting anything but birds atop our wedding cake! The best part: the artists at RedLightStudio detail each set of birds by hand, according to your wedding colors and what you and your significant other look like/will be wearing!

This next shop is arguably my most favorite shop on Etsy – Y&E Bridal. I heard about this shop through Vintage Glam Weddings, and I have to say, as soon as I clicked over to see the beautiful work Y&E does, I know that I won’t go anywhere else for my garter or ring bearer pillow.

Looking for affordable handmade jewelry? Look no further than JLR Designs on Etsy. JLR Designs offers nearly 50 items that are all $20 and under – and it’s beautiful beaded jewelry that’s perfect for bridesmaids and even for the bride herself! Plus, 20% of every item sold goes to benefit the Arizona Humane Society!

There’s much more to come;
stop by tomorrow for more Etsy finds!

Sunshine Yellow Flowers!

Hi all,

Big news:  I think J and I have FINALLY settled on our color palette for our July wedding! We’re still in love with the combo of slate/silver grey and yellow, but we’re muting down the yellow a little (think maize) and also adding a muted grey-blue! J and I talked it through tonight, and we’re SO excited about our casual, elegant, rustic backyard vintage aviary wedding! (How’s that for description!)

Here’s a board I conjured up on Style Circle tonight; I just love the idea of creating continuity by keeping all of our floral decor in the yellow family. Plus, since I am most definitely DIY-ing our flowers (it can’t be that hard, right?!), I would love to know what you all think about yellow blossoms that are easy to work with and full of vitality and lasting life! I’m also going to try to use only seasonal flowers, to cut costs. I’m thinking of ordering the flowers wholesale from Sam’s Club here in town…thoughts, everyone?