Here at Tradesy Weddings we take a special liking to anything recycled, organic, and green. We absolutely loved Natalie Portman’s vegan wedding that took place over the weekend in the BEAUTIFUL Big Sur, California. Portman tied the knot to her long time beau Benjamin Millepied in a Rodarte gown in the presence of friends and family in a beautiful and green ceremony. The reception was held at a friends house with all traditional Jewish wedding traditions including a 20 minute hora dance. The menu was strictly vegan and they opted out of the cake for French macaroons. You can see the entire story here.
So tell us what you think, Do you love the idea of having a vegan wedding or is vegan going too far for food tastes?
An eco-beautiful affair in Pennsylvania shows off a special couple’s green values.
This incredible green wedding is best described in the words of the beautiful bride, Carly: “We really wanted our wedding to be a celebration of love and a joining of all facets of our family as well as a good representation of who we are as people. We wanted our care for animals and the environment to shine througha bit without being overt. Our favorite part of the day was having a celebration that was representative of us as a couple and something that paid tribute to our beliefs and brought people together in a meaningful, fun way. We were both so happy to marry our best friend.”
With photos by the lovely and talented Carina Romano of Love Me Do Photography, who will be appearing at the uber-cool Lovesick Wedding Expo on January 9th, this is one of the sweetest green weddings we’ve ever seen. Thanks to Carly, Kyle and Carina for sharing!
The bride and groom made the placecards themselves from locally grown apples. So lovely!
All of the wedding’s flowers were local and in season…and beautiful!
While the ceremony was of no particular religious affiliation, the couple included Quaker touches such as the handmade wedding certificate that was signed by each and every wedding guest.
The wedding arch that the couple stood under to be married was handmade by Carly’s step-dad out of wood from her parents’ backyard.
The couple saved on paper programs by creating a chalkboard wedding program instead.
Wedding favors were locally grown basil plants, hand-potted by the bride and groom!
Carly and Kyle also created their own centerpieces from rustic wooden pots and kale plants.
The entire menu, including the beautiful wedding cake below, was vegan. Having a vegan wedding, or incorporating vegan and vegetarian dishes, helps the environment because meat production is energy-intensive and damaging to the environment. It can also save you money, and look and taste as great as a conventional menu!
Thanks again to Carina Romano of Love Me Do Photography for sharing this fantastic green wedding with Recycled Bride!
Whether it be a family heirloom, a vintage piece, or another gemstone, the ring is one of the most important parts of your engagement. It is the delicate piece that is with you as a daily reminder of the love you have found. There are many options for green rings. We love this delicate vintage piece we found on Tradesy Weddings.
2. The Dress
Equally as important as the ring, your wedding dress is what makes you feel the most beautiful on your special day. Finding the perfect dress to make you feel beautiful can be a challenge. Instead of fighting the mass markets to find that overpriced, over worn piece, try a vintage or gently used option. There are so many beautiful dresses and not only is it a green option, it leaves a ton of green in your wallet!
Look at this entire section on Vera Wang on Tradesy Weddings!
3. The Venue
There are so many beautiful and extravagant venues across the globe, but equally as many beaches, state parks, local parks, and lakes. With the fees from these site rentals going right back into the community, it is a win-win for a beautiful and literally green wedding! We loved these venues!
Sunset Cliffs, San Diego
Yosemite National Park
Central Park, New York
4. The Memories
Rather than have those cheesy throw away cameras at every table and then have to actually find somewhere, most likely expensive, to get the film processed… (Where can you even do that these days?) Why not opt for a social wedding!
With each persons email RSVP, you can add them to a Flickr account where they can share their own images from their camera phones, everyone has one, even Grandpa! This is great because every guest can see what was going on across the room while they were drinking champagne! This is also a great way for your brides friends and grooms friends to interact and form an entire network of new friends all thanks to your beautiful wedding!
5. The Gifts
With so much excess involved with weddings, why not take a moment to give back to a local charity or when registering for your gifts, opt for a greener option. There are so many possibilities and some of our favorites include: a local produce subscription, eco friendly products from stores you are registered at, or this foundation we found that donates a portion of all gift purchases to your chosen cause, I Do Foundation.
We hope these tips were helpful to you earth conscious brides and we wish you the best on your wonderful wedding day!
Wedding season is upon us! For those out those out there looking to have a more eco-friendly wedding day, vegan lifestyle guru Alicia Silverstone offers you some ways to do just that (and recounts her own special day). She shares the details, a video, and photos on her website The Kind Life (www.thekindlife.com).
By her own admission, Alicia was a little “nutty” while planning her wedding. Her focus was not only on creating delicious vegan food that all her guests would enjoy, but also on making sure every aspect of her wedding, from decorations to the location were as eco-friendly as possible. Alicia and her husband Christopher even danced on a reclaimed wood dance floor that was specially made for their wedding. Alicia now admits that it might not have been the most eco-friendly idea she ever had.
Alicia’s blog on TheKindLife.com shows an album of beautiful photos from a her mother-in-law’s wedding decades ago. Alicia is inspired by the 1950’s vintage bridesmaid dresses, and suggests readers use these photos to inspire them further.
Plus a friend’s wedding Alicia recently attended in Camarillo. With caring for the planet in mind and a beautiful setting by a lake, this wedding used rustic wood planters and wildflowers to decorate the already gorgeous outdoor venue. Alicia suggests that picking a naturally beautiful venue will help cut down on the need to use other non-eco friendly decorations.
Being a big fan of anything Eco Friendly (and a big fan of shoes, of course!) I was thrilled when I heard Mink Shoes are now available on Zappos.com. I think these shoes are perfect for a beach wedding or a tropical honeymoon. Have a look! I shared my three favorites here. Which do you love?
EJ and Alex wanted their wedding to reflect their eco-conscious ideals, so they incorporated lots of sweet handmade and recycled details into the ceremony and reception. The couple collected and hand painted rocks for their seating charts and table numbers, which were displayed alongside small bunches of fresh lavender and wildflowers.
Family and friends gathered at the Headlands Center for the Arts in San Francisco for the celebration. The Center’s original cluster of nine historic, 1907-era military buildings featured beautiful vaulted ceilings, large windows and maple floors. They also grow and harvest their own organic food for catering such events like EJ & Alex’s wedding!
This simple and elegant green wedding was sent to us from Janet Moscarello + Lisa Lefringhouse of JL Photografia. Enjoy the beautiful photos!
We love sharing our annual sustainable wedding trend forecasts with you each year, and 2012 has tons of exciting new styles in store! Check us out on NBC with some of our favorites, and see below for all 12 trends and where to get them.
1. Brides Get Fascinated: This year’s must-have bridal trend is the fascinator; a luxe headpiece or hair accessory made from lace, fabric flowers, feathers or jewels. Designer Arturo Rios makes our favorites!
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2. Smashing Sashes: Bridal belts and sashes are hot this year, turning up on the runway and down the aisle. We love jewel-embellished sashes and classy neutrals like this black belted Tadashi Shoji organza ball gown (and it’s only $800!)
3. Home is Where the Party Is: Taking cues from newlyweds like Reese Witherspoon, Kate Moss, and Lauren Bush, wedding receptions at home are hot. Backyard bashes have gone elegant and upscale, with couples celebrating in their own homes.
4. Cakes Make a Comeback: Cupcake towers and dessert tables have dominated the dessert scene for years, but the traditional wedding cake is back for 2012. Find inspiration from the celebrity bakers at Fantasy Frostings.
5. Virtual Guests: Technology is making it possible for faraway friends and relatives to attend 2012 weddings without traveling. This year, guests will arrive via tablets and smartphones, just like this iPad bridesmaid!
6. A Signature Sipper: Signature cocktails are all the rage, letting you skip the overstocked wedding bar in favor of one affordable signature cocktail, plus organic wines and local beer. We’re in love with the yummy Goji Fizz from GQ Eco Bartending.
7. Flor-ternatives: Traditional cut flowers are expensive, and quickly wilt, but paper flowers are forever! The best ones can be found at The Crane Factory…the bouquet on the right is made from the pages of a romance novel!
8. Something Blue: Royal blue sapphires are outshining diamonds this year as engagement jewel of choice. This one is just $700 for 2.5 carats of beautiful blue bling.
9. Something Old, Something New: Wedding resale has doubled in the last year, with more than 20% of brides selling or shopping for a gently used wedding dress, decor, or bridal accessory online. In fact, Recycled Bride now has more than 18,000 discounted wedding items for sale! 2012′s engaged couples will reduce, reuse, and resell in record numbers, saving money and the Earth.
10. Modesty & Lots o’ Lace: Inspired by Kate Middleton’s royal wedding gown, 2012′s brides are loving lace, sometimes with covered arms and shoulders. This stunning Melissa Sweet lace dress can be worn with a shrug or capelet.
11. DIY Wedding Videos: Using Flipcams, smartphones, and an army of friends, many couples will forgo traditional wedding videos in favor of DIY mashups recorded from guests’ perspectives. Use free online editing tools like WeVideo, or let the pros at Storymix Media edit for you. Either way, you’ll save a bundle and get a unique and creative perspective on your wedding day. Plus you’ll decide what moments to preserve for your future children to enjoy!
12. Midnight Munchies: As wedding celebrations become all-nighters, fill the bellies of party-hardy guests with a comfort food-style midnight snack. The sustainable chefs at Whoa Nelly Catering make delicious mini burgers & more.
By her own admission, Alicia was a little “nutty” while planning her wedding. Her focus was not only on creating delicious vegan food that all her guests would enjoy, but also on making sure every aspect of her wedding, from decorations to the location were as eco-friendly as possible. Alicia and her husband Christopher even danced on a reclaimed wood dance floor that was specially made for their wedding. Alicia now admits that it might not have been the most eco-friendly idea she ever had.
