My Little Green Wedding

"I love thee - I love thee,
'Tis all that I can say
It is my vision in the night,
My dreaming in the day"
~Thomas Hood

I thought it might be nice to share with you just a few examples of the simple green touches I incorporated into my recent wedding ceremony and reception!

Ryan and I wanted to keep cut flowers to a minimum, selecting native and locally-sourced species. Our florist was amazing, producing vibrant bouquets and button-holes showcasing Australia's eye-catching flora! 

One of our decorative themes were stars, so you can imagine how excited I was when I came across star-shaped eco-confetti! Each star is made from 100% biodegradable rice paper. We poured the stars into reusable cardboard cones and placed them on the chairs for people to use at the end of the ceremony. I also put some aside for my flower girl to throw as she walked down the aisle - to her utter delight!

 
It might sound crazy but I actually found my dress in the first 3 hours of wedding dress shopping in the first store I visited! I fell head over heels for my 1950s vintage beauty by renowned designer William Cahill with its exquisite hand-stitched flowers. Of course Ryan and my shoes were both vegan along with Ryan's belt!

Two of my astoundingly talented bridesmaids hand-crafted dresses for themselves and my two other bridesmaids using locally-sourced materials. To fit in with my vintage dress, they worked from a 1950s pattern. 

For my insanely adorable pageboy who is currently obsessed with all things Iron Man, I ordered a special handmade bow-tie from Look For Me Bowties. 

To decorate the reception tables I alternated succulents potted in sweet little silver buckets with tea light candles on top of a hessian runner. The succulents, created by the amazing 2Petals Floral Design, doubled as my bonbonniere for each guest to take home and enjoy.

Also throughout the room we'd strewn wheat-grass planted in repurposed glass jars and upcycled pianola scrolls with LED lights inside (prepared by my friends and classmates from the Centre for Sustainability Leadership). 

After the best evening of our lives - family and friends were taken home in a bus we'd hired to get them all home safely :-) x

Make a Sustainable Love Connection this Valentine's Day!

There can be so much pressure around Valentine's Day for both singles and couples to spend an inordinate amount of money on...well...rubbish. Don't get me wrong, I'm a hopeless romantic and I love planning surprise treats and picking out a thoughtful gift or experience! But whether you're organising a big night out or staying in and pampering yourself - don't forget it's about the love not the stuff ;-) 

If you do want to splash out on something fun for your special person, then sustainable is the new sexy! Here are a handful of romantically ethical finds to inspire you:

Reusable Romance Trade Tokens by Leafcutter Designs - I really like that this is a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year, helping to build fun memories :) You can even top up your activity options from the other editions including 'Foodie', 'Outdoor Adventure' and 'Sexy Time'

Balls for Good by Jinta Sport -If your Valentine is a sporty guy or girl, why not treat them to a new fairtrade ball! You'll not only earn points for caring about their favourite game, your purchase will also benefit community development projects in third world countries AND sports programs for Aboriginal children in Australia

Soft Coeur Massage Bar by LUSH - I am so head over heels for massages! Share an intimate and relaxing moment with your Valentine with this chocolate and honey massage bar. You know what else is a turn on? Equal rights! So why not check out LUSH's Sign of Love campaign

Really Wild Gifts from WSPA - You'll totally be in for a bunch of bear hugs after giving this gift! Make someone's heart glow knowing that there are bears being saved from captivity and cruelty thanks to your present

Fairtrade + Organic Cotton Men's Sleepwear by Sorella & Me - Sure getting dressed up and hitting the town for a romantic night out can be awesome fun, but so can staying home in bed watching your favourite movies! If that's your plan why not make sure he's wearing something an ecofashionista can be proud of? Pssst: use the code MYLOVE at the checkout for 15% off storewide until 14/02/14

"Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as difficult as that" ~Michael Leunig

Sisters Are Blogging It For Themselves!

I'm very honoured to announce that the lovely Shelley Marsh from Money Mummy has nominated me for a Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award! The award is shared among female bloggers who inspire one another with their writing.

Shelley is an inspiring woman who blogs about two of her favourite subjects - motherhood and money. She does an amazing job demystifying money matters and providing practical tips for saving money. Money Mummy is one of Money Buddy’s top 5 recommended savings blogs for women.  

So as a recipient I've been asked to follow these simple steps: 

1. Put the logo on my blog
2. Thank the person who nominated me << Easy!! Thanks so much Shelley xo
3. Choose 10-12 other female bloggers as my nominees
4. Post the links to the nominees' blogs and notify each of them on their blog

It's my absolute pleasure to share my nominees, although I have to say that choosing only 12 proved very difficult :)

(1) Sasstainable - This amazing blog is the brain-child of Angela Wallace, who like me has a passion for all things ethical and sustainable in fashion. Angela has a degree in Environmental Management and is an expert on sustainable lifestyle and ethical luxury.

(2) OutsaPop Trashion - If you're into DIY you're going to love this! Created by Pyy Outi a self-confessed fashion addict from Helsinki - this blog is all about getting hands-on with upcycling tutorials and sustainable fashion inspiration.

(3) Art With Chrissy Foreman Cranitch - There are some blogs out there that are like breathing in fresh air, this is one of them. Chrissy Foreman is an artist who blogs about her creative experiences and her continuous quest to live an authentic life - without glossing over the bumpy bits.

(4) October Rebel - If you haven't met October Bly yet, you're in for a visual treat! She's a personal style blogger highlighting fair trade and charity shop fashion. I'm in constant awe of her style images with their whimsical beauty and picturesque scenery.

(5) Naturally Chic Life - Kaitlyn Pierce is not only a natural lifestyle blogger, photographer and new Mum, she's also the founder of my favourite online chat #BlogTrends! Kaitlyn's blog is all about how you can live naturally and simply. 

(6) Quick Cheap and Pretty - If you love beauty bargains that don't come at the cost of animal welfare then Martha Woods has the blog for you! Martha's fantastic blog showcases fantastic cruelty-free and vegan beauty products for busy women on a budget.

(7) Recycled Fashion - Erica Louise is a recycled fashion guru with a background in environmental sustainability as well as interior design. Recycled Fashion is an amazing international resources for recycled, vintage, upcycled and DIY fashion.

(8) Style Eyes - Ceri Heathcote is dedicated to sharing her ethical fashion finds and sustainable style inspirations via her personal style blog. Ceri's blog is overflowing with tips on how to look ecochic without going broke in the process!

(9) Green Issues by Agy - Based in Singapore, Agy is an Environmental Designer blogging about her love of DIY fashion recycling. Her awesome goal is to spread the message that you don't have to buy something new, and you shouldn't throw something away without thinking about what it could be turned into!

(10) Eco Fashion Talk -Talk about a blog with pedigree! Eco Fashion Talk is the blog of Sass Brown, Acting Assistant Dean for the School of Art and Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. She's also the author of 2 amazing sustainable fashion books. This blog is all about cutting-edge eco fashion from the perspective of someone very much in the know!

(11) Moral Fibres - Sustainability expert Wendy Graham's blog examines 6 main areas where you can be creatively sustainable: home and garden; food and drink; life and style; families; travel; and resources. This is a beautiful and accessible source of green inspiration.

(12) The Beautiful Think - This is the weekly blog of eco-boutique owner Brooke Hahn. Each post focuses on a different way to think about how you live your life and the actions you take. Brooke reminds us that one of our most essential relationships is with ourselves. It's wellness and green-living with a healthy sprinkling of sustainable fashion.  

I hope you enjoy these amazing blogs!

KB x