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

Deck the Halls with Kindness!

Immerse yourself completely in the holiday spirit with these 12 kind options for decorating both your home and yourself this season!  

A Season for Horses Celadon Ceramic Ornaments from Novica - This stunning pair of horses were handcrafted by Duangkamol Srisukri, an artisan based in Thailand working under fairtrade conditions

Recycled Motherboard Ornaments from The Rainforest Site - Not only will your tree look uber unique with these high tech decorations, but you'll also have that warm fuzzy feeling from saving these beauties from landfill :D

Upcycled Sweater Mittens by Sweater Scrapyard - These mittens for perfect for northern hemisphere kittens! Sad old sweaters have been transformed into super cute hand-warmers

Reclaimed Sail Stockings by Katherine Rasmussen for Branch - These fabulous and sustainable chic stockings have been handcrafted in Brooklyn from reclaimed sailboat sails! You can keep them in classic red and white or decorate them yourself however you please :o)

Fawn Decoration and Brooch by Oh Blackbird - This delightful fellow is made from upcycled materials and he's simply giddy with anticipation at the possibility of gamboling about your pretty tree. If he's very well behaved you can ever take him out to parties as a brooch ;o)

Recycled Sweater Snowmen by Craftinator - These snowmen are 100% adorable and 0% abominable! Lovingly brought to life from old sweaters to add cheer to your home

Advent Calendar Pack by Edgar's Mission - This is the perfect cruelty-free pack for households who love critters! Munch away on your delicious dairy-free fairtrade advent chocolates while admiring the 365 days of kindness calendar - all while wearing your 'I'm a Hero for Animals' badge

Animal Menagerie African Ornaments from VivaTerra - Wow check out these colourful characters! Crafted from factory end fabric by female artisans in South Africa, the additional income enables them to work from home while raising their children

Gingerbread Snackpack by Gingerbread Folk - Keep up your energy levels during all this holiday fun with these vegan gingerbread people, which come in a biodegradable pack!

Haitian Recycled Steel Ornaments from the GreaterGood Network - These beautiful looking ornaments also carry a beautiful message. Live. Love. Laugh. Haitian artisans of Croix des Bouquets have created these decorations using recycled steel oil drums in an incredibly green process. On top of all this, each purchase generates an additional donation to assist with earthquake relief efforts in Haiti

Boxed Christmas Cards from Earth Greetings - Now that you're in the holiday mood, why not drop your loved ones a special message on these gorgeous cards made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper. The stunning designs have been printed with vegetable ink via a carbon neutral process and with every purchase a donation goes toward planting a tree!

Garland of Jute Stars from The Dharma Door - I really like these beautifully simple yet incredibly eye-catching decorations. They've been handcrafted by fair trade artisans in Vietnam from sustainable materials

Stay tuned for my Holiday Wish List for the Ethical and Ecochic!