Wedding Trends That Take The Cake

“Being green,” as they say, is very chic these days, and eco-friendly weddings and gifts are becoming very popular. Recyclables and natural gifts–once thought to be “cheap”–are now very trendy, and most givers and recipients of environmentally conscious gifts are pleased to be part of the trend to save Mother Earth.

Here are some great eco-friendly ideas: 

GIFTS: As you and your soon-to-be-spouse plan your wedding, consider registering for some great eco-friendly gifts. There are some great companies out there providing top-of-the-line, creative fare. Also, consider buying eco-friendly gifts for your entire bridal party and family!

Green Earth Bamboo: Bamboo is one of the more eco-friendly products you’ll find. For starters, it grows at an astonishing rate of up to four feet per day (so there’s an overabundance), and it’s naturally antimicrobial, which means that it doesn’t require any pesticides or herbicides during its growing process. Bugs just plain don’t like the stuff! Also, there are several types of bamboo, so when purchasing these products, you’re not taking food away from pandas.

Green Earth Bamboo offers beautiful bamboo bedding sets including bamboo sheets, blankets, bedspreads and duvets that every bride and groom would love to own. Green Earth Bamboo also offers luxurious bamboo bath towels and a fashionable eco-friendly clothing line. There is nothing cozier than bamboo to warm your soul!

Check out these organic bamboo towels. They’re incredibly plush and soft, antimicrobial, fast drying and super absorbent. These eco-friendly bamboo bath towels come in three beautiful colors and are so luxurious and comfortable that you’ll want to add extra sets to your gift list.

Brides…consider luxurious bamboo bath mitts, pure and natural soap and cozy women’s nightshirts as great gifts for you bridesmaids.

UnCommonGoods: Features merchandise created in harmony with the environment and without harm to animals or people.

Check out their Platter in a Bottle. Made from 100% recycled glass, these wine bottle-shaped platters provide a lovely backdrop to any cheese, crackers, fruits or vegetables you serve at your next party. Each piece undergoes an 8-hour process to emerge as a one-of-a-kind platter.

Another gift idea from UnCommon Goods is the Super Bowl made out of recycled windshiled glass. This large bowl can be used as a decorative object, a vase for fresh flowers, a punch bowl or a goldfish bowl.

Etsy.com: Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. There are thousands of gifts to choose from. Check out this bracelet made from beach-gathered materials. Every piece of the bracelet is either recycled, upcycled, repurposed, or reused–even the bracelet itself was recycled according to the site with every bit of the sterling silver being obtained from an eco-friendly supplier.

GreenandMore.com: Offers products for those who are concerned about the environment but don’t have a lot of time. They strive to offer truly green products, helping to minimize the impact on the planet without compromising quality and style.

Green and More has a wide array of eco-friendly home appliances to choose from as well as an extensive variety of home decor choices. An interesting gift choice for you or your wedding party might be the eco-friendly vases that Green and More offers. There are several to choose from, and the materials range from paper to wood, glass to ceramic and copper to LED rechargeable atmosphere vases.

Global Exchange Fair Trade Online: Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting environmental, political and social justice. Since 1988, they have increased the US public’s global awareness while building partnerships worldwide.

Check out the Dhukuti Tablerunner from Nepal. These blockprint table runners are handcrafted by women involved in the Association for Craft Producers in Kathmandu. ACP is a women’s craft center established to provide low income or abandoned women with employment and training in traditional skills. ACP provides access to a fair wage, health care, education and marketing skills and strives to raise worker’s self esteem and ability to compete effectively in the marketplace. Choose from three color combinations, and select matching placemats and napkins from the same collection.

DONATIONS: Consider giving or receiving a donation gift to honor an environmental organization or socially responsible group. A few non-profits that you may want to consider include: 

The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.

Conservation International Foundation: They believe that the Earth’s natural heritage must be maintained if future generations are to thrive spiritually, culturally and economically. Their mission is to conserve the Earth’s living heritage and to demonstrate that human societies are able to live harmoniously with nature.

Trees for the Future: Trees for the Future is one of the leading agroforestry resources in the world, helping people in developing countries improve their rural livelihoods through the introduction of environmentally sustainable land management projects focused on beneficial tree planting.

Conservation Fund: The nation’s foremost environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting America’s most important landscapes and waterways for future generations.

The Clean Water Network: The Clean Water Network (CWN) is a coalition of more than 1,200 public interest organizations across the country, representing more than five million people, working together to strengthen and implement federal clean water and wetlands policy.

MEMBERSHIPS: A great gift idea might be an annual pass to a national park, museum passes or a zoo membership. Also, concert tickets are thoughtful gifts that create no waste and will bring great pleasure to the recipients.

Don’t forget to consider eco-friendly, green wedding invitations when planning your wedding. Also, check out this previous post for more eco-friendly wedding ideas.

Lisa Bakewell

Tags: Eco Wedding, gift ideas, invitations, Wedding Ideas, Wedding Trends

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 7th, 2009 at 10:26 am and is filed under Eco-Friendly Weddings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.