Wedding Wednesday- Vendor Love- Jeremy Ganss

 

Ok, now it is time to sing the praises of another one of the vendors that helped for our wedding. This one matters a lot, I think, because it's not like we will have the chance to hire Jeremy too many times in our life (I mean, I am not sure if he dj's 2 person dance parties), so the best way we can show him support is to highly recommend him, which we definitely do. He is based out of Clarion, and works a lot of Pittsburgh weddings, but if you are planning a wedding in Western PA, you can't do better. He was our big splurge for the wedding, and it was totally worth it. 

 

Jeremy keeps up a blog of his own that you can find here-  http://jeremyganss.blogspot.com/ To be honest, this blog was what won me over in the first place. I never saw a dj who was that serious and enthusiastic about his weddings that he kept track of song choices and took pictures himself. He clearly cares. Then, when I called him to chat (actually the first time we talked I was just getting his opinion on Wanango, but we talked for practically an hour), he was generous, funny, and a well of information. He knew about all the sites, all my regular wedding complaints, and how to best strategize his weddings. He was genuinely a pleasure to deal with every step of the way.

 

These are all pictures from his blog- for real, check it out! Jeremy knows his stuff, but he has a very humble, open, and generous Western PA personality. He is not hungry for the spotlight. I have been to those weddings too.  The whole night the dance floor was full, and everyone told us that they had a good time. We didn't have to worry about the schedule, because Jeremy was on top of all of it.

 

I could go on about Jeremy a long time, but The Boy wrote Jeremy a note that I think sums up his awesomeness pretty well:

 Jeremy,

Where to begin? You were absolutely phenomenal in every way, from the moment Barbara contacted you out of the blue to ask, not about DJ’ing, but for your opinions on Wenango (having seen your online review for it, not knowing you were a local DJ), it was immediately clear that you were passionate about your job and fully committed to delivering well executed, extraordinarily fun weddings. You always went above and beyond reasonable expectations to offer exceptional service, and it really showed.


You were always proactive, patient, and flexible to our schedule, not an easy thing to do when Barbara and I both were thousands of miles away for all but a handful of whirlwind visits back to Pennsylvania through the year+ of planning. You actively sought our opinions and took the time to meet us to get to know us, our tastes, and our goals for the wedding. You did more than pick a bunch of songs (though you did do that too, and your website made that easy to do in our own time!); you helped us to create the overall schedule of the night.


Once the reception began, you kept us on task and on schedule without ever being pushy or controlling or trying to take center stage; you gently guided us and our guests from dinner, to toasts, to cake, etc. without any jarring transitions. Once the dancing began, the floor was never empty—not even close—for more than four hours!  You transformed our eclectic requests (modern pop, Motown, obscure big band music, etc.) into the non-stop dance party we asked for.


You kept everyone, from the youngest cousins to our grandparents, excited, pumped, and moving the whole time. Unlike most of the DJ’s I’ve seen at weddings, you take your craft very seriously: your equipment is modern and your library and tastes are trend-leading rather than trend-following (Norah Jones: out; acoustic covers of the Bieb: yes, please). Most importantly, you actually know how to DJ: you did more than put together a giant playlist, press the ‘play’ button, and then walk away to eat cookies, take MySpace pictures of themselves, or fiddle on their phones for the majority of the night (yes, we’ve seen these before).

The level of service Jeremy provided was unparalleled, and he was key in making our night the most fun I’ve ever had at a wedding. Thank you for making our wedding kick ass!

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Wedding Wednesday- Why I'm Excited about my Groomzilla or The Perks of Co-ed Planning

I have been shocked in the last few weeks how many people have reacted with pity when I mention how involved and invested the Boy has been in the planning of our wedding. I certainly think they are entitled to their opinion, and obviously what works for them works for them, but I personally think it is awesome we live in an age where it should be perfectly great for a groom to care too. Because if you still think it is weird for a guy to care about things that are usually considered for women (exceptions being breastfeeding, menstruation, etc), you are a sexist. No joke. By suggesting men shouldn't care about these things, you are both doing them a disservice (the best example here would be emotional literacy, which is still a big issue in masculinity) AND deeming it less worthy of their attention. I call bullshit. If the wedding is the gateway drug into your marriage, he should care in some form or another. Because it is not the 50's, and it is his marriage too. I'm super bored with all these fake constructions of uninvested masculinity. If he really doesn't care about the traditional wedding, you should do something that he likes too. Elope. Do something super small. If he really doesn't seem to care about any of it at all, why would you marry him? Rant over.

 They also seem pretty shocked that, generally speaking, he is much more committed to getting things right in the details than I am, even though that is very true to our personalities. He is the consummate hard worker and perfectionist, whereas I bring a lot of the imagination and ideas. This is only one reason that I am really lucky to have a groom who is planning with me, and I can think of quite a few more:

from lifestyle.ca.msn.com/weddings

1. It has been really fun- Other than a few tiffs here and there, it has been really fun to do all of the wedding stuff together. Yes, it means I have had to edit some things I was originally sad about, but let's face it, had I had my way completely, people would be going to a circus wedding in 10 days. Not that it would have been a bad thing, but it wouldn't have been his thing.

2. Communication styles are different, in a good way- I am a pushover. I feel unbelievably grateful that people want to help us and I try to constantly ask for the bare minimum because I am sure they are dreading every second of helping (even though I never feel that way when the shoe is on the other foot). It's a Greene thing. On the other hand, The Boy asks for exactly what he wants from people helping. Exactly. I help him remember to be thankful, and he helps us get a lot more done. At the same time, he hates actually calling to people or speaking to them in person, which is not so traumatic to me. No matter what, your partner should be able to cover for you in some of the things you aren't so crazy about. And even if you both hate the same stuff, you get to do 50% less.

3. He cares about stuff that I know matters, but am fine with him dealing with- Oh seating chart, I was sure you would haunt my dreams, and instead, I barely worried about you. God bless fiances who know all the corners of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.

4. I always have someone to bounce ideas off of, and it is never treated as unimportant or frivolous- This is the one I would have the most trouble with otherwise. I understand some of what I want is ridiculous and has literally no bearing on whether we will eventually be married. But damn it, I want to make everybody a bracelet! It is very nice to never feel stupid about wanting things to be great.

5. Takes some of the pressure off- The Boy knows how everything is supposed to be, and he is willing to put a good stink up about it. This means I shouldn't be the only person available to answer questions in decorating. Even better, he has a much better chance of having some sassy moments toward the end, so hopefully that will split the attention more evenly.

6. It gets to be another thing that we did together, much like many other things- I like that this is just another goal to set and accomplish together, rather than an epic culmination or something, it just feels like a slightly heightened version of a lot of things we have done before. I think that helps it from getting too out of control stressful. There still feels like there is life after the wedding.

7. We got to enjoy the whole thing together- Did I mention its been fun? Right now, the Boy is still in California, and I think he is sad to miss some of this last minute craziness, because mostly it has been a good excuse to spend time with our loved ones. That is always a good time and never a bad thing.

8. The Wedding will actually look like both of us- This is no hot pink sparkle princess extravaganza. I brought the color and he brought the neutrals. I brought the craziness and he brought the order. I have no idea whether any of it will work yet or not (obviously), but I know whatever crazy mess it is, it is made out of both of our crazy heads.

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6 Things for 2 Days with my Mumma

from Even More Clumsy

1." My Grandmother's Baskets"- My great Aunt Betsi writes a blog that I love (my favorite is a post about a little piece of plastic litter that she has been noticing NOT changing over the course of months walking by), and this week, she has been posting about baskets that could be on the shelf family heirlooms, but she actually uses them. I love how she describes it, so be sure to check her blog out.

2. A Hose, A Blanket, and a Balloon- It really makes you appreciate the genius that goes into marketing toys, because so little is necessary for a two year old's good time. Can I also say I feel a twinge of pride that every stuffed animal in this picture (but one) was either bought used or gifted as a hand me down. I would say in the last couple of months, we have seen our changes in approaching stuff really come into its own, and its exciting to see how much is used or ethically made in our house.

3. Made in the USA Lumpectomy Gear- Never would have thought this existed in a million years, but if this blog has taught me one thing, its that someone has already thought about the problem, and if you intentionally seek out things that were made ethically, with regard for the environment, or nearby, you will be SHOCKED how often you can find it.

4. Weddings in the Time of Social Media- I was too pregnant to go with the Boy to a wedding this weekend, but thanks to cell phone pictures, facebook posts, and a drunken Skype, I got to feel like I at least got a sense of what the night was like, and I got to see lots of the beautiful details (and stop at a beer distributor). So grateful that if we have to live so far from home, we can do it now, and not 50 years ago like my grandparents did it- lots of letters and road trips.

5.Buying Things Used- You had no idea I liked this, right?! I am the kind of person who gets tremendously sentimental about stuff. My mom is the kind of person where most stuff doesn't matter to her at all (both she and my brother are excellent at shaking off excess baggage), so she would rather spend less money, because she doesn't intend to keep it that long anyway. Most stuff is just stuff, and it doesn't deserve much thought, energy and money. I love this about both of them.

 Where cheapo stores like Walmart might seem like the best answer, you cannot beat the deals you find at a kid's consignment store, so we can get everything still on our list (except the damn double stroller) for cheap while still having a positive environmental impact! It works really well If you are no fuss shopper like my mom,

Majamas from Amazon

6. Majamas- So, our baby is due VERY soon, and I am finally packing our hospital bags. We were talking about getting a new pair of nursing pajamas to go with the 2 or 3 I have from last time, and I am psyched about these numbers from Majamas. This company makes all of their clothes in the US, and they are so thoughtful about what a new mom needs! I will let you know how they work.

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Wedding Wednesday- Disposable Necessities Done Right

Now I know all you unmarried wonderful people are almost tired of browsing ethical engagement rings. Must be time to fantasize about your future eco-friendly compostable wedding plates- right?

My brother and his longtime, lovely girlfriend are getting married this year, and I couldn't be more psyched about it. I have been trying to be helpful (ok, I have been giving wayyyy too much unsolicited advice to two perfectly competent adults). One of the things my soon to be sister-in-law did ask for advice on was plates for the reception that were one time use but eco-friendly.

This is a challenge lots of us face for our weddings (or really any big party we throw)- when you host a party that big, it isn't surprising that some of the wares will be disposable. Maybe you are renting tables, chairs, plates, and silverware, but I bet you have had the cocktail napkin conversation (GAH!!! Do not get monogrammed napkins. Everyone already knows what wedding they are at- what a waste of money). Or maybe you are going to buy straws and cups for the bar.

This topic is boring (no, really!), so it doesn't get much attention on most wedding sites, but your approach to what you throw away might be the singlemost environmentally-conscious decisions you make. How much of this blessed day would you like to go to a landfill?

Disposable is certainly easy to come by (and cheap), but think about your priorities before you go that way across the board. Please, if you can rent any of these supplies from your caterer (or the venue or a local party rentals place), do it. Renting means reuse, which is exponentially less harmful for the environment than any one time use goods.

That being said, sometimes the cost difference is ridiculous, and other times (with things like straws and cocktail napkins), a rentable option may not exist. Maybe you are doing a big potluck picnic or another party where disposable makes the most sense. We used paper straws and plastic cups (would do that differently now), and I think most couples do end up with a mix. If you splurge a little on compostable and recycled goods for even half of these items, your wedding will have a significantly more positive impact on the world you will be married in.

If this isn't for you, but you want to do a little, don't buy any plastic. No plastic plates, straws, or cups. They are incredibly wasteful, dangerous to wildlife, and will outlive our grandchildren. Plastic is a problem, never a real solution.

So if you are doing the world's most boring wedding shopping, let me join you. Here are some things worth looking into:

Plates

Americans throw out a trillion disposable plates A YEAR. Can you even imagine a trillion? At the very least, we can make the ones we add compostable.

Some people use all disposable plates, and others only go that route for dessert or appetizer plates. Whatever you need to do is what you need to do, but I think you can find something classier and eco-friendly all at once. Yes, you can get a plastic plate in exactly your colors, but 100+ plastic plates straight to a landfill? Kind of a bummer, and you might be able to find something just as cost-effective while being much more eco-friendly. Plus, I think the perfectly matched thing only works for particular styles, and you have to be very meticulous to make it work. It's a wedding. White always makes sense.

As a side note, LOOK AROUND and see where you can buy what you want in bulk. If you buy your plates 25 at a time, you will be wasting money. Track those bigger sets down on websites like Eco Party or Webstaurant Store.

Susty Party from Amazon

Our Pick- I think if you are going for an elegant look, it doesn't get much better than the Susty Party square plates. They are sturdy, look so sharp for a table, and cost about as much as any "premium" plastic plates they sell for weddings (around 50 cents a plate). They have a dessert plate as well, and I just think this is an absolute winner if you are having a more elegant or classic wedding.

Leafware from Amazon

If you are doing something more rustic, I love these Leafware plates (compostable, not recyclable) and made out of palm leaves. They are very sturdy and look gorgeous and modern. Plus, they will decompose, so they create no waste. Win! If they don't quite fit your style, check Thynk and CiboWares as well.

Other Options- Susty also sells a more rustic and papery option that still look great and these ones are made in America as well. For any of our regular life parties, this is probably what we would buy. They scream picnic to me, not necessarily wedding (though some colors look more polished than others), but if you are having a more picnicky shindig, this is an awesome option.

Bamboo options, like these plates from Bambu, exist as well! Find an aesthetic that works for yoru style. If you want something even more low key, try these plates from Earth's Natural- still completely biodegradable and only 18 cents a plate!

Cups

Susty Party from Amazon

We definitely used plastic cups at our wedding bar (there may still be some floating around 4 years later). If I could go back, I would put our drinks in something more eco-friendly. Because, why not? If one more good thing (beyond the dancing) came out of our alcohol, who can complain?

Our Pick- I tried to find ones that don't advertise themselves too much, not because there is anything wrong with being environmentally-psyched, but it doesn't always look that pretty. Susty Party sells both clear compostable cups and even more environmentally-friendly paper cups, so they may be the big winner in this category.

Other Options- There are tons of other options, and some like Zilchables are even made in the USA. They all have branding on them, which is a pain in the butt, but if you are less fussy than me and don't care, you can find a great deal and a huge eco-friendly win- Eco-Products, Stalkmarket, World Centric, and Repurpose.

Make sure to to poke around and find the bulk option that best fits the number you were thinking- great way to save some money!

Straws

Tranquilo from Amazon

Who doesn't love a straw in their cocktail? If you want a little something extra at your bar, paper straws are biodegradable and eco-friendly. Plus, they are trendy enough that you can absolutely find something eco friendly AND in your colors!

Our Pick- Tranquilo straws are made from paper, in the US, and money goes to Ocean Clean Up projects. Their stated goal as a company is to eliminate the "needless consumption of disposable plastic products." As you can probably guess, this company is one of my absolute favorites. If you are buying straws for anything, buy these ones. The options on Amazon are limited, but you can find more on Tranquilo's website.

Other Options- Any paper straws are a thousand times better (and classier) than any plastic straw. You do more good if you find ones that haven't traveled far (so maybe not Kikkerland- at least try their subset Green Party Straws that biodegrade). I really love Aardvark straws because they have lots of colors, biodegrade, and are made in the USA. You also do more good if you find ones using recycled paper. Crave sells all recycled ones, so it might be a great option.

Still can't find the perfect straw? Hello, Etsy. "Paper Straws" and the USA filter gets you 16,000+ options. Some of my favorites- Puppy Cat Crafts (every color or pattern you could possibly want), Cherished Blessings (super affordable if you can find your color), The Papered Table (great options all around) and The Party Gnome (crazy patterns, but I like the birch if you are doing a rustic wedding). You can probably get all you would need for 10-20 dollars, and it is so much cuter than those damn cocktail napkins.

Silverware

Brichware from Amazon

Ugh, plastic silverware is the worst, right? What a waste to use a piece of plastic once and then send it off to the landfill. You still have better options than horrible plastic- even recycled plastic isn't great if you are just going to toss them. We will never go back to this- it just doesn't make sense. The wooden and biodegradable stuff looks and feels better too, and the price difference isn't too significant when you buy in bulk.

Our Pick- Wooden Cutlery. They really do look beautiful, and I think they could work with so many wedding styles. I couldn't find a specifically "Made in America" brand, so let's do the best we can. My favorite might be these Birchware wood cutlery- they have clean modernist ones and more elegant choices, so I think it could be great for so many weddings. I also think buying the pieces separately makes sense since you need way more forks than spoons for most menus.

You have more options, some of which cost less, so look around and find the wood (and biodegradable) options that work for you- HUJI Disposable (super cost-effective), Perfect Stix (also well-priced and great reviews), Creative Juice Cafe, and Pretty Sweet Party.

Other Options- Bioplastic. You can get plastic made from plants that still biodegrades I don't think it is nearly as attractive, but you can save money and it still biodegrades! Repurpose has a line of biodegradable silverware and you can get everything you possibly need (maybe for your whole marriage). I love that they are out to replace all those disposables that hurt your wedding's carbon footprint. Transitions 2 Earth has some to look out as well- they are made in China and biodegrade over 5 to 20 years. So mixed bag, but still an improvement on plastic.

Napkins

Now I know I have been pretty secretive about how I feel about decorative napkins at weddings. You probably aren't sure where I stand. Oh you are? Alright, well let's just leave it there then.

If you aren't going to use them as major decor, I say go basic. If your wedding aesthetic works with that recycled kraft color, go that route. If not, white and recycled is still way more eco-friendly.

Our Pick- My loyalty remains with Seventh Generation for eco-friendly paper goods, and you can get 100% recycled lunch napkins (in white or kraft) at low prices. They don't sell cocktail napkins, so for that, I would recommend Hoffmaster kraft napkins which are 100% recycled and made in the US.

Susty Party from Amazon

Other Options- Susty Party sells some cocktail napkins with great-looking designs (you can find them here too). I can't remember one napkin from any wedding I attended, but maybe you love a good napkin. Start with this company then. If you want something plain white, Tree Free cocktail napkins are made of bagasse (sugar cane) instead of tree products. They also donate proceeds to the Arbor Day foundation!

Need more eco-friendly wedding inspiration? It isn't all about one thing- you can take so many routes to make your wedding that much more ethical and kind to the environment. Check the Eco-wedding tag for more ideas.

Need mroe general shopping inspiration? Nice! Check out the Giant List of Shopping Lists.

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Emily's Spring boho wedding in the prettiest 1940s vintage dress

Dear Reader,

Who doesn't love a Spring wedding? The first glimpses of sunnier days, longer evenings and early Spring flowers are such simple pleasures.

Simply boho, Emily in the prettiest 1940s wedding dress

And perhaps the very best Spring weddings are the ones that keep it simple (and it surely helps that Spring weddings don't need to be expensive!) Here, showing us how to do it SO beautifully, is one of my favourite real vintage brides, Emily... 

Emily's 1930s / 1940s wedding dress with its pretty Peter Pan collar.

In her pretty late 1930s / early 1940s vintage wedding dress, complete with adorable Peter Pan collar, gorgeous pixie crop and bright flower headpiece, Emily is a picture of charm and happiness. 

Vintage wedding dresses are perfect for a simple Spring wedding.

In Emily's words…

"A big thank you for all your help in finding and creating such a beautiful wedding dress for me! We had a fantastic day in April, and I got lots of compliments on my stunning and unusual dress."

Spring flowers for a chic and boho look. 

"I'd recommend Heavenly Vintage Brides to anyone looking for a vintage wedding dress."

She and Peter let their simple, fuss–free style speak for itself. With just a few brighter–than–bright paper pompoms for decor, echoing the colours of the flowers. 

Here's Emily's words of wisdom, on how they made their day so special…

"My advice would be to not get too worked up about it all. Easier said than done, I know! There's a lot of pressure on couples, and especially women, to make the perfect day and for everything to somehow represent you both as a couple. Not everything has to mean something, you’ll probably make some random decisions because you don’t want to devote your whole life to organising a wedding. The most important thing is that you are marrying the person that you love, and that you’re committed to the marriage ahead."

I was delighted to come across Emily and Peter's wedding featured on Boho Weddings recently, a great blog with lots of advice about planning a boho or vintage wedding. If you'd like to see more, you can check it out here.

Thanks too, to Benjamin Mathers for his wonderful photography.
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you'd like to see more, beautiful original 1930s and 1940s 
wedding dresses for sale please check out my Etsy store here.

And to see more gorgeous real vintage brides, why not Like 
my Facebook page here.

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Wedding Wednesday- Unique and Eco-Friendly Wedding Invites and Other Paper Goods

from Alison Kate Design in Missouri

I have strayed away from this topic before, because it seems like one of the more obvious choices for greening your wedding- if you care about the environment, you have probably thought about this. On the other hand, I know I thought that recycled invitations all have a very specific look. Like a mason jar wrapped in burlap, but in paper form. Like maybe some granola will fall out of the envelope.

What is surprising is that you can get recycled paper invitations in ANY style. No matter what kind of scene you want to set, you can do it on recycled paper.

Once you know recycled paper invites (and other wedding paper goods- save the dates, thank you cards, etc.) can come in as mainstream, traditional, quirky, indie, or whatever else style you want, it opens up the opportunity to do something good on the sly. You can find anything you need without one tree falling down, and in that way, your wedding is doing some real good.

Here are some of the best options I found for Eco-Friendly wedding invitations that can be as unique or mainstream as you want them to be. Even if this isn't something you ever considered, be sure to take a look, because your wedding is a step into your future, and we all want a future with clear air.

Let's do this!

 Forever Fiances

This ridiculously cool save the date and wedding invitation company gives you two eco-friendly options for your invites.First, you can buy plantable invitations! These are made of recycled paper with plants inbedded inside of them, so your guests can go plant them after the fact. If that feels a little too heavy-handed for your style, they have recycled paper options as well (they call them "new tree free- I love that!). I actually like the plantable designs better than the recycled ones, but there are so many options and you can probably find something that works for your plans.

This is so unique and cool, and I think it sets the stage for a great wedding, whether you want to foreground your eco-friendly choices or let the day be about something else. Their prices are almost identical to shops like Wedding Paper Divas, so you won't be breaking the bank, AND you will be saving trees and even starting new ones! Either way, incredibly exciting. Why don't all companies work this way?

Jealous you can't get married again to use this company? Me too! They also sell personalized business cards, invitations, and other stationary, so check them out.

Your Local Invitation Maker (this includes you)

Lots of communities and cities have local options for calligraphers. It may be easier to get something online, but be sure to look around and see what is available near you, because dealing with an actual person can be more satisfying. You are supporting a local business, cutting down your weddings carbon footprint, and you can get exactly what you want.

If you are particularly talented in this area (and you have a good chunk of time), you could totally make your invites yourself! It would be a special and memorable way to go about it, you could pick recycled paper and soy inks, and you will probably save oodles of money to spend elsewhere. You can find eco-friendly papers at lots of these stores, like Green Field Paper Co.

 If doing the invites sounds like a lot, you can also consider how to use those skills or that beautiful penmanship elsewhere in the events; make the menu (maybe do one standing card per table or a large sign to cut down on paper), make seating charts or placecards or your programs. Paper comes in so many places, and anywhere you can consolidate or do it yourself, you can save money and save trees.

If you are going local, which is awesome, be sure to ask them about recycled paper and soy-based inks. Part of the perk of dealing with a smaller company is that you can talk to them face to face and hopefully work out something that is perfect! This is a cool way to support your community and to help the environment.

Minted

We bought our save the dates from this company, and they looked beautiful and used recycled paper and envelopes. One of the best things about this company is that they have a wide variety of designs coming from many different American designers, so you know your cards will have a style that matches you perfectly. This company always stays just a little bit ahead of trends, and their cards seem cool without trying too hard. They have almost a thousand options, and you can order most with recycled paper for 15-35 dollars extra (pretty affordable). I love them, and I think they are a great option.

Bloomin

Bloomin also sells plantable wedding invites, save the dates, thank you's, seating cards. Basically the whole shebang. I love how broad their paper supplies are, And their designs are mostly simple and timeless (especially considering the whole thing will be buried in the dirt in no time). Waste free and really special, this might still be a great option for one of your other wedding paper needs outside of the invites themselves.

In fact, my favorite might be "Growfetti" which would be a perfect substitute for bubbles (that come in little plastic containers), confetti, or rice. Just make sure it is alright at the place where you are getting married! A church lawn might not be the place, but a country wedding in a big field, it might be just fine.

Green Field Paper

This store sells recycled paper, seeded/ plantable paper, and even paper made of hemp. Before you stick your nose up, be sure to check it out, because they have so many options you might actually find the perfect thing. They don't have a ton of options, and I am not in love with all of them, but some are great and might be just your style. Plus, you can choose which paper your design comes on, so you get to prioritize what matters most to you.

As a side note, this company also sells Christmas cards, including ones made out of 100% junk mail. God bless this company, because that is genius.

Zazzle 

Recycled wedding invitations are becoming common enough now that lots of more mainstream companies like zazzle offer a recycled paper option. Another great option to look through if you aren't finding what you are imagining!

Twisted Limb

This company is on the opposite end of the Zazzle spectrum. They make handmade recycled paper that is stitched into invitations. As someone who has handmade paper before, I can tell you a heck of a lot of time and love went into these beauties. You couldn't get something more precious and special unless you made it yourself. To be totally honest, I am not sure invitations need to be such precious objects; we have kept some wedding invites but they aren't particularly treasured. But if you are having a very small wedding, it might make a really cool splurge.

Wedding Websites

Ok, I am not suggesting you only use an e-invitation unless that suits you (or you are having a pretty informal or tech-savvy wedding), but skipping the rsvp and having people rsvp online is a super efficient and cost effective (see also- free!) way to help the environment. If you send 100 invitations, just skipping the RSVP saves 100 pieces of paper and 100 envelopes. If you skip the whole invite, that is even more. If you are going that route, you can always do something simple like The Knot or wedding Jojo, or if you have the skills, pick something more open-ended, you techie you.

Arbor Day Foundation

Maybe you can't get your invites in these cards, but you could get your thank you cards there! It would be a simple way to have your wedding do some good- every card you buy will pay for a tree. So if you send 50 thank you cards, you also plant 50 trees. That's pretty amazing when you consider how many trees come down a year for wedding invitations.

Etsy

 We all knew I was going to end on this note, but do you know how many gorgeous invitation options you can find there? You can find one made in America (shorter trip, less fossil fuels, lower carbon footprint) and on recycled paper. We bought our invites on Etsy from someone in our state. We loved them so much, and because we were dealing with a real person,  I could just write her and we worked out tablenumbers too!You can also get printables and pick your own recycled cardstock. Here are a few to lust over, but your best bet is to write in "recycled wedding invitations and get to browsing. These are my favorites:

from Cricket Printing

from AMG Design Co

from Casey Snyder Design

from vohandmade

from Eco Weddigs by Cc

This is the tip of the iceberg- be sure to explore the links. I know when I was shopping, I looked for the perfect style that perfectly matched our colors and style and theme, etc etc. I did it, but I still wish I had prioritized differently. You can find that thing that is exactly what you want aesthetically, but we are asking you to This blog is suggesting that if you narrow the field to be "new tree free," you will end up something that may not be "perfect," but you will love it just as much, and you can feel really good about it.

Want more unique and Earth-friendly wedding inspiration?  Check out my Giant List of Shopping Lists!

If you like this post, please share it! This blog is all about making small changes. The more people who make these small shifts, the better the Earth will be!

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100 Things I Love This Week Part 1- Pre-wedding Festivities

1. Getting our Nails done at Timmy's at Bahama Breeze- He didn't even make me get fake ones this time, because I did better at not biting my nails. It was such a fun afternoon with my Mom and Melissa! I did not find it relaxing though. I just don't get why manicures are supposed to somehow be restful. But Timmy is kind of like the hair salons in that he knows everybody.
2. Red toenails- they are so cute! My mom makes fun of my prostitute colored toenails, but they looked pretty on her too so there. I have very few beauty preferences, but this is one of them.

3. Red polka dot shoes! These are my shoes, my mom's shoes, and my bridesmaid shoes. I love them all together!

4. My beloved Melissa! I could say this one about a million times. As my dad said, she has the perfect amount of enthusiasm every step of the way and she made every step fun. You think wedding festivities will be a romantic kind of love fest, but I found, in general, it was a lot about all of the other loves in our life. We came out of it feeling super super lucky. For me, a big part of that was Melissa!
5. My Mom's sense of timing- she thinks things take even less time than I do! It cracks me up, but the two of us together make for a pretty chaotic day!

6. Meeting Liam- Man, I was so pumped to see this baby! He was just so adorable and sweet. He has super big eyes and a really serious face, so when he is just looking around everywhere he looks so curious, which has to be one of the best qualities you can have as a baby (and a person in general!) I was just so happy to be near him!

7. Watching everyone else with Liam- Honestly, this was one of the biggest pleasures of the whole event. About the only thing cuter than an infant is watching the people you love interact with them. They are just magic in tiny human form, because they pull the joy and love right out of everybody else around them. Liam had that magic in spades, and it was so nice to watch my Uncle Doug and Nana interact with him. Not to mention it was crazy to see Shelly being a mommy!

8. Moffitt Cookie Nights- I love these, because they give us an excuse to be silly and weird, but what I like the most is just when my grandparents house is full and loud. I miss the times when it was like that at least once a month, but this night on its own could have been the best night ever. For reals.

9. Frosting Time- People were not as excited about cutting out cookies (mostly just Zach Natalie and I did that) but once it was time to frost people were all over the place. Plus, this part is funny, because people have to try to figure out what the heck it was we were trying to make. And my Nana always looks like she is having so much fun.

10. Big Foot Cookies- God Bless younger cousins with Big Foot obsessions, because the cookies really do turn out awesome. Well, not this one in particular, because we forgot about a pan and burnt them all. But, all was not lost!

11. Burnt cookies- Perfect for lopping up all of the extra Nana frosting after we finished the cookies. It shouldn't have been as amazing as it was, but I think we all enjoyed that part the most. That frosting is seriously the best frosting in the whole world, so if you have to use a piece of burnt cardboard to eat it off of, you won't complain.

12. Mars Rover cookie fighting Big Foot- Do you know when you try to print out a picture of the Mars Rover from the NASA website, it just sends you a faint image of Mars? Ah well, perfect to stage an epic faceoff between the two icons. I just hope that this catches on as a widespread bridal tradition. Maybe if I pinterest it.

 

 13. My cousin Hannah- She and I were talking weddings, and she told me she was going to wait until she was older-like maybe 20 or 21- to get married. Then she was pretty shocked and disgusted to find out I was already 26! Just ancient! It just cracked me up! I love just hanging out with the girl cousins!

14. Sleeping in- You really start to appreciate it when you don't have it any more. Kind of like dry clothes, which I was also having trouble getting a hold of.

 

15. Hibachi "firemen"- the only stripper at my Bachelorette Party was a tiny little plastic guy that this guy used to wash off the grill. It was a very special moment, that sadly no one got on camera. Glad some innappropriateness snuck its way in.

 

16. My now Sister in laws- You have to love two women who force feed you swiss cake rolls and accidentally order 6 meals when you go out to eat (they were only shooting for 2). They completely crack me up with all of their sassiness, though they will never be as sassy as Aubrey! 

 

17. Pottery Painting as a bachelorette party- With 2 pregos, 2 underagers, and a new mommy in the group, it was a bit of a challenge to figure out what to do, but the final decision was a nice surprise. It was super relaxing and really fun. 

 

 18. Ye Ole Sweet Shops new Cupcake truck! Melissa got this to come to the pottery painting place as a surprise and it was AMAZING! I blew my wedding diet a few days early but it was so worth it.

 

19. Watching all the girls pig out and my bride cupcake- Everything was really good and they had even worked out the flavors to bring in my Italian fiance (they brought canolis) and our wedding colors. I cannot overstate how much I loved the surprise. Plus, they gave me three boxes of treats and everyone moved right through them because they were so good!

 

20. "Soon to Be Mrs. Alfeo"- This creeps me out, because in my head, I am somehow going to morph into my Mother-in-Law, who has always been Mrs. Alfeo to me. It just feels so weird!

 

 

21. Elizabeth's demented leprocy cat- She had a real vision to execute. Loved it.  I actually tried to paint something normal, so I was pretty jealous of her.

 

22. Shell's blazer- I am not sure if there is a blog specifically for post-baby fashion, but this girl should be on it. She looked so cute constantly, and I think the blazer was a serious highlight. You have to love that Forever 21! 

 

23. Silver Cornet Band Concerts in the Park- Best thing in the world is hearing the Silver Cornet March and smelling the popcorn. It makes me happy just thinking about it now!

 

24. The Courthouse- So Pretty.

 

25. The Last Late Night with the Lego Card Box- I went to sleep before it was done (so before that stormtrooper began to massage Voldemort) but the project just got bigger and bigger, and it ended up being pretty amazing!

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