ECO CHIC WEDDINGS BLOG

Marie-Gael & Michael's Cave Wedding

Plan Your Wedding. Design Your Life...is about what happens after the wedding...Each story in this series will features one special couple who have inspired me to think a little differently, about how to get married, how to begin a life together, and how to create a sustainable world. In short, each couple will share their own unique take on how to design and environment that's Good With Style. 

If you've read any of my books, you probably know that I am all about using items for your wedding that are in-keeping with your personal style. When she got married a few years ago, Marie-Gael followed this philosophy with her wedding, and now almost every piece of her event is a part of her home. From the apparel to the cups, Marie-Gael looked in her own environment for inspiration and ideas, using many things she already had to create her wedding design. I asked Marie-Gael to share her design approach.

Emily: Can you describe your design process for the wedding?

Marie-Gael: I didn't buy a ton of new things for my wedding. I looked around my own home and included things I loved, things my relatives had given me, things that make me smile. I found that there's really no need to buy tons of new stuff just to toss it. I just followed the basic 3Rs--reduce, reuse, recycle.

Emily: Are there any items from your wedding--shoes, dresses, ties, paper, ribbon, vases--that you are now using in your home?

Marie-Gael:  Yes!  pretty much everything.  Michael wears his suit all the time.  I've worn my dress & scarf. The tray for cards is my fruit dish.  The juice pitcher currently has pomegranate lemonade in it.  We use the M and G tea cups every morning. I dried my flowers and am planning to use them in a mixed-media painting for Michael.

Emily: Did you learn anything from making things for your wedding that you have carried over into your post-wedding environment?

Marie-Gael: Yes! I have a collection of vintage Depression era blue glass Mason Jars. I wanted to use them to line the path for the wedding, but when I found out how expensive they were I decided to learn how to make them myself. I now make custom orders.

Marie-Gael's resource guide:

Photographer: Andrew Kung
His suit: J Crew
His shoes: Vintage
His ring: Mokume Gane by Jordonesque
My dress: Sarah Seven
My scarf: Anthropologie
My shoes: Faryl Robin
My coat: Marc Jacobs
My ring: Tiffany by Paloma Picasso
My necklace & bracelet: Vintage
My hair: Dairdre Scriven of Vinyl Studio Columbus, OH

handmade cake toppers + more: d.sharp

d.sharp, aka diane sharp, meticulously designs handmade items that have graced the pages of Martha Stewart, Country Living, just to name a few.

 d.sharp sells her creations directly to the public, so you can get one of her one-of-a-kind items for your very own. Her cake toppers are a great unique element for your wedding or any event. When it comes to events, I like to put the focus on a few key elements, such as the flowers, the cake, or the table settings, rather than taking a crap shoot approach and trying to make everything perfect, big, and meaningful. All great event designers know that focus is the key to a successful event, so even if you spend a little more on something like a handcrafted item from d.sharp, it will elevate the experience of your entire event.

I Second That Notion

 

(Source: Cloverbelle--no longer available, sorry!)

One of the many reasons living in New York is awesome is the access we have to notions shops. My favorite is M&J, but you also never know what you will discover over at Tinsel Trading.  Do you have any great notions shops in your area? Please let me know!

 

Wish Lanterns

For thousands of years, the Chinese have practiced the tradition of releasing flying lanterns into the sky as a way of communicating their wishes to heaven. First you write on the paper lantern, and then you watch as it ascends into the night sky. There are many eco friendly options. Here are a couple of places you can find them:

http://www.wishlantern.com

http://www.wishlantern.co.uk

 

Wear Again Bridesmaid Dresses

Let your friends wear dresses that they love and you love. 

 

         

  

Any questions?

Find these pretty dresses for less than $75 each right here.

 

 

DIY Wedding Favor Ideas: Make it Two For One

These are a few ideas you can use as invitations, table decor, and then convert to a gift that will be used again. Mini Notebooks:

Source: dykast.us via Daria on Pinterest

Decorated Jars:

Source: designspongeonline.com via Daria on Pinterest

Money or Receipt Holder:

Source: ohsobeautifulpaper.com via WhiteFinch on Pinterest

But you should put the recipients initials so they will use it again! Do you have any cool gift ideas for your guest, bridesmaids or groomsmen? Leave a comment and tell me all about it! XO Emily

Happy Wedding Wednesday

Source: put-a-bird-on-it.tumblr.com via Budgie on Pinterest

 

Each week on @twitter, we (in the wedding world) celebrate #WeddingWednesday. If you follow me, you will be connected to lots of other wonderful wedding experts. And for the busy couple, Twitter is actually a great way to stay connected in general. Why not create a Twitter handle for you and your partner to use, that way all of your wedding guests, vendors, fans can follow you too. Happy Tweeting!

XO

Emily

 

P.S. While you're at it, check out the site "Put A Bird On It" which was inspired by the hilarious Portlandia.

 

{garden wedding}: topiary + fruit favors

I love botanical and garden border illustration, and Liz Pepperell is one of my favorites. You can purchase her illustrations online, and wouldn't that be a pretty and unique way to design your invitations? This is a garden inspired layout, with happy dragonflies buzzing around reusable topiary centerpieces...

{Dress: Marchesa, Sp 08; Apple image: Junebug Weddings ; Handmade rose fabric rings: Brides Magazine; Topiary: MS Weddings; Fair Trade bracelette by Columbian artisans;  Dragonfly Earring, handmade by KT Collection;  Scarf: Vintage Indie.}

floret: spring is here so where's the sun

In celebration of Spring, some beautiful items from the Skagit Valley in Washington state, home of Floret, by Erin Bazakian. 

vintage sparkle from collector's weekly

 

Float down the aisle with theVINTAGEdress on Etsy

Sparkle through the days with Collector's Weekly

Delight your Bridesmaids with theVINTAGEdress on Etsy

Love yourself with Nicola Yoon