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This Week's Used Dress from SmartBride!
Dress Name: La Sposa Liberia Wedding Dress - Size 6
Dress Description: Looking for something frilly and fun? We like this size 6 used La Sposa Liberia Wedding Dress. Already professionally cleaned for $200, this $1200 dress is now available for $700.
Original Price: $1,200
SmartBride Price: $700
Your Valentine's day celebration doesn't have to be saccharine sweet--choose sustainable alternatives! Instead of receiving the obligatory plastic wrapped, heart shaped box of chocolate, or lingerie dyed with harmful chemicals, consider a unique approach to gift giving. Create your own Valentine cards from recycled paper, or buy fair trade, organic chocolates for your sweetheart.
Avoid crowded restaurants and waiting lists and stay in. Cook your favorite organic meals, open a bottle of biodynamic wine and stay close to home. You'll feel relaxed and best of all, you'll save gas and conserve resources! Burning natural soy candles or booking a massage at a local green masseuse are other great options for green couples looking to relax and enjoy each other's company.
Photography Credits: Heart Candy Message, Inhabitat, Chocolate Hearts, 5 Eco-Friendly Chocolate Brands, Woman's Day, Kissing Couple and Paper Heart Valentine, Times of India, Apple Heart Cutouts, Fun Times Guide.
Check out these sexy green products perfect for a coquettish conservationist, an erotic environmentalist or a sultry siren with sustainable values!
Left to right: Sensual Cherry, Dipity, Pin-Up Model Bernie Dexter with Heart
Here's Our Top 8 Picks for the Best Green Valentine's Day Products of 2012:
1. Are you thinking dirty thoughts? Try Herban Lifestyles organic Dirty Mind Soap!
This vegan all over body soap is made with organic oils and is also lightly scented with organic essential oils.
This all natural soap comes in a cute glass jar that can be reused!
Do you have a dirty green groom who needs to clean up? Try the MAN Grooming Set to achieve kissable and supple softness on your face. Scratchy beard, begone!
MAN Grooming products are subtly scented with organic and pesticide-free herbs, spices and essential oils. This set of facial soap, shaving oil, after shave and facial lotion are free from chemical preservatives, artificial colors, and artificial fragrances. The set comes packaged with an earth-friendly sinamay bag.
Herban Lifestyles is offering a 20% discount on BOTH products. Use Code GBG20 at checkout!
2. Earth Erotics is Doing it Green this Valentine's Day!
Choose from their tantalizing collection of all natural lubricants, Red Sweetheart Glass Erotics and Fetish Erotics!
This freaky flogger below is cleaned, cut, glued, punched and riveted together from recycled materials. It is flexible and feel great against your (and your partners) skin. Give your partner a spanking to feel good about. 7" handle and 12" falls.
This freaky flogger is cleaned, cut, glued, punched and riveted together from recycled materials. It is flexible and feel great against your (and your partners) skin. Give your partner a spanking to feel good about. 7" handle and 12" falls.
Earth Erotics is offering our readers 20% off their products, plus FREE shipping on ALL orders placed before Valentine's Day (One per customer) Use Coupon Code DoingItGreen at checkout.
3. A Chocolately subscription is the ultimate gift for any chocolate lover!
Chocolately is offering an exclusive package with organic and Fair Trade chocolates only to friends of the Green Bride Guide! Get a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription, or go for the first time tasters box!
4. Buy sustainable bling from green jeweler, Ruff & Cut.
Each diamond, conflict-free and as yet untampered with by human hands, exhibits a vital beauty that is undeniable. The marriage of this beauty with recycled metals in organic shapes and distinctive silhouettes articulates and honors the singular splendor of the land and the peoples who bring these precious things into the world.
5. Give your sweetheart beautiful Fair Trade blooms from One World Flowers.
A portion of your purchase will go directly to a community development fund!
6. Luxuriate with fragrant candles that double as silky smooth soy based massage oil from Scandle Candle. Non-toxic soy candles burn cleaner and longer than traditional paraffin wax candles. Create an amorous ambiance with a few lit candles and give your lover a special Valentine's Day rub down with these all natural massage candles.
Scandle Candle is offering FREE Standard Shipping on all orders of $60 or more until February 8th! Coupon Code is GREENBRIDE.
7. Lose your inhibitions with Good Clean Love! This set of all natural creamy body candies and massage oils will turn your lovemaking into an extravagant adventure! These items contain no petrochemicals or parabens which irritate sensitive tissue. Create chemistry without chemicals with these 100% vegan, cruelty free products!
Good Clean Love is offering their Love That Works Spicy Set for 20% off! This is also a great honeymoon gift and works long into your marriage! Includes: 1 copy of Love That Works, 1 Cinnamon Vanilla or Lavender Rose 4oz Lubricant, 1-4oz Indian Spice Love Oil, and 1-2oz Spicy Orange Body Candy.
8. Stay sexy and sustainable with Clare Bare Eco-Lingerie
Clare Bare is a Brooklyn based artist and designer specializing in eco-friendly lingerie made from bamboo jersey and vintage fabric. 
From left to right: Shock Me BodyCage Garter Belt, Darkside Garter Hot Short in Purple, Hollow Daze Cut Out Romper in Purple
All of her pieces are made locally using sustainable design practices, and are structured to flatter your body in a natural way without the use of constrictive hardware. Get 20% off with code LOVEPOTION9 at checkout!
When planning your wedding, the guest list is one of the biggest decisions surrounding your special day. Many couples are torn between inviting children or opting for an adult-only day. Children at weddings can help make unforgettable memories, but they also can distract parents and guests during special moments. Luckily, there is a way to get the best of both worlds! Nannies are the perfect solution to the wedding childcare dilemma. Parents can enjoy the celebration while their little ones do, too.
Hire a nanny for your next green wedding, Growing a Green Family
To ensure that your green wedding night is hassle free, check out College Nannies and Tutors. College Nannies and Tutors franchises are found all across the country. Their nannies are current college students, college graduates, and certified teachers, all trained in maintaining a fun and responsible environment for children. A nanny is an excellent way to show your wedding guests how much you care while keeping everyone happy!
Another great idea for children at your wedding reception are eco-friendly toys. While the adults are enjoying your green reception, kids can play with their new green toys!
Keep kids entertained with green toys!
We love these Bamboo City Children's Blocks because they are great for all ages and made from bamboo, a plentiful and renewable resource. Offering green toys at your wedding reception will not only entertain children for hours but also inspires families to continue the green movement at home.
The Chinese New Year is such a vibrant celebration that we couldn't resist an Asian inspired wedding collage. Not only are these weddings a welcome burst of color in the winter, but there are also many eco-friendly flourishes throughout! Leave potted bamboo plants around in place of flowers or match some seasonal blooms to your warm color tones. Many parasols and brocade coin purses are made with organic materials and add an element of fun and a pop of color on your big day.
Chinese lanterns made from recycled paper can be purchased and strung around your wedding reception for a glowing backdrop. Pass out Chinese lantern macarons for dessert or as take home favors. Green wedding invitations or place cards with carp, lotus and bamboo designs can be made or bought with sustainable materials or even a plantable element.
Photography Credits: Asian Inspired San Francisco Wedding Gold and Orange Dress, Project Wedding, Purple and Orange Bouquet, Wedding Bee Chinese Lantern Macarons, Brides Preston Bailey, Candles and Lanterns, Wedding Dish Think Like a Bride Carp and Lotus Invitations, Something Green, Bamboo and Coin Purse Place Setting, HotRef, Plantable Pink Place Setting, Alibaba, Bamboo Centerpiece and Red Parasol, Squidoo
This week's used dress from SmartBride!
Get an amazing deal on a used Venus Bridals Wedding Dress full of style and flair! We love the fitted bodice because it will give you a gorgeous figure, and the full, ruffled skirt is tons of fun. Even better? The corset back means it will beautifully fit anyone who is a size 4 to 8. Get this $1,400 dress for just $625, already dry cleaned and like new!
Clay Hill Farm's Green Wedding Giveaway Nominations process is open until the end of January! Get your nominations in now for the chance to have your dream green wedding! Located in Cape Neddick Main, Clay Hill Farm is a Certified Wildlife Habitat, Bird Sanctuary and State Environmental Leader. This venue boasts 11+ acres of sprawling lawns, lush gardens and beautiful woodlands.
Clay Hill Farm has opened up the contest so anyone can NOMINATE a couple they know. It is also perfectly acceptable to self-nominate. So, is it a friend, a co-worker, a family member...is it you? Who will be the next Green Wedding Giveaway winner…and how will the world be inspired by their commitment?
All you have to do is fill out the quick online form and tell us why you and your partner, or your nominees, deserve to win a green wedding. At the end of January nominees will be contacted and congratulated and then asked to submit the answers to a few questions along with a creative expression like a video, an essay, a poem, a piece of art or even music that expresses their shade of green!
From February 1st through March 14th the nomination stories and couples' creative expression pieces will be put up online for PUBLIC VOTING to help Clay Hill Farm decide on the final winers. They have a series of awards including a GRAND PRIZE of an all inclusive Green Wedding for the couple with the most votes from the public and highest marks from our judges.
Sometimes the real meaning of your wedding day can get lost in the shuffle. Take a step back and remember what it's all about: sharing your love with someone special and also coming together with the same values in mind as reflected in your union. Your green wedding is a chance to express these values and declare them to all your friends and family on your special day. A green wedding reduces waste and overspending, but it is also a chance to spread your message and hope that others pay it forward.
Whether you choose to have an over the top values driven green wedding, or just incorporate a few small green elements into the celebration, there will be reminders in each step of your planning and execution for you and your guests to consider and act upon. A great way to bring attention to your green elements is to leave note cards at each place setting with details of your sustainable wedding plans. Did you use recycled invitations or reusable dinnerware? Let your guests know! Hopefully they will follow suit and you will see some thoughtful green additions at the next wedding you attend!
Photography Credits: Tree and Heart Hands Shutterstock Image via My Waiheke Wedding, Bird Seed Hearts by Nature Favors, Handforged Reclaimed Windblown Grasses Ring by New Zealand artist Ash Hilton via Wedding Bee, Green Bridesmaid's Dresses, Intimate Weddings, Green Moss Pillow Ring via Martha Stewart Photo by Johnny Miller, Bouquets on Fence via Mendocino Weddings by J. Perlman Photography, Green Felt Hearts by It's a Jaime Thing, Bride and Groom on Bicycle via Green Manolo.
This week's used dress from Smartbride!
Dress Name: Melissa Sweet Felice Diamond White V-Neck A Line Size 4
Dress Description: Looking for a designer dress without the designer price tag? Check out this used size 4 Melissa Sweet Felice wedding dress. From the ruffled neckline and the deep V back, to the flounced A Line skirt, this dress is all romance. Only worn for a few hours and already dry cleaned, get 50% off this already $5,000 dress!
Original Price: $4,898
SmartBride Price: $2,500
Interview with Chef Marney White, Owner of Marneycakes, Inc
Marney is a foodie committed to wedding cake perfection. She has been baking for 25 years, and launched Marneycakes, Inc in March 2008. Marney privately studied the art of gum paste flowers with the legendary Betty Van Norstrand (who trained Sylvia Weinstock, and has taught Ron ben Israel, Buddy Valastro, and other wedding cake luminaries). She lives with her family on Long Island, NY, and loves sea kayaking, and hiking, and vegetarian cuisine.
GBG: When did you start your business?
I started Marneycakes, Inc in January 2008.
GBG: What made you want to incorporate eco-friendly/natural elements into your company?
What motivated me was concern for our environment, and for what my children’s generation will inherit from my generation.
GBG: What's one thing you wish you knew about the wedding business when you started your company?
I wish I had understood the general order in which couples book their vendors, so I could have understood which other wedding vendors would be appropriate and helpful to partner with for referrals, and which are not.
GBG: What is your favorite thing about what you do?
My favorite part of creating wedding cakes is interfacing with my clients, and the participating in the collaborative creative process in designing their perfect wedding cake. It’s also pretty spectacular to have the honor of creating a part of their memory of one of the happiest days of their life!
GBG: Give 1 piece of advice you have for wedding vendors who are just starting to green their businesses
My best piece of advice for new wedding vendors would be to partner with one or two like wedding vendors in your area whom you trust and whose work you respect, so when either of you is booked, you have somewhere to refer couples rather than sending them back to Square One. This is simply part of the complete picture of excellent customer service. Believe me, if you can’t help them but are willing to redirect them to someone else reputable and save them time and aggravation, they’ll remember it. As a result, they’ll probably also be chatting on the wedding website chat boards about your professionalism and graciousness, and telling other couples about you. I have one bakery in one of the two counties near me that I’ll refer to, and one in the other county. And referrals come back my from these other cake designers as well. It all comes back around when you’re working with someone reputable whom you can trust, and you’re building an excellent reputation for service in your community.
GBG: Any other advice for our vendors?
In buying advertising, speak to these same kinds of vendors with whom you would cross-refer about what has worked for them, and what hasn’t. To illustrate, I’ve found that what has worked well for a chocolatier or a photographer won’t exactly work well for me, but what’s worked (or not) for other wedding cake designers almost always has a similar result for me.
There are many wonderful ways to tell the world that you are engaged. You can go the modern route and send digital correspondence, or even let your friends know via Facebook! If you want to take the more traditional route, send all natural, recycled engagement announcements to your loved ones. Planning an engagement party brunch? Send your guests heart tea bags with the date, time and place of your soiree, or send organic cookies in small green packaging. The cookies and tea bags will be used and enjoyed by their recipients!
Send tiny tins with seeds inside them! Guests can plant these in their gardens. You can even choose plantable invitations that can be placed right in the ground instead of thrown away! If you are asking your best friends to be your bridesmaids but you want to take a unique approach, buy some wooden mini jewelry boxes from the craft store and paint and decorate them. You can place tiny keepsakes inside that signify big stepping stones and memories in your friendship. Include ticket stubs from past events, small photographs of the two of you, or a mini map of a place you have both traveled to together! They will feel honored to be in your green wedding and they will cherish these keepsake boxes for years to come.
Photo Credits: Heart Tea Bag, Libby James Blog, Cookie Announcements, Libby James Blog, Tiny Tins Plantable Seed Favors by Bloembox, Bridesmaids Keepsake Announcement Boxes, Masterpiece Weddings DIY Find.
This week's used dress from SmartBride
Dress Name: Tara Keeley TK2052 Ivory Sweetheart Trumpet Size 14
Dress Description: This used TK2052 Tara Keeley Wedding Dress has all the essentials for a great dress: it's comfortable, easy to move in and absolutely stunning with its tiered skirt! Originally purchased as a size 14, it was altered to fit someone who wears a size 10 in regular clothes. Save 50% on this gorgeous designer dress.
Original Price: $3,000
SmartBride Price: $1,500
This week's used dress from SmartBride!
Dress Name: Maggie Sottero Angelina Diamond White Sweetheart Princess Size 6
Dress Description: This used size 6 Maggie Sottero Angelina Wedding Dress is sophisticated and elegant! Already dry cleaned and includes a stunning cathedral length veil and crinoline, so for $1,000 this is a stylish deal for any smart bride. The best part? A corset back means it will fit beautifully a few sizes up or down.
Original Price: $1,500
SmartBride Price: $1,000
So you're engaged! Now what? Gather friends and family together and toast to your future. The most stylish and unique champagne flutes are often vintage finds from local stores or tag sales. Fill up these fabulous finds with organic champagne and fresh, local fruits. If champagne isn't your thing, try some crisp refreshing prosecco poured over ice pops on a warm summer day!
Keep your decor simple and seasonal. Use fruits and flowers for local and delicious tablescapes. Any used books in your home that you will never read again? Hollow one out and place a plant inside to use as a whimsical pot. If you are planning a brunch, create bized sized versions of french toast and croque monsieurs for a less wasteful day and send your invitations on a personalized tea bag that can be enjoyed later.
Photography Credits: Rare 19th Century Baccarat Champagne Glasses, Elite Choice, Book Planter Kits by Tara McGinley, Cube Me, "Perfect Pear" Setting, Celebrations, Prosecco and Ice Pops, Southern Living, Origami Heart Invitation, Eat Drink Chic by Amy Moss, Ring and Ribbon, All Jewish Links, Vintage Champagne Glass Pin, Shooting Creek Jewelry on Etsy.
This week's used dress from SmartBride!
Dress Name: Alfred Angelo 2000 Ivory Strapless Sheath Size 4
Dress Description: What an amazing price! This used size 4 Alfred Angelo wedding dress is just $150. Pretty lace detailing, classic A line silhouette and detachable train, make it not only a great deal, but a gorgeous, simple, sophisticated choice for your wedding.
Original Price: $850
SmartBride Price: $150
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