Eco-Friendly DIY Ideas for Your Wedding

Guest blogger: Kate Harrison, creator of greenbrideguide.com.
After planning her own green wedding in 2007, Kate wrote 
the best-selling green wedding book, The Green Bride Guide: How to Plan an Earth-Friendly Wedding on Any Budget (Sourcebooks, 2008). In 2009, she founded greenbrideguide.com to help couples use their weddings to promote social and environmental change while supporting the local green economy. Kate has a JD in Environmental Law and a Master's from Yale in Environmental Policy.

Many brides take a hands-on approach to their wedding details, but it's easy to become overwhelmed in the process. If you decide to DIY, make sure that you pick and choose your projects wisely, keeping your skill set in mind, and focus on details that take center stage in a small but memorable way — without breaking the bank. In keeping with the old less-is-more maxim, here are five stress-free (and eco-friendly!) DIY projects for your green wedding.

1. Chalk it Up to Creativity

Fresh Start: New Registry Ideas

Spring is just around the corner, so it’s a great time to start thinking about giving your home a lift with new bath and bedding options. And if you’re looking for some fantastic registry ideas, take a look at the following collections that are perfect for the two of you; the colors are neither too feminine or too masculine.

I love the serene colors of this DKNY Urban Space bedding collection:

dkny urban space bedding collection

For those who prefer a more neutral palette, the Donna Karan Essentials Urban Oasis bedding in Ocean is ideal:

donna karen essentials urban oasis in ocean

This Kate Spade New York Spring collection in fresh cream (shown with the Charles Street coverlet) is equally chic and can be easily accessorized with a mix of pale and vibrant colors:

kate spade new york spring street collection in fresh cream

Or, go a bit more muted with the sophisticated DKNY City Rhythm in cobalt:

dkny cityrhythm in cobalt

February 20th

Photo Credit: Kim Kalyn Photography

Tip of the Day: Overwhelmed with bridal plans and rushing to beat the clock? Telltale signs of stress overload: moodiness; irritability; difficulty concentrating; sleep disturbances; loss of appetite and humor. Dive into a creative endeavor that will change your focus for a while. Try scrapbooking, putting old, loose photos into albums or baking cookies — these activities are easy and low stress. (Note: Making wedding favors and stuffing invitations into envelopes don't count.) Check out more relaxation techniques here.

Then, when you're ready to tackle wedding plans again, make sorting out the details a high priority, because it can give you a sense of control and make you feel less overwhelmed. Create file folders for each wedding element, like flowers, food, bridesmaid dresses, the cake and so on, in which you can store tear sheets from magazines, brochures and catalogues (as soon as you decide what you want, you should toss what you no longer need). Next, compile a master contact information list—preferably on your computer (keep a hard copy in case of an emergency)—so you never have to search for anything. 

Use our wedding countdown calendar to stay on track and mark your progress!

How to Tie the Knot: A Groom's Guide

Let's face it — these days, most men don't wear a tie every day and probably haven't put on a bow tie since prom (and that was likely a mock bow tie anyway). To help out your groom, we asked custom suit tailor and fashion expert J. Toor for step-by-step instructions for the various tie options, from a classic Windsor knot to a unique Eldredge knot to an unexpectedly casual ascot. 

The Full Windsorhw to tie windsor knot

The full Windsor knot is one of the most common knots in the tie world. While most men perform a half Windsor, simply adding an additional knot creates a fuller, wider knot. Pro tip: When tying a tie, never flip up your collar — flipping the collar can damage the perfect crease. Instead, slip your tie through the collar and slide it up.

how to tie windsor knot

Tried & Tested: Designer Wedding Shoes

designer wedding shoes

When it comes to shoes, I’ve been that girl at the party. I'm the one in the sexy red-soled stilettos who has to take breaks from dancing after only two songs, grinning through gritted teeth, just one step away from face planting (my fiancé’s always there to catch me). At only five-foot-two-inches tall, I’ve come to accept that beauty involves a little sacrifice.

But after one too many nights limping home, I swore that my wedding would be different. I want to float down the aisle, dance my heart out, and kiss guests goodbye with sure-footedness. True to my promise, I took the newest shoe styles for a whirl around the BG office to see which ones could stand up to the big day. I wore each one for a full workday from eight-fifteen to five o’clock. (As you can imagine, I was quite the sight with my business-casual attire and twinkle toes!)

It was worth the sheepishness: The 10 pairs below passed the test of a full day’s wear, including jumping, dancing and sitting. (Important note: Nothing will ever be as comfy as these flats, so I went into this with the realistic expectation that my knees would be a little sore by the end of this experiment.)

Thank you to my lovely colleague Kristen O'Gorman Klein for shooting all of the photos below!

How to Modernize Your Mom's Wedding Gown

Have you checked out TLC's latest wedding series, "Something Borrowed, Something New"? Each episode follows one bride as she's forced to choose between two wedding gown options: a family heirloom (like her mom's gown) that stylist Kelly Nishimoto re-works into a modern-day dress, or a brand new gown that stylist Sam Saboura shops for with the bride's preferences in mind. Last week, Sam gave us the inside scoop on how he chooses the "something new" gown. Now, Kelly reveals her secrets to modernizing mom's gown!

something borrowed something new
Lauren in her mom's dress, pre-alterations!

How do you find the right balance between keeping the integrity of the mother's dress and modernizing it?
I essentially keep the best elements of the dress — the ones that make it special — and get rid of any elements that make it dated and frumpy. Generally, I'll find myself getting rid of tacky sparkles and eliminating extra fabric. Brides today want to be more sleek, and older gowns tend to overwhelm their bodies.

Photo Diary: One Mom's Dress Shopping Experience

The last time that I wore an elegant floor-length gown was in 1985, at my wedding. Every girl dreams of her wedding dress, and I loved mine with its long cathedral train. Fast-forward 28 years, and I will be walking down the aisle again for my daughter Stefania's wedding (in the same exact church where I was married). Shopping this time around was very different.

My friends told me that the second most looked-at person after the bride is her mom. Co-workers and family members bombarded me with questions: "What color are you getting?" "Why haven't you picked a dress yet?" "Are you wearing strapless?" It all made me a little nervous. Several of my friends who had gone through the same process for their child's wedding told me that the most important thing is to feel both comfortable and beautiful in a dress.

Armed with good advice, a new strapless bra, and the best pair of Spanx I could buy, we went to the first store on the list. Nervously, I touched each gown on the rack, slowly flipping through them as if they were pages in a magazine, not pulling any of them out. Luckily, my daughter was there with me! Together with the sales associate, she sized me up and pulled gown after gown. I tried on several ball gowns, but learned that it wasn't flattering on my body type. Several children (and multiple surgeries) later, I was determined to find a style that accentuated my figure, not one that made me feel heavy, dowdy, or older than I am.

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