Re-Use Buzz

Ingrid from Bell'ancora just send me an email, mentioning that her consignment bridal store snapped up this gorgeous Reem Acra dress - not the one worn by Desperate Housewives" Maria Cross but nevertheless the exact same dress. Which brings me to the amazing green act of buying or selling your couture dress in a consignment store. These once worn dresses are 30%-70% off the original thousands of dollars and totally trendy, not that dress from so 5 years ago, which hasn't made into the fashionable vintage store yet and is just outmoded.
Ingrid:" When I was searching for my wedding gown I fell in love with several designer gowns that were way outside my budget and I didn’t like the idea of buying a new dress when there were so many brides wearing dresses and then putting them in their closets. eBay didn’t really give me what I was looking for and I saw a need for a “boutique” style website catering to brides looking for affordable wedding gowns and thus, bell’ancora was born.." The same thing had happened to Julie Jones from Encore Bridal in Los Angeles a little earlier in 2002. Her store in Los Angeles and White Chicago in Chicago are two other super sassy stops, where your dream dress can come true without costing you a week of your honey moon.

One of my brides, Shannon, got her dress from Glamour Closet in San Francisco and was totally happy about my suggestion: "You’re the best!! I found a dress!! I can't tell you how happy I am, HAPPY! The girl who helped me, Diane, was unbelievable, she went out of her way to make my dreams come true. I have been looking for this dress since December and have been searching every website, store, or ebay link I can find. GREEN, GREEN, GREEN!!!"
Geraldine Brower's The Bridal Garden in NY tops everybody of with donating their proceeds to needy kids under the umbrella of "Shelter Arms".

Eco Fashionistas

Michelle Moore did a Renee Geneva's eco fashion shoot, producing amazing photos of eco bridal fashion that deserves the label "couture".
I love that brides go for color, if it was my wedding today I would go for the Vienna waltz gown with an edge, like an angel with a tattoo.
Designers like Renee or Lucid Dawn definitely have the edge down.

Dan&Daniela, Greening Malibu's Weddings

Planning for a green day on April 5, 2009:
200 guests in a modern Malibu villa right on the beach.
In the old times (meaning a few years ago) this would have been crammed with Elizabeth Hurley-ish wasteful wonders. Not so with Daniela and Dan, musicians who live in Canada and will celebrate their wedding in their grand parents domicile, built by Jaime Gesundheit.
It is an amazing house with a pond in the middle of the front yard and a living room, which actually is a "hall" with a huge glass front and several sets of double doors high enough for a truck to drive through right to the beach.
The photographer and some of the musicians are friends of the creative couple, the other vendors will be eco-conscious professionals associated with Angelica Weihs Events company.
Planning has begun and tastings with eco caterers are being scheduled.
In the loop: Diana Temple from Creative Fare, Nomad Catering and Eco Caters.
Nomad is having a show case next week, which is a must go for all green and greenish brides to be.

Classic party rentals Los Angeles has implemented quite a few green bits to their business, so we most probably go with them.
We will post updates on Dan and Daniela's green steps as we go.

Christina&Barton, July 25, 2008

Christina and Barton who got married in Topanga in July are the best example for wedding planning made fun and how to savor the whole process.
They visited their wedding site several times, having lunch and drinks, chats and peaceful moments, meetings with vendors and their coordinator. They were touching the flowers, smelling the breeze - and after their amazing wedding they were right back, having lunch again, on their ceremony spot.

Their signature drinks had to be burgundy as Christina's colors were burgundy and dusty rose. We created a yummy drink with organic mango fruit punch, raspberry wine and filled it up with champagne.
Christina was worried to become a Bridezilla. But staking out all the details is miles away from having fits when the color tone of the underlays veers 5% away from the brides maids dress. Christina's excitement was the opposite; she inspired me to create double length planning sheets - and enjoying it.

Her favors were clay pots with flower seeds, her cup cakes were made with organic sugar, wine and food were organic.
Their florist, Sheila Omni was once again at her creative best, draping chiffons, hanging big beige lanterns, (later re-used) and filling the location with pastel colored local roses.
Formaldehyde foam for centerpieces is a huge no for the eco-concerned florist and Sheila used the old fashioned trick: vases, which you can take home.

A little bit something to the environmental mess behind the beauty of flowers:
From our Green Weddings website:
Floral Foam (a.k.a oasis) is a petroleum bi- product that out-gasses formaldehyde when soaked in water. This foam is not bio degradable and has been linked to lung cancer in rare cases of extended exposure. Leaf shine commonly used to shine greenery and plants is an aerosol product that is also bad for the lungs. The alternative that green florists know is vegetable oil, not only is it free from harmful chemicals but it is wiped on the leaves instead of sprayed.
Organic flowers, though limited in comparison to the varieties of conventionally grown flowers, are a conscious way to support the practice of Organic Flower Farming. Organic produce and foods are continuing to become more available because people supported the practice by purchasing the product. This trend is growing in the flower industry as people realize their part. Since people do not ingest flowers (generally) they do not concern themselves with whether or not pesticides and other chemicals were used. But the impact of the non organic flower farming is dangerous as run off from these chemicals seeps into the ground and ground water and the air also becomes contaminated. Flowers may be grown next to food crops and villages. Fields may be rotated from flowers to foods leaving the chemicals in the soil.....

Love to meet you again.

Famous Gay Couple from NY

Jay & Brook

My first gay green wedding took place in Topanga on July 11. 2008. The two cool guys who got married (for the second time) are actually famous and talked about in many news paper stories: Jay Blotcher and Brook Garrett. Mom Valerie took it on and organized the California wedding, as the "kids" live in New York. A very detailed oriented lady, she made sure that everything was just right. She pulled it of (with a little help of the wedding coordinator) in three weeks, including cake topper for the organic carrot cake, special cutting serves and their names printed on cocktail napkins. It was all: wow, Valerie! And of course: Wow, Jay and Brook, you made it this time! Their first marriage in Paltz had been annulled two years later.
The fancy, hip hors d'oeuvres reception was amazingly joyous, everybody was truly happy about the California freedom to be who you are, legally.

Story by Meghan E. Murphy

Times Herald-Record

July 09, 2008

NEW PALTZ — Jay Blotcher, 48, and Brook Garrett, 44, already have rings. They've already had a ceremony. They already have a civil union.

Still, they're going to get married Friday.

The gay couple is traveling to California this week to wed at the Los Angeles County registrar's office. The day marks the third time the persistent pair has sought legal recognition of their lifelong partnership. In 2000, they received a civil union in Vermont. In 2004, they were married by then New Paltz Mayor Jason West along with 23 other same-sex couples. That act was later ruled illegal.

While the couple's civil union is still effective, Blotcher says it doesn't afford them the same rights — legally or symbolically — as marriage. "I just don't want to be a second-class citizen in my country, and I want my relationship to be recognized," Blotcher said.

Same-sex couples have been flocking to California since June 14, 30 days after the California Supreme Court ruled gay marriages legal. New York Gov. David Paterson issued a directive to state agencies May 14 to recognize same-sex marriage certificates issued in other states.

Billiam van Rostenberg, who married his former partner alongside Blotcher and Garrett four years ago, says he's seen much progress in same-sex civil rights in the past few years. And although he's not getting married again, he's proud of those who persist in the movement.

Gay-rights organizations in New York are working toward getting legal marriages here, but there's still opposition to the idea. In the state Legislature, two bills died this session in the judiciary committee, one allowing same-sex marriage and the other disavowing it.

In November, California will consider a ballot initiative amending the state's constitution to ban gay marriage. Blotcher doesn't know if a "yes" vote would affect his marital status. But if it does, he's not about to give up.

"As Americans we deserve the same rights; that's what I continue to struggle for," he said.

Listen to the interview on WAMC. http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-736077.mp3