Toms Feast - local, seasonal, organic

Inspirational food hero and ethical chef Tom Hunt of Tom's Feast joined Green Union recently and we are excited to let you in on the secret...

Tom is so passionate about his food and the wedding catering service they provide, that we thought it would be best to let him tell you about it in his own words:

"I sincerely enjoy every minute of a wedding. First the planning, with animated and creative discussions about the banquets we can create, then working together to find a location, and finally the big day itself. Delivering fresh ethical food at such a merry celebration is massively rewarding.

There’s nothing we like better than cooking huge communal feasts, of celebration, with abundant vibrant dishes that are great shared between loved ones. We like to bring an alfresco french wedding feel to the food, keeping it rustic and packed with flavour.

I really love cooking outside and if possible with fire! I have a beautiful wood oven and chargrill that we bring along to all our do’s. It allows us to make really special dishes like authentic porchetta, wood roasted sea bass with fennel and stone baked breads.

Our green wedding credentials: We care about the environmental impact of our work. Where possible we source our food ethically - organic, seasonal and local.

“how do you feed 270 people michelin-starred food in the middle of the wilderness? you call Tom and his team” – James Whewell, Organiser Wilderness festival.

For more information check out Tom's website and blog.

Oh, and Tom's Feast was featured last year in one of our Natural Nuptials blog posts.

Posted in Green Wedding Caterers, Food & Drink , Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations

Loveluxe revisited - 10 good reasons to throw an intimate wedding

Check out our latest green wedding planning advice column on the lovely Loveluxe Blog. This time we thought it would be good to mention the growing trend for more intimate weddings.

As wedding budgets get tighter we’re hearing from our partners that guest lists are shrinking and weddings of a more intimate nature are the big choice for eco savvy couples, so we thought we’d conjure up some chic tips for couples planning to throw a more intimate affair:

Get the whole story over at Loveluxe and celebrate the fact that your wedding is small but perfectly formed!

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , News , Wedding Planning

Share the love with PapaKåta

PapaKåta , the folks who specialise in hiring out kåta tents, the giant teepees that create utterly unique and truly magical party spaces, would like to invite you to their Spring Open Weekend in April.

They say all the best parties happen in a PapaKåta tent so here's your opportunity to see for yourself if you're planning to throw your green wedding up in Yorkshire or the North of England.

They'll be there from 10am 'till 4pm and really look forward to showing you their teepees in all their glory!

To book a time to chat through your plans get in touch on 0800 612 9692, email tellmemore@papakata.co.uk or feel free to just drop by on the day. Visit their website for more ideas and information.

WHAT: PapaKåta Spring Open Weekend

WHEN: 6th & 7th April from 10am to 4pm

WHERE: Escrick park Estate, Escrick, YO19 6EA - just 5 mins from York

Posted in Green Wedding Events , Inspiration , Marquees & Tents

Wassail!

Here's a lovely idea for a winter wedding theme if you're planning to wed shortly after Christmas. Wassail conjurs up ideas of bowls of apple cider punch, rich colours, bare apple boughs and foraged greenery for decoration, ribbons, wedding tipis with warm fires and candle light, all surrounded by the people you love. What a theme...

Wassailing is an ancient tradition of blessing apple trees at Twelfth Night and asking the spirit of the tree for a bountiful harvest of fruit the following autumn. Some wassailers adhere to the Gregorian calendar and mark Twelfth Night on 6th January, whereas others adhere to the older Julian calendar and leave their wassails until the 17th January, a good time to celebrate a wedding too!

Wassail is an Anglo-Saxon word and is thought to mean ‘Be In Good Health’. Whilst there is a tradition of wassailing neighbours with songs and good wishes at yuletide (similar to the modern tradition of carolling), apple trees had to wait until Twelfth Night, a time when the world is turned upside down, the Lord of Misrule reigns for a day, and the spirits draw close, including those of trees.

People who cared for an apple tree – and the tradition is still strong in the cider growing areas of England and the marches of Wales – set out with gifts of hot cakes and cider as an offering to the spirit of the tree. Usually, a cider soaked cake was hoisted high and left in the fork of a branch, with more cider splashed on the earth over the roots.

In order to drive away any malignant influence, people might shout or bang pan lids together, and some even fire shotguns into the air. Then, all present sing the wassailing song, asking for a good crop of apples the following autumn. If you want to wassail your own apple tree (or, with amendment to the words, any other sort of fruiting tree, or even your own union) here are some traditional words to use.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations

Christmas Gold

Don't you just adore these beautiful gold letters from POSH Graffiti

We've put together a Christmas greeting for you here using the letters, but of course we think you'll love to use these original, authentic letters created by Emily Readlett Bailey for your wedding decorations any time of the year.

Emily has always taken care to source sustainable materials and for many years has pioneered the concept of stylish design with an eco and ethical policy. The POSH Graffiti collection has been made by the same village rice farming community in Bali for 15 years where the farmers use this important secondary business to sustain their agriculture. The artisans use a local fast growing albizia wood (never toxic MDF) and each piece is unique. The Company has always emphasized quality over quantity resisting the lure of mass production in China.

Emily has been actively involved in tree planting in Bali over the years and this year she has been asked be work with an important sustainable rain forest management project in Borneo. More to come in 2013.

If you go to POSH Graffiti's website you will find all sorts of ideas to inspire you and there's also a brilliant wall where you can compose your very own design before buying.

HAPPY CREATING!

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Ethical Vendors , Inspiration

Naturally gorgeous Christmas wedding gift designs

Take a look at these gorgeous decorations specially created by Paper Tree for Christmas. There are little rosebud wreaths, mini mistletoe kissing sprigs:

Rosebud hearts and rosey wreaths:

For a Christmas wedding you could line up these sweet rose topiary pots all the way down your reception table:

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Gifts & Favours , Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations

Papa Christmas party

Fans of Papakata will be delighted to hear that PapaChristmas is returning for its third successive year, with 6 more party nights in their fabulous giant teepee village set in Harrogate, Yorkshire where you can eat, drink, be merry and experience the lovely event spaces, in party dress, for yourself.

Posted in Green Wedding Events , Inspiration , Marquees & Tents

Have your green wedding at fforest this Autumn!

Uniquely wonderful Welsh green wedding venue fforest has just let us know that due to a last minute event cancellation on the weekend of 14 to 17 September this year, they now have room for another magical fforest wedding!

The timing is perfect for a beautiful autumn wedding - the weather is usually really lovely then - still warm and sunny with a soft autumn light.

So if you're thinking about getting married in the Autumn of 2012 and still don't have a venue booked, get in touch with fforest right away as they would love to have a chat and let you know what they can do for you.

Find out more about fforest by going to their website coldatnight.co.uk

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Special Offers , Venues

Eco friendly wedding transport

Here's a fabulous idea for couples looking for ways to keep their carbon footprint down on their wedding day.

Travelling in style from home to church or registry office, and on to your reception, in this immaculate cycle rickshaw by Wedding Cycles will make your day truly exceptional. Not only will it bring a smile to your face but the sight of you on your way to your wedding will make people en route turn and stare!

And Alison, who rides the pedicab, points out that since the rickshaw only uses pedal power she can guarantee no hike in prices due to rising fuel costs! The rickshaw is a really affordable way to get to the church on time, with celebration ribbons and a 'Getting Married' sign all included in the very reasonable price.

For more information and to find out where they cycle, go to the Wedding Cycles website or call Alison on 07783730901.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Transport , Wedding Planning

Spring equinox - celebrate the first day of spring!

Today's spring equinox marks the point in space and time when the sun moves across the celestial equator from south to north and heralds the first day of spring, saying goodbye to winter for another year.

The Vernal Equinox, when the length of day and night are equal, is a celebration for the renewed life of the Earth, symbolised by the egg. Eostre, the goddess of spring with her animal the hare, was taken up by the early Christians and applied to their celebration of the Resurrection of Christ calling it Easter, which is just around the corner.

Planning a spring green union can be an absolute joy with a wealth of decoration ideas. Spring colours are fresh and brand new, and perfumes are divine. Yellow is predominant but there are also subtle tones of blues, dusky pinks and real lime green too. Natural blossom is dripping from the trees and one of our favourite looks is masses of blossom twigs combined with tulips. Don't forget painted eggs and egg hunts for your younger guests if your wedding is close to Easter.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations

Get the Oscars look

The Oscars are over for another year and we were excited to see that the red carpet was awash with romantic white dresses - perfect wedding inspiration.

From Cameron Diaz’s strapless Gucci dress, Rooney Mara’s plunging Givenchy gown to Gwyneth Paltrow’s chic and minimal Tom Ford dress, all channeling the ethereal fairytale wedding look with clean cut lines.

This year's red carpet glamour reminded us of Sabina Motasem Brides' new Art Deco inspired collection which oozes the sophistication of both old and new Hollywood and proves beyond a doubt that eco is very definitely chic.

Go to www.motasem.co.uk for further information.

Posted in Green Wedding Dresses & Gowns , Ethical Vendors , Inspiration

fforest wedding open days

A little while ago we got really excited about a new eco friendly wedding venue in Wales that we thought was a perfect fit for those couples intending to throw a weekend festival wedding.

Now you don't just have to take our word for it - fforest is inviting you to see for yourself what an amazing place it is. It will be a day for couples and their families to go along and see what's on offer.

They will take you on a guided tour around fforest which will be decked out with all those extra little details that are included for a wedding weekend and Cassy will also being give a little presentation showing fforest at different times of year, not only giving you a good idea how it will look when you plan to get married, but also how every wedding at fforest is truly unique.

Contact Cassy Wiggins on 01239 612 133 or email cassy.wiggins@coldatnight.co.uk to book your place either in April or July.

WHAT? Wedding Open Days

WHEN? Saturday 14th April 2012 and Saturday 21st July 2012

WHERE? At fforest camp, Fforest Farm, Cwnplysgog, Cilgerran, Cardigan, SA432TB

Put the dates in your diary!

Posted in Green Wedding Events , Inspiration , Venues

Save the date, naturally

When Simone over at Welsh Green Weddings sent us Ruth and Glenn's save the date photo (they are to be married at Penybanc Farm in Carmarthenshire in April this year) we couldn't help sharing it!

If you're planning a naturally green and eco-friendly wedding this is a brilliantly cost effective way to announce your wedding date to your family and friends...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Natural Nuptials , Venues

A green fforest wedding

Here at GU HQ we get so excited when we discover yet another absolutely unique and exquisite wedding venue that ticks all our boxes.

A wedding at fforest, in Cardigan, Wales, really is unique and captures the essence of what a green wedding is all about, embracing the natural environment and drawing on an ever-changing template presented by the seasons.

fforest is about the great outdoors and is set in 200 acres of woodland, grazed pasture and wild meadow. The farm is bounded by the Afon (River) Teifi and the Teifi Marshes nature reserve with gorgeous views across the Preseli mountains, ancient woodland, water meadow and traditional farmland. The camp provides a natural green canvas for your wedding celebrations and creates a place to enjoy the simplicity, pleasures and beauty of outdoor living in an outstanding natural environment.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations , Venues

Autumn inspired eco friendly wedding shoot

Wedding stylist Sue Fyfe-Williams of Aunties Vintage China recently sent us this lovely Autumn inspired photo shoot at Welsh Green Weddings, a distinctly different wedding venue that offers a multitude of options for couples to plan a unique, individual wedding which reflects their values and choices.

Newly licensed for weddings earlier this year, wonderful Welsh Green Weddings is a beautiful and versatile eco friendly wedding venue near Llandysul, Ceridigion. The Dairy and Byre are both licensed for wedding ceremonies and, while larger weddings may need a marquee, smaller more intimate wedding receptions can fit snugly into the dairy. There is a great choice of accommodation for your guests ranging from cosy dormitory-type rooms in the adjacent Ceridwen Centre, bedrooms in the farmhouse and the byre, a yurt and an original, beautifully decorated Romany caravan. Couples who choose to spend their wedding night in the Romany caravan, which is at the end of a leafy path, will wake up surrounded by rolling Welsh hills and serenaded with birdsong.

The wedding venue is owned and run by Simone and Roger Mansell-Broome, who are just the perfect hosts and stylist Sue said that when one tries to praise them for their hospitality and attention to detail they reply “It's what we do”.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Natural Nuptials , Venues

Glamping ...

… and festival season is just around the corner. It's hard to believe with the rain pouring down outside and the short, dark days we're experiencing right now, but soon the shortest day will be behind us and we'll be looking forward to spring, summer and those wonderful festival filled green wedding days.

And we think that nothing could be more romantic than celebrating your unique eco friendly wedding in an aesthetically glamorous arts and crafts style William Morris inspired tent, serving your wedding guests with tea and cake or Pimms cocktails on a lawn scattered with Morris print deck chairs!

To celebrate the centenary of the founding of Morris & Co, The Arabian Tent Company has created this gorgeous William Morris tent that features iconic Islamic prints in its fabrics and furnishings, inspired by the man himself.

‘I launched the William Morris tent to coincide with his centenary this year as he’s someone I have huge admiration for,’ says Katherine Hudson, founder of The Arabian Tent Company. ‘Morris took a lot of his own designs from the Islamic patterns he saw in the V&A Museum, a place I absolutely love and which I too find a source of continuous inspiration. Morris believed that ‘art improves life’ and The Arabian Tent Company believes that art improves parties!’

This design certainly fits a the trend that shows no sign of fading and inspires couples to create their own mini glamping festival wedding weekends in secret gardens and countryside locations throughout Britain in the summer time. If William Morris isn't your style then you're bound to love the Cornish Cream tent (pictured below), perfect for treating your wedding guests to cream teas served on vintage china.

If you think the William Morris or Cornish Cream tents would be perfect for your own glamping inspired wedding and would like to know more, then visit Arabian Tents website, contact them by email info@arabiantents.com or phone Katherine Hudson on 0800 8815229.

Posted in Green Wedding Honeymoon & Eco Tourism , Inspiration , Marquees & Tents

Green & Gorgeous Christmas flower design courses

The lovely girls over at Green and Gorgeous are offering some fantastic flower arranging courses to inspire you with your wedding flower design plans next year.

First up are their Christmas wreath courses in December, but since most of you will be planning a spring or summer wedding you may be more interested in the flower arranging courses on offer in 2011.

The first two will concentrate on how to grow your own cutting flowers while the rest will be showing students how to arrange flowers from the garden.

A half day practical workshop for all abilities, they will teach you the best ways to condition and work with flowers straight from the border. There will be lots of demonstrations and handy tips, plus the opportunity to arrange with the best ingredients from Green and Gorgeous's own cutting garden.

During the day students will be shown how to create a hand tied bunch - perfect for a natural bridal bouquet. Also a corsage and a table arrangement will be tackled and the great thing is that you get to take them all home with you. The day includes a home-made vegetarian light lunch and refreshments.

For more information and course dates check out the Green and Gorgeous website

Posted in Green Wedding Courses , Flowers , Inspiration

Focus on Atelier Tammam at The Luxury Wedding Show

Here at GU HQ we're delighted to learn that Tammam, one of our favourite ethical wedding dress labels is to exhibit their Couture Range of wedding gowns at The Luxury Wedding Show in London later this month. This only goes to show how eco-luxe has hit the mainstream and become the norm for many couples getting wed today.

Since launching their couture range Tammam has attracted a celebrity following including the likes of Alicia Silverstone, Olivia Williams, Erin O’Connor and Rachel McDowell. Cited as one of the designers in the running for the royal wedding dress and described as “absolutely gorgeous” by Jason Gardiner, the Tammam couture collection is the new label of choice for discerning brides.

You can read more about Atelier Tammam on the show website

Green Union's Eco Chic Boutique stocks Tammam's diffusion range of wedding dresses.

The Luxury Wedding Show is to be held at The Saatchi Gallery, Kings Road in London on 22nd and 23rd October 2011.

Posted in Green Wedding Dresses & Gowns , Ethical Vendors , Inspiration

Wedding Fair at Trafford Hall

Lovely new (to us) wedding venue, Trafford Hall, nestled in the countryside just outside Chester, are throwing their very first wedding fair this Thursday evening.

Trafford Hall is run and maintained by the National Communities Resource Centre - a notable charity. This year the Charity has been awarded Level 4 of the Green Dragon Standards for the centre's environmental management systems (EMS)and the centre has just celebrated its 20th anniversary.

The Hall is a magnificent grade 2 listed Georgian Manor house, situated in 14 acres of award winning gardens and surrounded by the beautiful Cheshire countryside, a perfect setting for your ethical wedding day celebrations.

The house offers a beautiful ballroom and glasshouse licensed for your wedding ceremony, plus a couple of other more intimate rooms for smaller weddings (the big wedding trend). The child friendly venue is surrounded by beautiful gardens and has 53 ensuite bedrooms to accommodate all your guests at very reasonable prices. What more could you wish for?

SAVE THE DATE.......

Thursday 8th September 2011

5:30-9pm

At Trafford Hall, - FREE entry and arrival drink.

View this magnificent venue set up for a wedding ceremony and reception. Take this opportunity to meet their experienced wedding team and and meet wedding suppliers including entertainment, vintage cars and beauty therapists.

If you cant'sake it to Trafford Hall tomorrow but you're planning to get wed around the Chester area then get in contact with Nicky Dutton to arrange a viewing, check availability and discuss your ideas and dreams. Tel: 01244 300246 or email n.dutton@traffordhall.com

Posted in Green Wedding Ethical Vendors , Inspiration , Venues

Seasonal summer wedding flowers

We're now deep into wedding season with eco-friendly weddings taking place every weekend up and down the country. And as promised we bring you a second installment of our seasonal summer wedding inspiration from lovely Green Union partner and eco friendly wedding florist Julie Ballard. Over to you Julie:

SUMMER WEDDING FLOWERS:
Peonies, Roses, Sweet peas, Alchemilla mollis, Eryngium (see holly), Gladioli, Delphinium, Stocks, Acapanthus, Scabious, Dahlias and Sunflowers.

The loveliest wedding flowers are those that complement the season and it is generally thought that there are plenty of locally grown British blooms to choose from at this time of year. But it was only whilst planning the designs for an August wedding that I began to realize, in fact, that even within the season flower choice changes month by month and there are fewer suitable flowers available in August, than in say June or July. With a little bit of further research it became obvious that the colour palette evolves too, a fact which is well worth knowing when choosing a scheme for a wedding, sometimes up to a year in advance.

Posted in Green Wedding Flowers , Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations

Still yearning for a Pippa Middleton-style wedding dress without the McQueen price tag?

You may be interested to know that Bridal Path, a lovely bridal boutique in pretty and historic Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, has just taken delivery of Motasem Bridal’s two year bestseller, the Alaya dress with cap sleeves and puddle train that we mentioned here just a few weeks ago. The dress is a highly flattering, cowl neck bias-cut gown in a fabulous soft crepe silk with lots of weight to it, enough to make any bride feel like a princess on her special day.

And priced at £925 or £695 without cap sleeves and train, it’s very reasonable too.

We think the Alaya is the perfect dress for brides wanting something simple, classic and fantastic quality for the price. The gown is pictured above in Bridal Path’s window teamed with a pair of Rachel Simpson ‘Marilyn’ suede and satin bow shoes.

The Alaya dress was designed by Sabina Ali from London-based label, Motasem Bridal and is available with lace detail and a plunging backless cowl version. Motasem provides understated, vintage inspired wedding dresses to brides looking for simple and elegant wedding dresses.

Posted in Green Wedding Dresses & Gowns , Ethical Vendors , Inspiration

Royal green wedding

It's what we'd all hoped and been waiting for - proof that the Royal wedding will, in every sense be a green affair.

News that Westminster Abbey is being decked out with an avenue of 20ft trees (all to be replanted at Highgrove when the celebrations are over), lining the aisle leading to the alter, makes our hearts sing with joy!

Much of the foliage will come from the royal estates and everything is to be English, natural, seasonal, ethical and as organic as possible. The resulting decorations are to be understated and elegant - we love it!

And we know that the wedding flowers will be full of meaning with the language of flowers and symbolism being key.

The trees in the Abbey will be six English field maples, symbolising humility and reserve, and two hornbeams, symbolising resilience. They will be in huge pots made by English craftsmen at Highgrove.

The seasonal flowers being used in the displays include Solomon's seal, brought from Sandringham, which symbolises confirmation of love; azaleas, the Chinese symbol of femininity; lilacs, which represent first love, and blossoms, signifying spiritual beauty. Other blooms being used include rhododendron, euphorbias, beech and wisteria, mostly from Windsor Great Park.

We can't wait to see it all on Friday and sense a huge trend for natural decor in 2012's green weddings.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Natural Nuptials , News

Royal wedding flags

As Royal wedding fever grips the nation and the world we'd like to make a little boast that some of our partners are thoroughly involved in the event.

Big Wave Flags, for instance, have had their complete stock of fabulous festival flags booked for the event. They'll be 'flying the flags' at Camp Royale on Clapham Common for the entire weekend! Apparently they will be flying at some other undisclosed locations too...

Big Wave Flags is a unique company that makes and rents festival flags for weddings and other events. They will either rent stock flags or will create bespoke beauties for those that have a specific colour theme not already in their portfolio.

Flags really are a spectacular and cost effective way to enliven a large space. The flying colours and movement of the flags will uplift the day and give the whole event a dynamically colourful flavour.

Find out more information on their website or contact Andrew on 01209 891819

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Ethical Vendors , Events , Inspiration

Dream green weddings in Cornwall

There’s been a revolution in the world of weddings recently. Suddenly weddings are all about the bride and groom, and the way they choose to live and marry.

You’d think that this was always how it was meant to be, but in the past it didn’t usually work out that way.

The best day of your life was often all about the parents who were probably paying for it, Great Aunt Martha’s dislike of fancy food and not upsetting the vicar!

Thankfully things have changed and now it's very personal – weddings are more and more a reflection of the happy couple themselves - they’re romantic, they’re green, they’re fun.

Cornish Tipi Weddings captures the essence of eco-chic – riding the crest of this new wave of green Romantics with its very 21st century blend of sustainability, fun and glamour.

Their licensed wedding pavillion means it's the closest you'll get to an outdoor wedding ceremony in England and they’ll arrange the wedding of your dreams for 20 people or 220 people, with a matchless backdrop of woodland and sky, shimmering lake water and magical Cornish earth.

For more information about Cornish Tipi Weddings and Cornish Tipi Holidays (their tipi camping accommodation) go to their website www.cornishtipiholidays.co.uk, email info@cornishtipiweddings.co.uk or phone 01208 880781

"The ceremony took place in a clearing in the woods. Guests sat on hay bales and sipped champagne...The band was fantastic, the company even better and we finished it off sleeping in a tipi and waking to a fantastic day of fishing and swimming in the lake."

Posted in Green Wedding Ethical Vendors , Inspiration , Venues

Green and gorgeous hens

Jo Wise, the floral designer at Green & Gorgeous, a wonderful flower business that grows their own seasonal British flowers, has sent in this lovely story of her very first hen party which, she says, went really rather well.

The weather was splendid and the house amazing. A group of fifteen girls rented a Tudor manor house in the Chilterns for the weekend, and the amazing chief bridesmaid seemed to have thought of everything from white toweling slippers to delicious food - and Jo, of course!

A Happy Hen

"Finally, after months of waiting, there are flowers to pick again and the season has kicked off for me with a Hen Party workshop in South Oxfordshire.

The bride has already ordered buckets of flowers to arrange herself for her wedding in April, so her chief bridesmaid invited me along to host a morning floristry workshop. As we began the bride announced she'd be keeping her eye out for those who would make the floristry dream team on The Big Day....no pressure then ladies!!

Joking aside, it was really relaxed and everyone enjoyed themselves. There was some pretty hot arranging going on too.

During the workshop we created a spring posy, flowers in a tea cup and a corsage. I took along some anemones, tulips, muscari and scented narcissi - all fabulous seasonal spring flowers available now. We had viburnum tinus and varigated pittosporum as foliage. For me the anemones were the main attraction because t's been such a hard winter and we have had a few losses in the garden. So the rows of anemones that have popped up in the poly tunnel with their cheerful little faces bring extra joy with them.

It was a wonderful way to start the season, so thank you ladies, especially the chief bridesmaid who plied me with coffee and cake."

Green & Gorgeous is offering private workshops for hen parties, which ties in very well with their 'Bouquets & Buckets' service.

If you opt for this service, you can order buckets of flowers for you to arrange yourself along with friends and family. Jo does the hard bit and creates the wedding party flowers which could include the bridal bouquet, bridesmaids' flowers, buttonholes and corsages, delivering them to you on the day of the wedding (when every one would rather be getting their nails done!).

For more information visit the Green & Gorgeous website, email info@greenandgorgeousflowers.co.uk or to have a chat with Jo just call 07778 549412

Posted in Green Wedding Bridesmaids , Flowers , Inspiration

The perfect bunch - seasonal wedding flowers

As the wedding planning season reaches fever pitch and the first signs of spring emerge with the sweetest snowdrops, we will be bringing you seasonal wedding flower advice from lovely Green Union partner and eco friendly wedding florist Julie Ballard. Over to you Julie:

SPRING WEDDING FLOWERS:
Gardenia, Heather, Helleborus, Hyacinth, Larkspur, Narcissi, Muscari, Vibernum, Tulips, Daffodils

A jug of fresh flowers on a table does more than simply symbolise the hope that a new season, particularly spring, brings. It makes us feel good too. Many people notice how, when our environment changes with the seasons, it affects how we feel. This is a good time to treat yourself to something that won’t pile on the pounds but will lift your mood as much as chocolate does - and last so much longer! So, perhaps some tulips? With a little piece of natural fabric to tie?

If you are planning a spring wedding why not start by looking at flowers that will be available in the months ahead – British and locally grown wherever possible of course. We’re not talking about those flowers which are available all year round because they are flown half way round the world or more! Of course the recent bad weather has affected flower availability just as much as it has caused problems for vegetable growers, but the flowers are fast catching up with the season now. With some forethought, many beautiful displays can be created using just a few blooms with plenty of mixed foliage and other interesting ingredients.

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Ethical Vendors , Flowers , Inspiration

Winter wedding inspiration

Who said winter weddings couldn't be gorgeous? Here's some really wonderful eco friendly wedding inspiration from Bash Events and Hatch Creative Studio.

Keep warm!

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Inspiration , Wedding Planning

Natural winter wedding

Roland and Miranda Ballard, the powerhouse behind brilliant new ethical meat company, Muddy Boots, got married on one of the coldest days last winter and had the most amazing green wedding day. The wedding was everything that we so love to hear about so we asked Miranda to tell us more. Over to you Miranda ...

The place and date of your wedding - ceremony and reception?

Saturday 16 January 2010 at Burford Church, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire for the ceremony and then 30yds/next door at my parents’ home for the reception! My parents still live where my sister and I grew up and it’s right next to this stunning rural church. My sister Olivia and I have been planning our wedding since we were 3 and 6 years old because we would play in the church. It was nice, for a change, to be able to be the bride on my own wedding because, as little sister,
I was always made to be the groom!

Posted in Green Wedding Blogger Brides , Ethical Vendors , Inspiration , Natural Nuptials

Gorgeous autumn apple wedding days

Mounds of red apples, shiny greenery and moss all twined onto a ring is a great way to celebrate our beautiful English Apple Season and makes wonderful green wedding decor.

Grab yourself a florist's wreath ring, wire some moss onto the ring then wire up shiny red apples and greenery and tie onto the ring. Hey presto! A gorgeous seasonal welcome door wreath for your wedding guests. Or hang the ring above the bride and groom's places at the reception as a bountiful kissing ring.

You could continue the theme by making apple place names for your wedding guests at each table setting, then add a long mound of moss and apples down the centre of your trestle tables for dramatic wedding reception decorations. Just let your imagination do the work!

Image from Better Homes & Gardens

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations

Natural wedding venue in the heart of London

We're over the moon to have WWT London Wetland Centre join our eco friendly wedding directory.

WWT London Wetland Centre is 42 hectares of beautiful lakes, pools and lagoons bringing wildlife and birds to the heart of our capital city.

To find such an amazing habitat so close to central London is unique and this combination of beautiful surroundings and central location (Zone 2) makes it the ideal venue for natural weddings in the city. The Wetland Centre are liscensed to hold civil partnership and marriage ceremonies in some of their buildings while other buildings are fabulous spots for wedding receptions. Venues approved for ceremonies are the Observatory and Wetland Living.

The Observatory can host a maximum of 110 guests and is a beautiful split level, heated observatory with a huge viewing window which has spectacular panoramic views across the reserve.

Wetland Living is a quaint and intimate venue with a thatched roof and white washed walls providing you the perfect location for your event. Licensed for wedding ceremonies the building has a capacity for 42 guests seated or 60 people standing. Where else in London can you have a wedding ceremony surrounded by beautiful wetlands and birds?

This wonderful wildlife and bird sanctuary is situated in Barnes not far from Hammersmith Bridge and smack in the middle of London. It's an inspiration for couples living in London who would prefer to get married in a wilder, more natural environment but don't want to stray too far from home.

If you would like to hold your wedding and/or reception at the London Wetland Centre, please enquire at 020 8409 4400 or functions.london@wwt.org.uk.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Natural Nuptials , Venues

Vintage wedding inspiration

Isn't she just gorgeous? We found her, and hundreds of other beautiful brides, on the V&A's website which has an amazing section dedicated to wedding fashion. If you're searching for wedding dress or bridal gown inspiration for your own wedding, this is the place to go.

In advance of what promises to be a fabulous exhibition of Wedding Dresses in 2013, the V&A is creating a database of photographs of clothes worn for weddings from all cultures between 1840 and the present, also including civil partnerships. The database of wedding fashions that they are building will provide a rich record for posterity.

There's a huge library of wedding photographs already on the site and its growing daily. Go there for wedding trends and inspiration or to upload a wedding that you know would be valuable material for the exhibition and the V&A archives.

For more information on how to participate in the V&A's wedding fashion story go to their website.

Posted in Green Wedding Dresses & Gowns , Events , Inspiration

And don't forget PapaKåta's open days this weekend

PapaKåta's Autumn Open Weekend taks places this Saturday and Sunday 9 and 10 October and they tell us they’re looking forward to a great turn out.

PapaKåta are the folks up in Yorkshire who specialise in hiring out Kåta tents. You know, the giant teepees that are made with beautiful cotton canvas and sustainable birch poles and create utterly unique and truly magical party spaces for weddings and events.

Find out more about this event by going to the blog entry.

Posted in Green Wedding Events , Inspiration , Marquees & Tents

Vintage teacup table decorations

Flowers fade, but Martha Stewart Weddings came up with this idea of using beautiful vintage china as table decor. What's more, the china can be enjoyed long after the last dance and recycled yet again!

Collect cups and saucers from flea markets and charity shops, borrow them from family members or rent them from china rental companies like Pebble-in-the-Pond, Idyllic Days or Vintage Tea Sets. Stack them in an arrangement that suits your theme and secure the stacks with glue or cement (if you want to re use the china make sure you secure it with removable cement).

It will all come to life when you place tea light candles in the cups which have been enhanced with a single flower in each saucer. There you go, a super-inexpensive centerpiece that's graceful and unique.

Get more fabulous wedding inspiration from Marthastewartweddings.com

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Inspiration

Wondering what wedding tent to choose?

The Autumn wedding planning season is kicking off with a vengence now and there are loads of events coming up for you to keep track of and gather inspiration from.

First up is PapaKåta's Autumn Open Weekend taking place Saturday and Sunday 9 and 10 October and they tell us they’re looking forward to a great turn out. PapaKåta are the folks up in Yorkshire who specialise in hiring out Kåta tents, you know the giant teepees that are made with beautiful cotton canvas and sustainable birch poles and create utterly unique and truly magical party spaces.

You’re all more than welcome to drop in at any point throughout the weekend to come say hello, have a glass of bubbles, toast marshmallows by the brazier and warm your cockles by the fire. But if you’d like an appointment with one of the Papa Peeps then just let them know your preferred time and they’ll pop it in the diary.

There will be demonstrations taking place on both days at 11.30am and 2.30pm by PapaKåta's operations manager Alan and the Papa crew, so even if you've already booked the Papa team for your wedding day and feel you may have all the details sorted, it may still be worth heading down to find out how to lift the sides, open the smoke flaps and have any of your logistical questions answered.

With flowers by the talented Kirsty at ‘Where Angels Play’ and local caterers ‘Saunts’ and ‘Kernalls’ there to tickle your taste buds with some warming winter fare, it promises to be a great weekend.

What: PapaKåta's Autumn Open Weekend
Where: Escrick Park Estate, Escrick, Yorkshire
When: Saturday 9th and sunday 10th October 2010

For more information or to book an appointment to chat with one of the Papa Peeps call 0800 6129692 or drop them an email at tellmemore@papakata.co.uk

Posted in Green Wedding Events , Inspiration , Marquees & Tents

Party themes and canvas tents

Conjure up an image of opulence and lavish living, flock fabrics in luscious rich colours, shabby-chic lamps and over the top chandeliers; meet in the summer scented garden by the two tall trees with your family and friends over a nice cup of English tea (in china cups of course); have your senses stimulated by warm orange and ochre amongst Moroccan lanterns and pretty fairy lights, sumptuous rugs and cushions; tread the grooves into the early hours within a cool minimalist interior and canvas washed with violet on a central dance floor, surrounded by seating and a handy bar – the party is bouncing at the first beat!

We're delighted to welcome Posh Frock & Wellies to our Wedding Directory. This brand new Cheshire based marquee and tent company specialises in providing beautiful and sumptuous surroundings for your wedding celebrations.

The company's whole purpose in life is to make your wedding forever memorable by creating an intimate, warm and enticing tent interior.

Their marquees are the traditional type of canvas pole tents made from natural fabrics and a lot of their equipment is recycled. For instance, they say that unlike many other marquee companies, they carefully preserve and reuse all their flooring and interiors which helps to limit the company's impact on the environment and provides a wholesome and natural space for partying.

Owner Sarah Powell-Barker designs the marquee themes employing her unique perspective on the use of textiles, furniture and lighting. The perspiration is provided by the other staff, many of them women too, which means they do seem to have a more sensitive approach to preserving your precious gardens and lawns!

Posh Frocks & Wellies is founded on a firm and historic base within the marquee industry - Sarah’s husband’s great grandfather founded Barker’s marquees in South London in 1888!

For more information visit their website, email sarah@poshfrocksandwellies.co.uk or pick up the phone 01829 751979.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Marquees & Tents

Green fingered wedding - part 2

Leann updates us on the run up to her eco friendly wedding ...

Four weeks to go! What happened to July?

The feeling that there isn’t time to get everything done is mounting and worry is beginning to set-in, have we paid for everything? How many people have we forgotten to invite? Do all the suppliers still have what we like? It’s quite hard to stick to the ethical ideals when last minute jobs come-up, the temptation is to do the first or easiest thing that comes to mind to get it done but then you know that you’ll feel bad on the day with the niggling feeling that something wasn’t right.

The dress is finally hanging in the wardrobe! My Nan’s wedding dress from 1952 features prominently against the new hemp/silk fabric and looks much nicer after a gentle wash and line dry; we forgot how many people smoked back in ’52 and were really surprised when the fabric revealed itself as a beautiful ivory instead of a dingy taupe!

Matt’s outfit has been a tad more troublesome though. We’ve been frustrated at the lack of choices for eco-conscious menswear. The options for women’s’ clothing is really very good (almost everything from tie-dye vests to sharp designer tailoring and can be found if you search hard) but looking at the menswear options on most sites, you would think that men wore nothing but T-shirts, boxer shorts and socks! We finally discovered British company Quail by Mail, whose selection of well tailored but not too formal shirts hit the right note and Matt is smiling again.

70 metres (yes 70!) of home-made bunting made from salvaged calico, fabric remnants and old clothes now sits in our spare bedroom on a huge roll amid the increasing boxes of organic wine, recycled napkins and tombola prizes (yep, that’s right!) We decided that we should go the whole hog with the village fete idea and have a tombola stall to raise some money for the venue. All of the prizes are ethical in some way (organic chocolate, recycled stationary and notebooks, hemp and fair-trade cotton clothing and energy saving gadgets) so while our guests have some fun they also get a look at a whole range of ethical products. We even managed to pick up some recycled raffle tickets. LoveLula liked the idea and kindly donated a prize which they sent over with my last order of Elysambre and Lavera make-up (I’ve now completed the make-up switch over, including face masks and cleansers!).

Posted in Green Wedding Blogger Brides , Inspiration , Natural Nuptials , Wedding Planning

Giant tipi tents win popular vote

With festival fever in full swing, Glastonbury all but over and a sweltering summer to inspire, you'll be thinking about throwing your eco friendly wedding in a field next summer, so whatever else you do you will probably need to hire a tent (just in case it rains!).

Imagine having 200 wedding guests gathered in three Giant Hat Kåtas all joined together to create a single huge space. The sun is setting, the band is in full swing and people are grooving on the dance floor. Across the tent people are chatting at the bar whilst others linger by the open fire…yes… inside the tent! You can have a smaller Tipi tent for guests to chill out on bean bags and giant cushions. Then as the night draws to a close, your guests can retire to individual camping tents in a tipi village created for you across the field.

In the West Country the lovely people at World Inspired Tents hire these wonderful giant tipis, known as Kåtas, offering an exciting, visually stunning and practical alternative to the traditional marquee and they have an amazing selection of teepee style tents for weddings, festivals and other outdoor events. World Inspired Tents will work with you to create a venue that will amaze and wow your wedding guests, their tents allow your imagination to run wild.

What's more this eco-friendly marquee company has recently scooped the top prize at the West Country Wedding Awards. To win this coveted award they have to have gained a healthy vote from their existing customers. Proof, we think, that they are just the best tent company that we thought they were!

If you would like more information, please call Edward Wright at World Inspired Tents on 01271 865306 or e.mail info@world-inspired.co.uk

Posted in Green Wedding Ethical Vendors , Inspiration , Marquees & Tents , Venues

Felt from the heart

Your guests will be hard pressed to throw these wedding favours in the bin when they get home!

We are totally bowled over by these gorgeous felt hearts hand sewn by a group of women in Makapanstad,South Africa who have created a little heartfelt something which makes a perfectly unique idea as a little thank you gift for your wedding guests.

Julie who, with her friend Martha, set up The Heartfelt Project thinks that the wedding industry at the moment has taken the whole emphasis off what a wedding is really about - namely the love and commitment of two individuals - and that it has become greedy. She believes that more and more couples are beginning to realise this and that they want to tailor-make their wedding day, creating a more individual feel where it really is about the bride and groom and their values, and they are more discerning about how they spend their wedding budget, putting it where it can really make a difference. Buying these little wedding favours will do just that.

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Gifts & Favours , Inspiration

Table decorations that grow on you

There's a definite feel of spring in the air and with the snowdrops looking particularly gorgeous at the moment, it made us think of spring like-table decorations. Seasonal, natural and eco friendly ones for wedding receptions.

We particularly like these glass tanks filled with tulips, hyacynth, ranunculus and grape hyacinth created for Brides.com by Studio Choo.

You could use any combination of growing bulbs to suit your wedding theme. Lush and green, jewel tones, all whites, scented, blues and creams, the choice is endless.

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Flowers , Inspiration

Eco friendly wedding bunting

If you're planning to decorate your green wedding with bunting, take a look at this great idea!

According to TRAID, the fashion recycling charity, over 1 million tons of fabric is thrown into dustbins every year in the UK. That equates to 900,000 million items of clothing - and the figures are growing. So Sue at Derry's Den has made it her mission to use up as much UK discarded textiles as she can and you can help her do it by buying her eco bunting.

Sue says "I'd noticed that most party bunting is made from new materials including plastics and the thought of adding more synthetics to the environment just doesn't appeal, so I thought it would be great to use up unwanted textiles. I've been lucky enough to have travelled all over the world in the past and many communities that I’ve visited reuse textiles out of necessity. In contrast, through lives of comparative luxury, Westerners have created a problem with waste. I’ve always been into upcycling items rather than throwing them into the rubbish bin, chopping up old clothing to create some other useful item is in my genes. I vividly remember grandmother doing it.”

Environmentally friendly bunting can be used for all sorts of occasions, not just weddings. Birthdays, anniversary, leaving parties, or Christmas, as well as street parties, corporate events, or just for brightening up your garden in the summer. Decorate a child's bedroom....have their name on bunting in their favourite colour. Sue makes her eco friendly bunting out of waste textiles, recycled cards or paper, and even waste plastic bags. The bunting is packaged in recycled waste plastic bags from the card industry. All the bunting is made in Oxfordshire and she has made bunting for Greenpeace to decorate their flagship the Rainbow Warrior and it's also been used by Greenpeace, Oxfam and Wateraid at Glastonbury Festival.

All the bunting is made to order so you can choose what colours you want to fit in with your wedding theme.

For more information on eco friendly bunting check out Sue's website ecobunting.co.uk email her on sue@derrysden.co.uk or phone her 01491 824152

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Inspiration

Exquisitely ethical flowers by Julie B

We're delighted to welcome Flowers by Julie B to our Green Wedding Directory!

Julie Ballard, who once worked at world renowned Jane Packer flowers in London, does everything she can to be an eco friendly florist, sourcing locally grown flowers when they are in season and using natural packaging and recycled materials. But this doesn't mean that her floral work is compromised in any way. In fact we think that her work is enhanced by her attention to the seasons and to every last detail that goes into creating gorgeous wedding flowers for her clients.

We're hoping that Julie will soon be sending us updates on the seasonal flowers that she is using in her work and think this will be a great resource for those brides who've decided to have a bash at doing their own wedding flowers.

So watch this space!

For more information about Julie's work go to her website Flowers by Julie B or to find out more about booking her to do your own wedding flowers contact Julie by email julie@flowersbyjulieb.co.uk or phone 01306 868186

Posted in Green Wedding Flowers , Inspiration

Turn heads with a statement ring

One of the biggest fashion trends this season is Statement Jewellery. Statement rings are all about standing out from the crowd and exhibiting your glamorous side.

Nothing makes more of an impact than one of these bold and sumptuous Statement Rings from CRED. These rings are in every sense the epitome of glamour and elegance; each crafted in stunning 18ct Fair Trade Oro Verde Gold and Platinum, set with ethically-sourced precious gemstones and diamonds.

So go ahead, make a real statement by indulging in a breathtakingly beautiful and timeless ring from CRED.

Find out more information and prices by going to CRED's website www.credjewellery.com, or visiting their Boutique in Chichester or their new London Studio.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Jewellery

Amazing success story!

When World Inspired Tents wrote to us with an update on the company's second amazing year of trading, we couldn't help but feel proud to have been involved in their incredible success. Ed Wright, the MD told us:

"Having been in your wedding directory for two years, I can confirm that Green Union consistently provides the greatest volume of web traffic and the highest quality of leads to our business, over and above all other wedding directories".

Ed went on to tell me a little more about the business and where the teepees have taken him over the last year:

"We've had an amazing year and despite being only our second full year in business, World Inspired Tents has grown significantly. We've successfully completed jobs all over the South of England and Wales from Glastonbury to The Gower and from the western tip of Cornwall to East Grinstead (we did ask him if he was offsetting his travel!). Every one of our weddings has been a 100% successful and people just adore the tipis! Compared to traditional white marquees and tents, they are still very rare so we have the advantage of offering something that is all but unique. The letters of thanks we've had from our couples have been amazing.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Marquees & Tents , Venues