Green Wedding Inspiration

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

Christmas candle inspiration

Guaranteed to give you a warm glow! Choose the most natural candles you can find for your Christmas winter wedding. All our candles are hand made in England using soy wax from sustainable sources, or beeswax from Gloucestershire.

Our soy wax candles have a lovely creamy texture and burn very cleanly, so they're better for your health and for the planet.

Our all natural beeswax candles are hand made by a beekeeper in Gloucestershire, England who uses wax from his own hives.

Don't just use them for your wedding, all our natural candles make perfect gifts and stocking fillers too.

You can buy these and other lovely natural candles in our eco chic boutique.

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

Create your own unique wedding experience

So many wedding venues these days only offer a bridal couple what suits the venue, rather than what you really want. So much so, that sometimes the venue will even insist that you conform to their ideas in order to make their job easier and charge you for the privilege. Some wedding venues even hold more than one wedding on the same day spitting out bridal parties like sausages!

So we're always looking for wedding venues willing to go that extra mile to help you create an extra special day totally tailored to your own dreams. One very special place we know is the Matara Centre and Kingscote Park, a beautiful and tranquil place to hold a unique wedding celebration.

After holding 100’s of weddings they have used their experience to put together and idea of the dream wedding that can be tailored to your own unique celebration.

And the people at Matara know that having the time to relax and enjoy is the secret to a wonderful wedding celebration. Savouring good food, rich conversations and fond memories in a very special place with close family and friends who have come together to celebrate your marriage is important. So with this in mind they offer you the sole use of the Matara Centre and Kingscote Park with accommodation for up to 24 guests for two whole days.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Venues

Crackling bonfire wedding theme

We love autumn and think the end of October and Bonfire Night are the perfect excuse to throw an alternative wedding. Not only do you have the chance of finding a really great off season deal on your wedding venue but it can also be the best excuse for a dress down wedding party. Forget formal and think more cosy wollies, snuggly boots and fireside tales.

A giant tipi in the garden warmed by a fire pit, candles and fur lined benches will keep guests piping warm for a feast of crackling locally sourced sausages, baked potatoes, zingy chilli and organic roasted squash. Scrumptious apple cake served with clotted cream will round off the warming feast. Keep it casual with eco friendly disposable picnic plates.

Dot the garden with cut out pumpkins glowing with tea lights and create richly coloured seasonal decorations of apples and colourful squashes piled high on organic table linen glowing with fragranced candles.

Serve grown ups with home made steaming mulled wine in porcelain mugs and let the children sip hot chocolate with marshmallows. Hand out cones of roasted chestnuts and cosy blankets as the evening draws to an end and the finale of chinese flying lanterns will have your guests sending wishes high into the sky.

Images courtesy of Martha Stewart

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations

The Designer Wedding Show

Once again, this weekend, the Designer Wedding Show will be taking place in Battersea Park, and they're promising an even better show than previous years.

First timers will be showing their collections alongside established bridal designers in the bridal catwalk shows taking place four times a day. This is the place to catch up on hot trends (like this one inspired by Nature) and spot talented new wedding providers and services, showcasing products which are often created right here in the UK by skilled designers and makers.

Only the cream of the crop is chosen from the fields of fashion, catering, millinery, stationery, venues, etc., all carefully chosen for their stylish wedding services and we're proud to say that several of our own partners will be there leading the way. Come along and talk to Berry Scrumptious for wedding favours, Maunsel House for a fabulous country venue and The Alternative Wedding List for ideas on charity gift lists.

So whatever stage you've reached in your wedding planning journey, whether you're newly engaged and looking for ideas, or need a bit of inspiration, its always and exciting and inspiring event to attend.

What: The Designer Wedding Show
Where: Battersea Park (courtesy bus operates from Sloane Square tube station)
When: Friday 9 October to Sunday 11 October 2009 from 10 am to 5 pm
Contact: www.designerweddingshow.co.uk or call 0871 230 5579.

Image courtesy of Elisabeth B. Photos of Clé Maraini.

Posted in Green Wedding Events , Inspiration

Dancing down the aisle ...

How cool is this, you just have to watch this video!

Not only will it brighten up your morning to see these everyday people celebrating with their hearts and souls, but it brings home the thought that love and marriage should always be good, happy and fun.

Don't hold back, take a leaf out of Jill and Kevin's book and make sure your wedding day truly reflects and celebrates you as a couple.

Enjoy!

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Natural Nuptials

Low Impact Wedding Series - Introduction

Foy Spicer, a florist in the US, and her husband Jeff Diesburg threw a low impact wedding in 2006 and they have generously agreed to share their experience with us over the next few weeks. Over to you Foy...

"It is actually possible to have an affordable, fun, green wedding. We consider ourselves lucky to have the wedding that we had, but I've noticed that a lot of people are having trouble comprehending how to have a green wedding on a budget of $5000, so I made sure to keep track of how we spent our money.

Sure, there were some things missing from our wedding - some were from personal preference (no meat at the brunch) and some were because of financial reasons. But, because we made sure to prioritize, those things that some people might say are "missing," were not really missed by us at all.

My parents gave us a gift of $5,000 and that's about what we spent. Which includes everything except for a lot of time and labor we and our lovely friends and family put in. If I did not list it, we probably did not have it.

Here's the cut and dry version of our wedding budget the total cost of which was $4515.00:

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Natural Nuptials

Because she's worth it

Did you forget it's mother's day this Sunday? Have you been snowed under with all that wedding planning, so focused on sounding your Mum out about all the things on your to-do list. Things like your wedding budget, meetings with your green wedding florist, finding the perfectly ethical wedding dress and eco friendly caterer. You've been wondering how to find the ideal wedding venue - countryside, coast, historical house or chic city. Maybe you're still not sure what eco wedding stationery to choose and want Mum to help you decide.

Perhaps you're only just starting out and you and your fiance are looking for a perfectly ethical engagement ring and wedding jewellery - planning to find them this weekend.

Well spare a little time for your Mum, she's worth it. If you didn't get round to ordering her a mother's day gift, then a little bunch of seasonal flowers will speak a million words. Get out tomorrow morning, take a walk around the garden and pick a few blooms or buy a little bunch at your local florist or farmers market, your Mum will be charmed!

And if you're just a little curious and want to know more about the ethics of buying a bouquet on Mother's day, there's an great article on the subject by Amy Stewart over at the Guardian.

Happy sunny spring weekend!

Image courtesy of Snapdragon Garden

Posted in Green Wedding Flowers , Inspiration

A venue decorator with a difference!

When Emma from Pebble in the Pond contacted me about joining GreenUnion I had to ask her why her wedding stylist and decoration service considered itself 'planet friendly'. Her response was very convincing:

'we love supporting local artists and those lucky enough to be blessed with green fingers. We much prefer to use natural or organic products to those shipped in from afar. We’re busy collecting beautiful crockery, linens and glass from bygone eras and it goes without saying, we make sure that anything that can be is recycled and replanted.'

Wherever possible they:

* support local suppliers and use local products
* use recycled/reclaimed/renewable materials
* choose organic or fairtrade products
* use eco-friendly laundering services
* contribute 5% of all profits to environmental charities (charity to change on a periodic basis)

On top of that they do all the boring stuff too:

* offset all our petrol miles
* print on recycled materials, and where possible use vegetable or soya inks
* use Co-operative business banking

Although all that sounds very worthy, they're not willing to compromise on elegance, style or inspiration when setting the scene for your perfect day.

So if you're throwing a green wedding in the Manchester area and you're looking for some inspiring wedding decorations or just prefer to have a venue decorator come and do it all for you then contact Pebble in the Pond for a chat.

By the way they also supply gorgeous green wedding favours too and will be launching their gift service soon. In the meantime contact info@pebble-in-the-pond.co.uk or call Emma on 07538 176829 for more information on their gifts and wedding favours.

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

Stuck for a Mother's Day Gift?

Mother's Day is this Sunday 22nd March and there's still time to get a gift for your mum or mother-in-law to show how much you appreciate them.

Find plenty of gorgeous gifts in our Eco Chic Boutique.

Don't forget how important your Mum and Mum-in-Law are on the run up to your gorgeous green wedding. Support, friendship, experience, maturity - all great assets to tap into when planning the big day.

If you're still thinking of that little gift, don't delay any longer, to get your gift there by the weekend you need to order soon!

Posted in Green Wedding Events , Gifts & Favours , Inspiration

Introducing Vicky & Ads

When Vicky contacted me about selling her soy wax vintage teacup candles in our eco chic wedding boutique, she told me of her plans for her own charitable dream wedding this year. Happily she's agreed to fill us in and keep us posted on the run up to her very stylish green wedding day.

Names: Vicky & Ads

Wedding date: 15th August 2009 (not long!)

Wedding venue and location: Treowen in Monmouthshire. A big old Jacobean manor house that can be hired for days or weeks at a time. We’ve hired it for 4 days so we can make a weekend of it as my Birthday is the following day. The house can accommodate 35 people and a sizeable group are camping in the grounds. The ceremony and reception are all taking place there and we’re responsible for organising everything from the food, booze, entertainments and décor.

How many guests are coming to your wedding and where from? 60 to the reception and a further 60 for the evening. Ads and I live in Bristol and my family live in Wales, however the majority of guests aren’t local. So whilst my family are not traveling far, his family live in Surrey so have a reasonable distance to travel and we’re encouraging them to travel in convoy in minibuses (move over Gavin and Stacey). Family and wedding party are staying in the house, and then the vast majority are camping out in the 300 odd acres.

Posted in Green Wedding Blogger Brides , Inspiration , Natural Nuptials

Got a brilliant Eco-Tip?

We're looking for one amazingly original eco tip to beat the 'credit crunch' which will be published on Allaboutyou.com, the online home of Good Housekeeping, Prima, SHE, Country Living, House Beautiful and Coast magazine 9th February.

If you have a fab tip you'd like us to consider then send it in to us info@greenunion.co.uk before 8th February.

The author of the tip chosen will receive a surprise gift from us.

Posted in Green Wedding Giveaways , Inspiration , Press

Christmas countdown competition

With Christmas being the new 'C' word we thought a bit of festive cheer is in order, so we have 24 surprise gifts from Green Union partners and GreenUnion Eco-Chic Boutique to give away.

For a chance to win one, all you have to do is give us your top tip for making green weddings a pure joy. It can be a money-saving idea, an eco tip, a stress-saving suggestion, a decorating idea or any unique thought. Simply tell us in no more than 60 words on the form below.

Then check out our online advent calendar each day in December till Christmas Eve where the most original ideas and winning entries will be revealed.

There'll be some handy tips from us too!

Enter now for some Christmas fun and help make everyone's green wedding a true celebration!

Posted in Green Wedding Giveaways , Inspiration

Make your own Christmas door wreath

We've been making our own Christmas door wreaths today, one for ourselves and the rest to give to friends as naturally gorgeous and seasonal Christmas gifts. We collected moss and greenery from the garden, twigs from the hedgerows, conkers, cones and bark from the woods and embellished the whole thing with dried hydrangeas, lichen and raffia.

It made me think that some of you enterprising brides may be wondering how to make one for your own big day. You can find detailed instructions of how to make a similar Christmas door wreath on Snapdragon Garden's blog.

Once you've worked out the fundamentals, then don't be afraid to experiment to your heart's content using all sorts of seeds, fruits, leaves, twigs and seasonal flowers. What you come up with will be a unique reflection of your own green wedding and it'll be a fabulous welcome to guests on your wedding day.

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Flowers , Inspiration

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all our American friends.
When I saw this image at create my event I thought it just sums it all up in a nutshell. Find lots of inspiration (and credits to the individual images) in this mood board, for your own Thanksgiving party or wedding.

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Events , Inspiration

I heart Christmas

Still not sure what to use for your Christmas wedding decorations? Here's an idea...

Lovely hearts from POSH Graffiti would make beautiful Christmas tree decorations or tie your guests names on with ribbons for place names and they double up as wedding favours. If you haven't got a tree to decorate and don't want to have ribbon everywhere then their brilliant POSH Graffiti® on sticks can be use for all sorts of ideas - stick them into containers with your table decorations, use them to decorate your cake or pop one into every guest's desert and it will double up as a wedding favour. The ideas are endless.

And using these decorations will make you feel good about the love you have to give because...

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Inspiration

Samhain or Hallowe'en?

Samhain (pronounced 'sow'inn'), at the end of October, marks the beginning of a whole new cycle for the Celts, where they believe that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of seeds below ground. For Christians, 31 October is Hallowe'en or All Hallow's Eve and 1 November is All Saints' Day. Many faiths mark this time of the year as one of significant change - Hindus celebrate Navarati and Muslims mark the end of Ramadan with Eid-Ul-Fitr.

The harvest has been gathered in, the animals sheltered for the winter and its a joyous time as families come together for warmth and to chase away the spirits with bonfires and feasts. What a wonderful time for a loving union of souls - a time of new beginnings, warmth, golden light, apples and nuts, loved ones are remembered.

Think gorgeous, glowing golds and reds, candle light, flares and bonfires for atmosphere. Roasted chestnuts, delicious squash soup, poached pears and baked apples, spices and mulled cider. Hot toasted sausages, baked potatoes and apple pie.

Do I need to go on...

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

Christmas inspiration

Don't get me started! Christmas time is a fabulous season to get wed - candles, firelight, cinnamon, cloves, mulled wine, warm cosy spaces and the smell of christmas trees... Here's a perfectly gorgeous idea for your Christmas wedding table settings...
The Little Green Tree company.

Established by Rowan Clark, a forest ranger who saw the benefit of offering a green gift idea for parties and celebrations. She loves to think that every little green tree she nurtures will make a difference and, as well as being a beautiful gift, could become the family Christmas tree in years to come. The company prides itself in being as environmentally friendly as they can with products being almost enitrely 100% recyclable.

Rowan's Little Green Wedding Favours are little Christmas tree saplings rustically wrapped in individual hessian sacks tied up with a tag which can be personalised. They will do a great job of doubling up as place settings for each guest too and come in clusters of 10. A gift idea that won't break the bank and will give everyone something to celebrate!

Posted in Green Wedding Gifts & Favours , Inspiration

Lovely Green Wedding Event

If you're up in Yorkshire next weekend make time to go along to the Lovely Green Wedding Event at Norristhorpe. There'll be heaps of fun and frolics, and of course a celebration of green and local wedding ideas.

Be warned! If you’re used to the usual wedding fair conveyor belt, go prepared for something refreshingly different. There's an action packed timetable. From hay rides, pints of Black Sheep beer, an eco-couture showcase, organic make-overs and a range of Yorkshire’s finest green wedding innovators, the day is all about proving your wedding can be green but with bags of style. Forget the Jesus sandals and lentils, they’re talking full on sophisticated fun and glamour!

When: Sunday 19 October from 1 pm 'till 4 pm
Where: Low Farm, Lodge Lane, Norristhorpe, Yorkshire, WF15 7LE
How: For directions see website.
How much? Tickets are £10 each or £15 for two which includes an organic fair trade afternoon tea served on vintage china. The day will be a non-profit making event with all the proceeds going to Radio Aire’s Cash for Kids Charity.

To make a ticket reservation please contact Olivia Brabbs on 07779345819 or Claire Ellis on 07778 653501 or e-mail hello@lovelygreenweddings.co.uk

Posted in Green Wedding Events , Inspiration , Wedding Planning

A Very Green Union

Next weekend GreenUnion's eco chic couple Sarah and Paul are joyously tying the knot. They’ve chosen Coombe Farm near Tiverton as their wedding venue, where they will have a spiritual woodland ceremony joined by family and friends. Coombe is an organic farm and woodland and the beautifully renovated 17th Century thatched Cider and Threshing Barn, with its fields and woods, offers a very special place to throw a green wedding.

The image, courtesy of Coombe Farm Woodlands is of the newly thatched barn which is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies - as close as you can get to having your wedding ceremony in the great outdoors...

We'll be posting Sarah and Paul's story here on the blog over the coming week, but here's a list of some of the people who are playing a huge part in their celebratons.

Venue - Coombe Farm Woodlands
Jewellery designer - April Doubleday
Tents, lighting & music - Over the Moon Tents & Events
Dress - Wendy Kauffman - email her at wkauffman@hotmail.com

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Venues

Wedding breakfast inspiration

Are you spending the weekend planning for your ethical wedding this time next year?

Here's a little seasonal foodie inspiration for your eco friendly wedding menu:

'Tis the season for asparagus, globe artichokes, broad beans, spinach, beetroot, radishes, broccoli, peas, horseradish, runner beans, fennel, Cornish earlies, spring onions, lettuce, stawberries and cream, gooseberries, cherries, rhubarb, elderflowers, spring lamb, wood pigeon, line-caught sea bass, lobster, halibut, john dory, herring, plaice, lemon sole, crab, line-caught mackerel, pollack and sardines.

If you're not sure how to find someone to source and dish up a delicious seasonal feast then look no further than our directory of Caterers, Food and Drink.

Tuck in and enjoy a feast of locally grown seasonal British food!

Posted in Green Wedding Caterers, Food & Drink , Inspiration

Beautiful Tents for Hire

We're really excited to welcome Hooes Yurts to GreenUnion to swell our growing number of fantastic mobile eco wedding venues country wide.

The tents are based on the Mongolian Yurt (or Ger) and are constructed from timber and canvas. They look gorgeous form the outside and, once inside, they feel solid, sumptuous and welcoming, creating a perfect space for a green wedding. Yurts are wonderfully versatile with no central poles or guy ropes to trip up the unsuspecting wedding guest and they can be used individually or linked together for bigger events. Hooes offer 24ft, 18ft and 14ft yurts that can be connected together to create different shaped venues for up to 200 people like this eco chic wedding palace pictured above.

And it doesn't stop there either. Not only do they supply you with the yurts, but their offer is second to none with a choice of other services. Amy is passionate about decorating the yurts with beautiful textiles and furniture and she personally selects all her furnishings with care and love from around the world. Often the pieces are vintage and they have always been purchased fairly. Each yurt has its own individual design and colour theme but all have a uniting style with sumptuous interiors which are exotic and vibrant.

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Inspiration , Marquees & Tents

Celebrate St. George's Day!

THE TRUE DRAGON

St George was out walking
He met a dragon on a hill,
It was wise and wonderful
Too glorious to kill

It slept amongst the wild thyme
Where the oxlips and violets grow
Its skin was a luminous fire
That made the English landscape glow

Its tears were England’s crystal rivers
Its breath the mist on England’s moors
Its larder was England’s orchards,
Its house was without doors

St George was in awe of it
It was a thing apart
He hid the sleeping dragon
Inside every English heart

So on this day let’s celebrate
England’s valleys full of light,
The green fire of the landscape
Lakes shivering with delight

Let’s celebrate St George’s Day,
The dragon in repose;
The brilliant lark ascending,
The yew, the oak, the rose

Brian Patten - via English Hertitage

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration

7 Green ways to personalise your wedding for Earth Day 22 April 2008

Here is our final suggestion in our series of seven green ways to personalise your eco chic wedding to celebrate Earth Day which is today!

MAKE IT SMALL
Keeping your wedding small will not only create an intimate and personal affair, but also means fewer resources will be used all round, so saving the planet and your purse.

Have a truly earth friendly wedding and just pitch up to the registry office with a bunch of friends then entertain them all to a delicious meal of locally produced food, a barbeque on the beach or a picnic in the woods, very personal and fun for all - no headaches about what to wear, how to get there, where to stay. Go one step further and get your guests to each bring a dish, your wedding breakfast and wedding gifts all in one!

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration

Seven green ways to personalise your wedding day - Day 6

EDIBLE FAVOURS
Will always be a hit, so give your guests a taste of the region. For instance make your own Devon clotted cream fudge and pack in little boxes with personalized labels. Or preserve your own jam in recycled jam jars with fruit from your family garden (or a pick your own farm nearby) and give everyone a little jar to take home. Buy local and regional tasty goodies like Scottish shortbread and repackage in recycled paper boxes to suit your own green wedding style.

The possibilities are endless so let your creative juices flow and produce a really personal and eco friendly thank you gift for all your wedding guests to take away. If you don't feel quite so creative you can find some charming ethical wedding gifts and favours here.

Posted in Green Wedding Gifts & Favours , Inspiration

Seven green ways to personalise your wedding day - Day 5

CREATE
Your own cocktail as a post-ceremony drink. With the tastiest fruits being grown here in the UK, there's no excuse not to find one that suits your eco friendly wedding day. Combined with fruit juices from the countryside you should be able to design a sublime cocktail of your own. Seek out locally produced drinks like ginger beer, elderflower bubbly, pressed organic apple juice, raspberry lemonade and pear juices.

And just to get you going here are a couple of delicious cocktail recipes from Luscombes Organic Drinks who make the best drinks in Devon using only the freshest ingredients and leaving out all the nasties:

Elderflower Spritzer
Pop some ice and 75ml of white wine in a glass and top up with Luscombe Wild Elderflower Bubbly. Deliciously divine!

Countryside
In a glass, muddle together 12 sprigs of mint, 2 lime wedges and 12.5ml Sirop de Gomme. Top with crushed ice and pour over 50ml of Hendricks Gin. Top it all up with Luscombe Apple & Elderflower juice and stir. Cool and crisp.

Posted in Green Wedding Caterers, Food & Drink , Inspiration

Seven green ways to personalise your wedding day - Day 4

Only a few days to go before the Spring Equinox and Earth Day on April 22nd, so we thought it an appropriate time to highlight seven green ways to personalise your wedding day. On day four we suggest you:

CELEBRATE
Your love for one another by choosing a personalised ceremony, in line with your own beliefs. This can mean heaps more to most couples than the 'standard' one conducted by the registrar. The ceremony could be as simple as standing amongst family and friends to proclaim your committment to one another. You could use symbolic elements from traditional ceremonies like the Handfasting, an old English marriage ceremony where your hands are symbolically tied together with ribbons. Or you could choose a ceremony from the country of your origin somewhere else in the world, combining your different backgrounds.

However you choose to conduct your eco wedding ceremony, whether it's in a beautiful wood, under a special tree, a spot on the beach, in your favourite room or even the place in the city that means the most to you, it will be meaningful and personal to you both.

Our directory of wedding venues has some fantastic places where you could choose to hold your earth friendly wedding ceremony. And they are all run by beautiful people too!

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Natural Nuptials

Seven green ways to personalise your wedding day - Day 3

The Spring Equinox and Earth Day on April 22nd are getting closer day by day, so we thought it an appropriate time to highlight seven green ways to personalise your wedding day. On day three we suggest you:

SAVE ON PAPER
Save on paper by setting up a personal green wedding website which has every single bit of information about the wedding - the venue, transport, timeline, menu, wedding list details, accommodation, things to do in the area, and how to get there. Ask your guests to RSVP by email.

Make it really personal and find a designer from our list of incredibly talented stationary designers here and commission one to create your own eco-chic wedding stationery design, then have it hand printed on recycled paper.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Stationery & Invitations

Seven green ways to personalise your wedding day - Day 2

Not long 'till the Spring Equinox and Earth Day on April 22nd, so we thought it an appropriate time to highlight seven green ways to personalise your wedding day. On day two we suggest you:

GO SEASONAL
As well as choosing seasonal food, which is a no brainer when you're planning an ethical wedding, seasonal flowers will give your decorations an 'of the moment' feel. Talk to your florist about what's available locally and seasonally, or ask someone to grow flowers for you. You'll end up with blooms that that are completely unusual and look absolutely stunning.

We often hear from couples planning a green wedding who are worried about the ethics of using cut flowers. You shouldn't be, flowers are a natural process in the lifecycle of a plant. Most cultivated plants are 'deadheaded' (where blooms are removed) in order to allow the plant to grow strong and encourage more blooms during its flowering season. Just make sure you arrange to have all your flowers composted once they're past their best. Recycling the material back into the soil will encourage more blooming marvelous displays season after season.

Wild flowers, on the other hand should never be picked. They must be left in their natural habitat to do what they do best.

Find out more about locally grown, seasonal, fairtrade and organic flowers from our experts.

Posted in Green Wedding Flowers , Inspiration

Seven green ways to personalise your wedding day - Day 1

With a week to go before the Spring Equinox and Earth Day on April 22nd we thought it an appropriate time to highlight seven green ways to personalise your wedding day. So here goes for day one:

GO LOCAL
And order hand made, bespoke wedding outfits. A unique gown or suit made by a local designer/dressmaker or tailor can make your outfits really personal. Admittedly it's a more expensive option than off-the-peg or hiring, but you will want to look really gorgeous and more importantly you can make sure it's something you will both want to wear again.

There will be a talented dress maker living close to you who can create a beautiful made-to-measure wedding gown tailored especially for you using organic and natural fabrics. Some may offer a couture collection to choose from, others will work to your own design. Find talented and affordable wedding dress designers and makers in our directory.

Posted in Green Wedding Dresses & Gowns , Inspiration

Handmade weddings

If you're stuck for ideas and looking for a source of inspiration, look no further than the Handmade Wedding Series just started over at Etsy. The folk there are partnering up with some super-talented guest bloggers and Etsy sellers to explore the world of weddings and bring you the best ideas and resources in handmade: everything from custom-designed dresses to decor that suites your style.

They're going to write about loads of useful stuff on how to bring handmade elements to your wedding, whether it’s by sharing ideas for making things or by highlighting some great handmade and vintage items on the site. So check them out from time to time, you'll be inspired!

Photo by julieincharge

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , News

5 easy ways to throw a greener celebration

Buy local.
Choosing local products and services will save your pocket and the planet!

Eat seasonal.
Locally grown and seasonal food is good for you and the earth.

Reduce flower miles.
Decorate with local grown, fairly traded flowers and plants.

Honeymoon at home.
Take advantage of your beautiful country, support local tourism.

Spread your love.
Register with a charity gift list or commission a local artisan.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration

Love is in the air

Well, Valentine's Day has finally arrived and I wonder if you decided how to mark the day? There can be no better way to do this than to give the love of your life a big hug and a kiss and tell them how much you love them. Later buy some fresh seasonal food and knock together the simplest and tastiest of meals to share with your love over a candlelit table for two with your favourite tracks in the background. There that was easy and didn't cost a penny - or no more than you would normally have spent on your evening meal. And if you want to make it really special plan a train ride into the countryside this weekend and take a walk in the glorious sunshine, see the spring flowers popping up everywhere and listen to the birdsong.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration

Today is Diwali

If you ever needed an excuse to have a wedding theme based on lights, then this is it. Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, the most popular of all the festivals from South Asia which is also celebrated by Jains and Sikhs.

Traditionally the festival celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance but The Times of India sums up the modern meaning of Diwali:

'Regardless of the mythological explanation one prefers, what the festival of lights really stands for today is a reaffirmation of hope, a renewed commitment to friendship and goodwill, and a religiously sanctioned celebration of the simple - and some not so simple - joys of life.' Times of India editorial

Could you think of a better package for a wedding celebration?

For a truly green wedding, seek out the little earthenware oil lamps called diyas and line the windowsills of your venue with them (after your big day you can recycle them or add them to the compost heap), soya candles and tealights are the next best thing or, if you can't use a naked flame then invest in strings of LED lights which burn only a miniscule amount of electricity. If there's a pond, lake or little stream at your venue, push floating candles out onto the water and make a wish.

Draw a Rangoli pattern on the floor at the entrance to your ceremony to welcome your new life and your guests to the wedding.

Here's a simple and easy idea for making your own decorative eco friendly safe candles for your wedding using recycled glassware and soya wax:

Posted in Green Wedding Decorations & Details , Inspiration

Blaze of glory

As the autumn season goes out in a blaze of glory, I wanted to celebrate this favorite time of the year by showing you this gorgeous leaf wreath made by Jane Lindsay at Snapdragon Garden. This could give you all sorts of ideas for a colour scheme if you're thinking of a autumn wedding or if you just love golds and reds. And check out how the blue of the bench can be used as a highlight to really emphasise the glowing shades of autumn.

Use dahlias, lillies, chrysanthemums and sunflowers. Throw in peppers, squashes, apples, seeds, conkers, chestnut cases or grapes for texture. Top it all off with glowing candles and you'll have the richest of decorations.

Posted in Green Wedding Flowers , Inspiration

Vintage inspiration

If you're in London over the weekend take time out to visit the Designer Wedding Show in Battersea Park, Friday through Sunday. It's here that all the top wedding suppliers strut their stuff. You'll find a lot of very expensive products and, I admit, some of rather dubious origin and not all eco friendly, but you will also find some absolute indie gems. Exceptional and exquisitely small, but perfectly formed businesses that believe in supplying you with the very best they can offer. These businesses are passionate about their ethics and go that extra mile to make eco chic.

A couple of our favourite partners will be there and Samantha Freeman of Idyllic Days will be showcasing her vintage chinaware to die for. If you're thinking of throwing an English country garden party, fete or afternoon tea style wedding day (a great concept for a green wedding), then go and check out her gorgeous mix and match vintage tableware and accessories. As well as hiring you the china, she can also help you style your whole day with cotton bunting and flowers too. The height of recycling chic.

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , News

Samhain or Hallowe'en?

Samhain (pronounced 'sow'inn'), at the end of October, marks the beginning of a whole new cycle for the Celts, where they believe that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of seeds below ground. For Christians, 31 October is Hallowe'en or All Hallow's Eve and 1 November is All Saints' Day. Many faiths mark this time of the year as one of significant change - Hindus celebrate Navarati and Muslims mark the end of Ramadan with Eid-Ul-Fitr.

The harvest has been gathered in, the animals sheltered for the winter and its a joyous time as families come together for warmth and to chase away the spirits with bonfires and feasts. What a wonderful time for a loving union of souls - a time of new beginnings, warmth, golden light, apples and nuts, loved ones are remembered.

For your late Autumn green wedding think gorgeous, glowing golds and reds, candle light, flares and bonfires for atmosphere. Roasted chestnuts, delicious squash soup, poached pears and baked apples, spices and mulled cider. Hot toasted sausages, baked potatoes and apple pie. Do I need to go on...

Posted in Green Wedding Inspiration , Seasonal Celebrations