You can never go wrong with an environmentally conscious gift, especially if it’s eco-cute!

Bamboo Towel Set: Pamper yourself silly. These 100% bamboo towels are as soft as silk! Bamboo is an environmentally-friendly plant that requires an abstinence from pesticides to grow and it’s four times more absorbent than cotton.

Chase; The Suit Jacket Handbag: A fashionable clutch for the trendy lady. The Chase handbag is made entirely from recycled suit coats (inside and out) making each bag one-of-a-kind.

Everything Eco is an on-line business selling literally just what its company name states, anything you could want in an environmentally-friendly form. Check them out at www.everythingeco.ca.

Okay, so you want to keep your wedding enviro-friendly but you don’t want to sacrifice anything from your special day. Check out some of the great tips for keeping your wedding green without losing any of the exceptional qualities you want for your wedding day.

One of the biggest ways you can keep your wedding day on the green side is to consider travel in all aspects of your planning. Try choosing a bridal shop close to home or public transit, as you will probably have multiple visits for fittings. Choose vendors and services that are close to home and/or your chosen locations. If possible, have the ceremony and the reception in the same place to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This type of planning also makes it convenient for multiple trips during the planning phases and makes logistics on the day of the event much simpler.

When it comes to your favours the possibilities are endless. Try organic treats like chocolate or coffee, and forgo the extensive packaging which usually ends up in the garbage. Make your own jam (or buy some from local vendors) or provide a seedling for your guests to plant. Keep them simple.

Venues – so many choices! Does the venue offer non-disposable cutlery and linens? Will they be able to handle an organic menu? Can you serve local wine and beer? Try using items your family and friends have had at their weddings. Things like multiple tea light holders are simple, cute and don’t need to be matchy, lending an eclectic air to your reception décor. Use candles that are made from a natural source like beeswax. If you are using name-tags at your tables, use recycled paper and find a way to re-use them. Your guests can write you a note on the back of their name card, and then place it in a photo album or scrapbook after the wedding.

Taking small steps like these can keep your wedding green and save you money! It’s a fun way to put your beliefs into action.

So how can you still be ecologically conscious when choosing out your wedding gown or the formalwear for the groom? By doing a little bit of research and checking out some options!

When choosing your gown, why not say no to white? Get a dress in your best colour and truly dazzle with your unique flair. Most of those super-white wedding dresses get that way from a toxic chemical process. Opt for not-quite-white and get a wedding dress made from non-chemically treated, natural, earth-friendly fabric. Examples of these earth friendly fabrics are soy, hemp silk, organic silk, organic cotton, organic wool, tencel and bamboo.

Purchase your gown from a company that supports fair trade and try to buy locally. Some local design programs have students who would be able to make your wedding gown for you at a fraction of the cost – and you can be sure no one else will have the same dress as you.

Don’t buy any one-time use items. Get a cute pair of strappy shoes and dress them up with accessories. After the wedding you’ll have a nice pair of shoes to wear regularly. Bags, wraps and any other accessories for yourself and the wedding party should be able to be worn or used again.

For the groom, incorporate some linen into his outfit. He can wear a linen shirt or even an entire linen outfit. If you are renting tuxes, check into the company and look into their dry cleaning processes. Is it an environmentally friendly process? What about any chemicals they may use?

By asking questions and doing a little research you can greatly reduce your ecological footprint on your wedding day.