Dropping everything to plan your wedding doesn't have to mean dropping your principles too. You've got your invitations printed with soy ink on recycled paper, you've got your locally grown food for the reception… But what about the dress?
More and more designers and bridal shops are offering options that are easy on the earth and easy on the eyes.
The most eco-friendly choice is a dress that doesn't have to be made at all. If you can wear your mother's or grandmother's wedding dress, you let Mother Earth keep a bit of her birthday suit - and we all get to skip the dyes, bleaches, and chemical fabric processing. If Mom or Grandma doesn't mind you cutting up the original, any dressmaker can help you alter your gown to suit your own taste - for a lot less than a new dress would cost. If you've just got to have that couture flare, check with small designers or wedding boutiques in your area - many ecologically conscious designers are willing to restyle an older wedding dress into modern couture, and some are even beginning to specialize in it.
You can find wedding dress sections at lots of vintage stores. Check resale stores for vintage silks too. Brides Against Breast Cancer and the Making Memories Foundation both resell wedding dresses and use the proceeds to help cancer patients.
If you've just got to have a new dress, you still have plenty of earth-friendly options.
Check the websites of designers and design houses to see if they are committed to working green. Check for "sustainable fabrics" and "fair trade" practices. Avoid bleached-white fabrics if you can - off-white wedding dresses are much more in fashion now anyway. Your bridesmaids can share in the fun too - the Glass Slipper Project donates dresses to high school students who can't afford formal dresses for proms.
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