From Shawn in San Diego:

With a little bit of effort and research the wedding of your dreams is possible on a budget. The key is to not give up and continue to look if you do not find something that fits within your pocket book. Be creative, check out the bridal magazines, see what they are doing and visit your local craft store to find ways to hand make the details. Most importantly, add eco-friendly touches where you can... being eco-friendly will never go out of bridal style!

Kate's Response: 

Shawn is absolutely right!  in fact, you can save up to 40% off the cost of your wedding by making simple green choices.  I recently wrote a short piece "Save $11,000+ by Going Green on Your Wedding Day."

I am also testing something new a just recorded a Yodio introducing myself and offering a few easy tips to save money and the environment.  Take a look!

Tara and Michael wrote:
If anyone is considering having an eco-wedding, the most important suggestion I have is hiring an eco-event planner. An eco-event planner is there to serve you, but they are also there to protect and serve the environment. On Green Lily’s Events website, they sum it up very well when they say: “We believe that making responsible choices in the early stages of event planning can minimize waste and create a lighter footprint. Our mission is to create unique, eco-chic events that balance style with sustainability.” My wedding would not have been the same with the help of Green Lily Events.

Kate's comments:
Hiring a green wedding planer can take a lot of the pressure off you and can also expose you to new ideas and resources. Contact the Association of Bridal Consultants and ask for green event planners in your area.

Tara Wrote:
Having an eco-wedding in Houston is interesting because it is a new concept in our city so skepticism is normal but there was quite a bit of support from our guests. Overall, the reaction from our guests was positive, but we did receive some laughs and jokes along the way. I attribute that to people being scared of change.

Kate's Comment:Read more...

Read more...

Read more...

Joann, a professional designer, who had her wedding on a vineyard in California last fall suggested using seasonal colors as a way to enhance decor (and save money).

"My theme colors were blood orange, dark red and brown. Because we got married in September, and we knew the vineyard was turning into those colors, we picked that combination to accent the surroundings. It's a good tip to consider if you dont have a specific color that you must have, and you dont want to spend/decorate too much on creating a whole new color palette against the existing environment."

Image from Jewelry by Cheryl