Indie Wedding Guide

Gabreial's Vintage & Indie Alternatives - Jewelry

When looking to minimize waste, recycle, re-use and shop independently for your wedding, it is easier than you think to achieve. Today's Vintage and Indie alternative comes from indie shop Black Star, where they provide chic jewelry handcrafted from vintage findings.

Thinking of something simple, but chic for your wedding day? These White Chocolate Rose Earrings  are just the thing. These are handcrafted from vintage Lucite carved rose beads and can be easily converted to clip-ons for comfort.

Pair those with this Snow at Night Necklace for a dynamic duo that can be re-worn any day of the year.

Black Star's jewelry shop is full of fabulous pieces like these and many more if you would like to add a splash of color to your wedding rather than the traditional white.

Gabreial
Vintage Indie

 

Winner Annoucement - Giveaway/Contest #1 - Tees for Change & Barefoot Bling

Thanks to Michelle R. from Riverside,CA who left this comment
I like the You Can Do It! lunch mail cards from Tees for Change.

Thanks again to  our Sponsors Tees for Change & Barefoot Bling!

(Want to donate to the Indie Wedding Guide Giveaways? Contact Us for more info)

A Toast to our Sponsor - cardgirl

Vintage Indie & Eco-Chic Weddings would like to send a "toast" to our indie sponsor Cardgirl . We are thrilled to have a wonderful custom & eco-chic invitation company with with us to celebrate Indie Weddings Month!

Set the tone with an eco-chic invitation. The cardgirl custom invitation studio designs eco-friendly invitations, programs, stationery, and any paper good desired to complete your vision.







They infuse your style into high quality materials and soy-based letterpress printing to express the individuality of your wedding day.

Eat Greener food with Emily of Eco-Chic Weddings

If you haven't checked out Etsy's Handmade Wedding Series today's a good day to start. Our very own Emily Anderson of Eco-Chic Weddings is there today with with her article on "Eat Greener Food".

Visit Emily Anderson author of Eco-Chic Weddings March 28-30 at Down:2:Earth Sustainable Living Expo

If you're in Boston, come visit Emily and Etsy for a celebration of Eco-Chic Weddings at the d2 earth event, a green lifestyle event.

• Etsy sellers will be showcasing their handmade designs

• Emily will be speaking on Saturday at 1pm

• A special raffle will take place with one lucky winner chosen to receive an eco-chic basket full of fun things.

 

Boston — Down:2:Earth (D2E), a sustainable living event for the eco-conscious consumer, will take place March 28-30 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston’s Back Bay. D2E is an exploration into the movement that seeks answers on how to tread more lightly on the earth. It is an exposition of companies who are responding to consumer wishes for products that combine sustainability with style and innovation as well as an education forum for learning about a greener lifestyle. D2E is making every effort to minimize the environmental impact of the event.

Education forum highlighted by:

• Keynote   speakers Bill McKibben and Frances Moore Lappé;
• Symposium   on “Sustainable Design” organized by Urban Arts Institute at Massachusetts   College of Art and the Goethe-Institut in conjunction with D2E; 
• Green   Jobs Youth Forum;
• And   an eco-chic fashion show, cooking demonstrations (in the Electrolux   Cooking Theater), community video forum, book signings, panel discussions,   and workshops on gardening, food, energy, eco-weddings, and home remodeling   will give New England designers, chefs, authors, businesses, educators   and artists an opportunity to share their knowledge and talents.

AT A GLANCE

 

WHAT:  Down:2:Earth Sustainable Living Expo

Can earthworms, wine, toothbrushes, and handbags really help save  the world?

Find out at Down:2:Earth, an exposition of the latest  environmentally responsible products and services, and an educational  forum exploring sustainable living.

 

WHEN:  Friday, March 28 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm

   Saturday, March 29 11:00 am – 7:00 pm

  Sunday, March 30 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

 

WHERE:  Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02115

 

HOW:  Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.d2eboston.com

Adults: $10.00 ($12.00 at the door)

Students & Seniors: $8.00 ($10 at the door);

Weekend Passes: $20.00

Zipcar members receive an extra $2 off.

Children 12 and under are free.

 

For more information visit www.d2eboston.com or call 617-266-6540.

 

“Live simply that others might simply live.” - Gandhi

Gabreial's Indie Alternatives - Recycled Gifts by CDChilds

Recycled wine bottles turned into delightful cheese boards make fabulous housewarming gifts for the bride and groom.

C.D. Childs the designer behind these delightful creations uses wine bottles in various colors, and copper wire perfect for hanging. Be sure to check out the Cobalt Blue (more rare of the colors) in their shop, and request a custom  special order.

- Gabreial
Vintage Indie

Giveaway/Contest #1 - Tees for Change & Barefoot Bling

Welcome to the 1st Giveaway! This giveaway is brought to you by Tees for Change and Barefoot Bling

1st Item from Tees for Change - Seek Balance Tee

2nd Item -  A Multisizer for selecting the perfect size toe ring and finger rings as well. Next, A Manicure and Pedicure Crystal Glass Nail File

To enter the giveaway/contest: You'll need to check out the sponsor sites (not the sponsor sites on right) Find something you Dig from their site and post a comment with their URL of the item you dig in the body of your comment.

The RULES:
You must be 18 or older to enter (void where prohibited)

You may enter once or a dozen times, but each entry must have one URL from one of the sponsor's sites from an item that you dig copied and pasted into the body of your comment. (The URL Space with your name is for your website or blog if you have one)

You have until Thursday the 27th until 11:59pmEST to enter.

Friday March 28th one winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email,so check those boxes for the winner announcements and this month's newsletter!

Thank you for visiting the Indie Wedding Guide!
Gabreial - Vintage Indie
Emily - Eco-Chic Weddings

Read more about today's contest sponsors, then go visit!
Tees for Change - Tees for Change, the Boulder-based eco-friendly t-shirt company, just launched its Spring/Summer 2008 women’s and men’s line in eco-boutiques, gift stores and yoga studios across the country and abroad.  The Tees For Change motto, “Sustainable Tees on a Mission,” speaks to the company’s commitment to eco-friendly and affordable fashion, as well as a model of positive action in the form of both the positive messages displayed on every shirt and the fact that the company plants a tree for every Tee For Change sold at retail value.

Barefoot Bling - The idea for Barefoot Bling came into being when, Amy, the company’s founder, literally stumbled into the world of toe rings. During a difficult time in her life, she was looking for a “little pick me up” and tried on her first toe ring. Well, it worked! She loved seeing the sparkling jewelry on her toes, and played with the styles as often as she changed toe nail polish. Others started asking her about her toe rings, and before long, Barefoot Bling was born. The motivation behind Barefoot Bling is to give everyone the chance to enjoy the indulgent feeling of adorning his or her own “toes that show!” Be happy to the tips of your toes!

(Want to donate to the Indie Wedding Guide Giveaways? Contact Us for more info)

Emily's Pick of the Day - Ashley Hilton

Ethical gold and sustainable jewelry are at the center of what's often referred to as "green washing." This is because the practice of mining gold and other precious metals and gemstones can rarely be done in a non-impactful fashion. Because of this, I most often recommend choosing vintage pieces. Ashley Hilton and his lovely work is an exception. Living in New Zealand, Ashley knows exactly where his materials come from--he can actually visit the mine near his home. And he is so serious about reducing his impact that he even learned how to fabricate his own metals. Not only are his designs ethical, they are also quite beautiful. And because each of his designs have not been mined or manufactured in a way that's destructive, his pieces have an intrinsic beauty that is truly rare.
- Emily
Eco-Chic Weddings

Gabreial's Vintage Alternatives - Making Choices

Accessories can sometimes play an important role in your wedding. Whether it's a piece of jewelry handed down from generation to generation or its a special handbag or clutch that holds wedding necessities and memories. You'll want to make sure it's a compliment to your dress and not just a last minute addition.

How about choosing something like this Vintage Beaded Rose Bridal Clutch.

 

There are so many already produced choices out there in vintage clutches. Like this Satin Opal Clutch, that you'll surely find something special and unique.

 

- Gabreial

Vintage Indie

 

A Bride's Tale for a Winter Eco-Friendly Wedding by Rachel Trigueiro

My husband and I love the winter so getting married any time other than January was out of the question. One of my favorite things about winter is the snow on evergreen trees and the naked deciduous trees with no leaves. There is something about sticks, twigs, and branches that I just love! So, using both evergreens and deciduous trees for decorating and some twiggy branches for centerpieces seemed quite appropriate. What was really special about using the branches and deciduous trees was that they came from fallen trees at my in-laws ranch. Not only was it eco-friendly to use fallen trees for the majority of our decorations, it was quite sentimental for my in-laws, my husband, and myself.

Since our wedding was in January we asked friends if they would save their Christmas trees until our wedding and kindly, several of our friends did just that. So, instead of having to cut down more evergreens, we re-used (recycled) Christmas trees (with NO lights and decorations, of course!). For our cake, we wanted a tree stump in place of a cake stand. So, my uncle was able to cut an 8 inch stump to perfection, also from a fallen tree.

DIY projects give the opportunity for friends and family to get involved HANDS-ON. I had several "wedding work days" for our wedding where I invited several bridesmaids and friends to help my mom and I tackle some projects. These days were so fun and filled with great memories! When it finally came time for the big day, a lot of people were just as excited as I was because they felt they had a huge part in making our wedding a reality. So remember, DIY projects are not only inexpensive, creative and unique; they offer the chance for friends and family to get involved and feel responsible for making your ideas and dreams come true.

Visit Rachel Trigueiro for Events & Creative Design Planning.