Let's Hear It For The Bride: Guam Based Lifestyle Blogger

I'm so excited to write about this previous client, Abby Himes.  One of the best parts of my job is creating friendships with my couples and then staying in touch after the wedding.  I've actually know Abby since high school and she hired me to help plan her stateside wedding while she was living in Guam with her Navy husband Chris after they were married in a 2009 civil ceremony.  Their vow renewal/ "family & friends" wedding was held on October 3, 2010 and she has contributed to some guest posts (here and here) on her experience.  While moving half the way across the world might seem impossible to some people, Abby has taken on the challenge head on and has inspired me along the way.

Abby started a blog to log all of her adventures when she first moved to Guam after Chris' initial deployment in May 2009.  Just in the past few months she has moved/ updated to a new blog, Seaweed & Sassafras.  I subscribe to S&S on my Google Reader and it has become one of my favorite lifestyle blogs!  It is a fun and info packed blog with great posts on shopping, healthy recipes, travel and eco friendly issues close to Abby's heart.  I have to admit that posting is a huge task to keep up with and Abby's posts always make me want to make time right then & there to work on the FCW blog.  This post showcases her love of running (she ran a half marathon last year!) and has great ideas for gear including a super useful water bottle that I'm pretty in love with.  Oh and she posted this week that she is offering a Cuisinart Giveaway, you know, just because she is awesome.

And in case you needed more evidence of awesome, Abby is featured in Fitness Magazine's 12 Healthy Success Stories!  While she has always been fit, in the article Abby discusses how moving to Guam inspired her to try different fitness activities outside her comfort zone.  She went from the elliptical machine to zip lining, hiking and running lots of races like that half marathon.  Trying new fitness activities sure beats a treadmill slump!  Be sure to check her blog out and I know you won't be disappointed. 

A Paperless Eco-Wedding Mag, Duh!

I'm always on the lookout for new ideas to pass along to FCW clients.  Specifically, I have been paying a lot of attention to the "green" movement & finding resources that dive into wedding specific ideas that go beyond the typical "reduse, reuse, recycle" mantra.  The genuises behind the Eco-Beautiful Weddings have come up with a widely accessible and waste free way to spread the green word!  They have a daily blog and 4 seasonal issues per year with a few 10 page 'mini mag' issues thrown in for good measure.  The latest issue is for Summer 2011 which features a green guide to Chicago on page 30, a kids section on page 54 and a green giveaway on page 103 just to name a few topics.  The issues are fairly new to the site and date back to Winter 2010 but because there are all online, you can access back issues anytime!

For example, I looked into the Winter 2011 issue and found an eco-friendly guide to serving fish at your wedding on page 106. If you want DIY instructions for a French Provence decor, turn to page 48.  Tips on how to make your rehearsal dinner "green", turn to page 69.  And for real couples wedding inspiration, check out page 72.  I must point out that you can purchase this in print edition, my favorite part about this "e-magazine" idea is that couples can easily keep track of and send ideas to their wedding party, family and most importantly, their wedding planner.  Take it from a girl who has stacks and stacks of wedding magazines in her office as we speak- it can feel like a waste when there are only a few great ideas that jump out at you from 200 pages.  Most of us are online most of the day anyway, so be sure to check out the blog & e-magazines for some great green inspiration.  Enjoy!

Spring 2011 mini mag

Fall 2010

Summer 2011

Eco Friendly Finds

Back in September I blogged about "green" being the new black and gave a few ideas on how to make your wedding more eco friendly.  Well I keep seeing posts and articles with new tips lately so I wanted to post again.  The idea of being "green" is pretty well known; reduce, recycle, and reuse to make a smaller negative impact on the environment.  But mixing eco friendly with weddings can be daunting.  The more research I do, the more I realize that there really isn't an area of a wedding that can't become "green" in some way.  Make a list of what aspects you want to be green in your wedding and make sure you are clear with your vendors on your expectations.  Most vendors have a few eco friendly options and there are some eco friendly only vendors too.  PapelVivo offers stationary using recycled post consumer fiber and they offer DIY kits!  I also found a post featuring eco friendly wedding rings.  And who can resist this post of an eco friendly wedding inspiration shoot including "green" dresses, decor, invites, and flowers!  Speaking of dresses, Terra Amore is another bridal designer with an eco friendly line.

Looking to spread the green love to your guests but not sure about giving them seeds, a plant or a tree?  Offer eco friendly favors, such as myEARTH360's water bottle, tote bags or bamboo coasters.  Or are you going to be a guest at an eco wedding?  A great gift would be produce bags or salad servers in addition to other home items from the couple's registry.  I even found a post featuring a CA photographer offering a 6 hour wedding package to a green wedding!  So, keep looking out for eco wedding finds and I will do my best to keep you updated.  Enjoy! 

 PapelVivo stationary. Source

Balsa Wood Flowers. Source

Green is the New Black

So we all know that "going green" is the new trend.  I hesitate to call it a trend because even though I have a lot to learn still about being eco-friendly, I do hope this movement is not going anywhere.  I applaud couples who make green choices concerning their wedding, mostly since I am way too practical to pay for a lot of stuff that will be thrown away after the wedding.  Also, as a planner it is my responsibility to be up to date on everything in the wedding industry and to be able to meet all my clients' needs.  My first 'green couple' really sparked my interest in the movement and after a ton of research, I found that going green with your wedding details is not even noticeable to the average guest if you don't want it to be.  There are so many options and companies focusing on solely green products available to today's couples.  Just a few wonderful finds; stationary on seeded paper so it can be planted after the wedding and dresses that are so light, airy, and beautiful that you would NEVER know were made of hemp.

So now I am always on the lookout for new green ideas & resources.  I was super excited to find the Green Bride Guide, an online planning resource for all things eco-wedding related.  Tools are separated into categories; learn, plan, shop, listen and share.  Planning help includes a carbon-calculator and information on planning a green honeymoon. A bonus is also their online store offers free carbon-neutral shipping with every purchase!

So if you are interested in learning about ways to make your big day more "green" or are looking for some amazing eco-friendly inspiration, this is definitely a must-see website.  Enjoy!

Photo Credit, Clockwise from Top Left: Sweet and Saucy Shop, Studio Mathewes, Rebecca Wilkowski Photography, Real Green Wedding: That's Amore! Green Wedding in Italy