Moss Wedding Decor Inspiration

Several of our previous clients have incorporated moss into their wedding design, and I absolutely love it! Something about the rustic, natural look of it makes me think of growing up in the South. Moss is really quite simple, yet incredibly versatile. I never get tired of seeing those moss covered initials either. Seriously. I love them! Since moss is fairly easy to work with (and readily available), it's also the perfect ingredient for the DIY bride too. 

Tip :: Artificial and preserved moss can typically be found in most craft stores, but if you are looking to order it for a large DIY project, contact your florist to see if they can order it at a discounted bulk rate.

Photo credit # 1 :: The Wedding Chicks

Photo credit # 2 :: Spotted Leopard Etsy Shop

Photo credit # 3 :: Spotted Leopard Etsy Shop

Photo credit # 4 :: Wedding Dress Blog

Photo credit # 5 :: Elizabeth Anne Designs 

Alternative Outdoor Seating :: Hay Bales

Hay bales are the perfect alternative seating arrangement for a rustic outdoor ceremony. You don't have to be getting married on a farm to pull it off either. Hay bales work great for backyard weddings, barn weddings, and even lakeside weddings...really any outdoor space will do.

Where to find? Finding hay bales is likely a lot easier than you would think. Check with local farms or horse stables as a 1st option. Often times, farms and stables will let you borrow the hay for a small nominal fee (sometimes free!), with the promise that you will return the hay bales post-wedding. If you don't live in an area with many farms or horse stables, you may want to check with a local landscaping company. Landscaping companies use hay when they spread grass seed, so it is very likely that they will have hay on hand. 

Accessorizing? Yes, accessorizing. You will need to find some way to cover the hay bales, because you certainly do not want your guests sitting on bare hay for a 30 minute ceremony. Umm...can you say "uncomfortable"?! Yeah...you get the idea. Accessorizing is fun! You can cover your hay bales with virtually anything...blankets, quilts, pillows, cushions...you name it! 

Allergies? It's important to keep in mind that some of your guests may be allergic to hay; therefore, having a few extra chairs on hand is recommended. Don't forget about your elderly guests who may also need a chair to sit on as well. 

Reuse? Hay bale seating isn't just for ceremonies. Don't forget about reception and/or lounge seating later on in the evening!

Photo credit :: Tec Petaja via C is for Charmed.

Etsy Find :: Natural Moss Wedding Ring Pillow

Perfect for an outdoor ceremony or eco-friendly bride!

More info can be found here. 

The Blumebox

If you haven't already heard of a Blumebox, you are missing out on this adorable creation! I first discovered the Blumebox in 2008 while I was planning my own wedding. My fabulous floral designer, April, owner of Mocha Rose Floral Designs introduced these to me as a way to transport my bouquets in the summer heat (we were married in July). My bridal party bouquets arrived in style to our hotel suite, and we soon discovered that they would make for a great photo op! 

The ideas are really endless for what you can do with these! Check back tomorrow for some great DIY ideas all centered around the Blumebox.

Ask your floral designer about ordering these for your own wedding, or check out their official website here.

Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine

If you're planning an eco-friendly wedding, then this is definitely a magazine you will want to check out! Eco-Beautiful Weddings is the first online magazine dedicated to eco-friendly weddings. The premier issue of the magazine was just launched on December 15th, and can be found here. I have to say that the magazine is truly fabulous, as I've spent quite some time browsing it! :)

In addition to their gorgeous magazine, they also have a daily blog that features real eco-friendly weddings, green wedding tips, free giveaways, and eco-friendly product spotlights.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Tip :: Electronic Invites

Our third tip in our weekly Green blogging series is to opt for electronic invites instead of paper invites. Now, I don't necessarily mean your actual wedding invitations (this is an option - more on that topic later though!), but if you think about it, there are lots of opportunities to 'Go Green' even before you walk down the aisle. Invites for engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, and even save-the-dates can all be done electronic!

One of the most popular electronic invitation companies is evite, which many of you are probably familiar with. evite offers bridal shower invites, bachelorette party invites, wedding/engagement invites, and a TON of other invites for a variety of gatherings. A few other companies you may also want to check out are: Pingg, OurWedVite.com, and MyPunchbowl.

I'm anxious to hear your feedback. What do you think? Would you send electronic invites for your pre-wedding celebrations?

Eco-Friendly Wedding Tip :: Purchase Edible Favors

Our second tip in our weekly Green blogging series is to purchase edible favors instead of the usual "trinket" favors {coasters, wine stoppers, candles, etc...}. Too often I see guests forget their favors at their tables, or worse, throw their favors away on the way out the door. For this reason alone, I prefer edible favors. Edible favors can range from personalized candy to chocolate covered pretzels to tea packets. Beau Coup has a nice selection of edible favors to choose from. These types of favors are also a great DIY project!

As an alternative to individual edible favors, I also like the idea of having a candy buffet {as seen pictured above}, ice cream bar, or even coffee bar. These types of "favors" are a nice gesture as they allow guests to choose from a variety of options.

I recently blogged about skipping favors altogether and donating to a charity instead {this may be my favorite option}. You can check out that blog here. Whichever type of favor you choose, remember to also think about the packaging that goes along with it. Even though guests will consume edible favors, they can't consume the packaging. Choose recycled packaging if you can, or choose items with minimal packaging.

Photo courtesy of Paul Meyer Photography.

New Blog Series :: Eco-Friendly Wedding Tips

It's no surprise that Green is "in". Infact, you would have to be living underneath a rock to not know that people are becoming more environmentally aware and are choosing products that are eco-friendly versus products that are not. Over the last few weeks I have been compiling a list of simple ways that brides can "Go Green" and make their weddings a bit more eco-friendly. This list inspired me to start a new blog series, Eco-Friendly Wedding Tips. Each week I will feature one of the items on my "Go Green" list.

Our first tip :: Ditch the inner envelope in your invitation suite! Not only is this cost-effective, but it also saves the environment. If you think about it, what purpose does the inner envelope really serve? Sure, it may make your invitation seem a bit more traditional and formal, but is anyone really going to judge if you omit the inner envelope?! Probably not.

If you have an eco-friendly wedding idea that you would to share with us, or have featured on our blog, comment below or email me at: sumer{at}simplyperfectwedding.net

Plantable Wedding Invitations

I recently stumbled upon Botanical Paperworks, an eco-friendly stationery company specializing in plantable paper products. I have to admit, when I first heard of a plantable wedding invitation, curiosity struck! In today's environment, many people (and companies) are trying especially hard to "Go Green" by choosing eco-friendly products. Botanical Paperworks offers a variety of plantable paper products, including wedding invitations, favors, greeting cards, and even calendars (and yes, you really can plant them)! To see how you can play a role in helping the environment one invitation at time, click here!

Photo courtesy of Botanical Paperworks.