Your bridesmaids have been there for you before your wedding and will be a part of your life long after. And on the day of your wedding, they plan to Dance Fever it up during your party.

Thank them for all their support during the planning process with a gift to help them to relax post-party. Consider giving them cozy flats (that just happen to be vegan and eco-friendly) to keep dancing in long after the heels have been discarded tableside, organic lavender to scent their pillows, a sleep mask (in eco-friendly fabric, of course), or biodegradable and organic home spa treats so they can pamper themselves whenever they please!

image credits clockwise from upper left:

Doodlebugs sleep mask

The Generation flats

Flying Bird Botanicals’ Sweet Dreams Tea

SpaGoddess Zen Relaxation bath salts

Garden of Holly Lavender and Chamomile linen mist

Kiehl’s Biodegradable body cleanser

Is it possible to get a gently used wedding dress by Vera Wang for just $500? It is this week on Recycled Bride! Our dress of the week is a gorgeous, vintage-style Vera from the Spring 2008 collection. Originally valued at more than $4,000, this seller bought it as a sample and is now ready to part with it for just $500.

I just love the beaded neckline detail, paired with the delicate chiffon inlay at the bust. So chic!

This dress was just listed and is sure to sell fast, so click one of the images above to get more details and contact the seller now!

Although I’m partial to jewelry (naturally), it is certainly not the only fab gift you can give to your favorite girls. Going green means minimizing “stuff”…it means buying higher quality so you need less of it. And it  also means celebrating the experience of life, not just the “things” that come with it.

That’s why a fitting gift for your ladies is also a practical one. Since your girls are likely planning to get pampered and dolled up for your big day, why not cover the cost of one of their salon services? Instead of dropping $50-300 on bridesmaid jewelry, engraved jewelry boxes or other traditional gifts, treat them to a pedicure, manicure or massage a few days before the wedding.

You can even make it a girls night out and have the entire bridal party there to enjoy one last hurrah before you walk down the aisle, like one of my good friends in Tennessee is doing. It’s the perfect excuse to be with your ladies and is a really practical gift they can appreciate! It will save them the cost of a service they’d likely have done anyway and will also be a fond memory they will carry with them.

ECO TIP: If possible, try to find an eco salon near you that practices natural beauty using non-toxic, organic herbs, essential oils and elements that received a low rating on the Skin Deep Database.  Not only is this healthier and greener, it will prevent any of your special ladies from having an unwelcome breakout from toxic exposure right before your big day.

Guest blogger, Katherine DalPra of Green Diva eco bridal jewelry

You’re committed to making eco-friendly choices on your wedding day and beyond.
While we all wish we could make a huge difference every day, it’s the little things that add up! From using a refillable water bottle to the items you select for your kitchen, your decisions have impact.

Although it would be great to buy all your dishware from a vintage shop and choose other items from locally-owned green manufacturers and businesses, it can also be a little unrealistic.

Thanks to all our collective clamoring for eco-friendly options, companies such as Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, West Elm, CB2 and Sur La Table have taken note, offering stylish, sustainable home items to choose from (and register for).

image credits clockwise left to right (center image last)

Vintage wood serving bowls

Organic Bamboo serving utensils

Recycled glass ice bucket

Eco composter

Organic bath towels

Sustainable bamboo salad bowl

Eco friendly bamboo cutting boards

Recycled handblown glass pitcher

Organic bed linens

A few years ago, I got the real deal cowboy boots and have fallen in love with them.  I don’t think there is a sundress they do not compliment, especially as we are heading into fall.  What sealed the deal on my wedding dress was that my boots would go perfectly with them.  Since I am getting married in Montana, I need at least a few pictures in my dress with my boots on!

I also like the look of the wedding party wearing cowboy boots.

The great thing about them is, they look better when everyone’s don’t match and they are worn in.

~Brianne & Jed

(Engaged Weekly Bloggers)

It was so hard to choose a Dress of the Week from the over 150 gently used wedding dresses that were posted on Recycled Bride last week! There are so many great new deals on dresses for all sizes and budgets. But our hearts were captured by this super-luxe gently used Vera Wang wedding dress that’s got beauty and style for miles.

This size 6 Vera Wang Luxe Collection dress was originally priced at $12,900, and is being sold for more than 50% off at $6,000. The seller is even including the beautiful matching ivory rose and feather hair piece pictured above. Do you love this dress as much as we do? See the details here >>

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Far from choosing style over substance, being an eco-friendly bride means you get extra gold stars for making conscious choices, and looking fabulous with each step down the aisle. For brides-to-be who are not afraid to make bold style choices, going green on your wedding day is a piece of cake!

Start with a vintage Oscar de la Renta gown (yes, you read right!) or a wedding gown created with sustainable fabrics, then find adornments that suit your style. Go with a pair of dazzling vintage statement earrings, choose a killer upcycled necklace, slip on handmade fingerless gloves, or do all of the above and you’ll make an eco-fabulous statement!

image credits clockwise from upper left: Elizabeth St. John, Oscar de la Renta, Elva Fields, Oh Faro, A Brides Eye View

We are so excited for the Fall issue – we had to share this very cute sneak peek of our team from the cover shoot!  We worked with the talented Jennifer Domenick again for photography, along with our style editor Robin Fisher.  Giselle and Jeff were on the scene again to make Emily (our beautiful cover girl) look amazing!  Stay tuned for our fall issue – it is sure to knock you off your feet!

One of the most favored flowers in the plant kingdom for its simplistic beauty, since ancient times is the daisy.  The daisy is believed to be the ultimate symbol for dependable love and innocence.  Which makes it the perfect anchor for your green wedding.  Get inspired by all the eco-friendly ways to incorporate daisies into your special day:

from left to right, top to bottom:

Invitesite’s “Sol” wedding invitations

Elegance & Simplicity, Inc. floral design

Dream Green Wedding’s Honeypot Luminaries

OnceWed’s Caroline Herrera Polka Dot Daisy Dress

Green Diva’s Vintage Daisy Chain Necklace

Recycled Bride’s Damask Ring Pillow

Guest writer, Katherine DalPra of Green Diva eco bridal jewelry

We don’t mean food dye, either! Eco-friendly cakes are just as decadent and delicious as conventional cakes.  They’re just more earth (and conscience) friendly!

It goes without saying that to reduce your cake’s carbon footprint, choosing a local baker is key, but don’t forget the ingredients! Choose an organic cake, and ask your baker to use locally farmed organic ingredients where possible.

Your tiers of deliciousness will be made from chemical and hormone free components, making it green and good for you.

image credits clockwise from upper left:

Sarah Magid

Hippie Chick Bakery

Edith Meyer

Erica O’Brien

Cakes By Design