Flair

Every girl needs a little flair on her wedding day – even while wearing the most marvelous gown ever.

There’s no need to stay within the lines…if there ever was a moment to get dramatic, it’s your wedding day. Which is why we’re such fascinator fanciers! Whether feathered, bedazzled, beribboned or bowed, these hair ornaments can suit almost anyone’s style. Plus, since fascinators are pieces of pure, concentrated fabulousness, you can go large, small, or anything in between.

Many are made with repurposed or vintage jewelry, can be worn after the day you say “I do,” and make great heirlooms, which in our book makes them fascinating-ly green!

Top large image:

 Bridal Styles Boutique (photography – Ahmet Ze)

Bottom large image:

via Style Me Pretty (photography - Nichols Photo)

Smaller images by row, left to right:

via Style Me Pretty (photography - Elizabeth Messina), Myra Kim

Vivien Sheriff, Nordstrom

Twigs and Honey,  via Style Me Pretty (photography - Aaron Delesie)

Reny Kestel,  Beth Morgan

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Carnival Style Inspiration

Strolling the boardwalk stirs up memories of whole days spent at play, carousels and tasty treats. That carnival of whimsy, color, and decadent food is marvelous inspiration for a wedding! Set the scene with bright hues, fun flavors, and sweet sassy (eco fabulous) style.

image credits, clockwise from upper left:

A Paper Proposal

Irene Suchocki

Style Me Pretty

Style Me Pretty

Premiere Couture

Shoes.com

Style Me Pretty

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5 Ways to Use Heirloom Baubles in Your Bridal Accessories

I’m not going to lie, I am absolutely smitten with vintage brooches. They are a staple in my jewelry line and I’ve used them to craft other custom accessories for my brides as well. I adore the character and intricacy they add to any outfit or accessory and love the fact that I’m reducing consumption when I use them. Plus, it’s simply intriguing to think of the unknown history that comes with them…you just never know the untold story that lives in the spirit of an antique bauble, such as this.

Now that vintage-inspired weddings are all the rage, vintage brooches have become the ideal accent piece to glam up your bridal attire. If you are the proud owner of a special brooch handed down to you by mom or grandma, I’ve got a few ideas up my sleeve to help get your creative juices flowing on how to integrate it into your wedding day look. Or, if you’re not the crafty type…or afraid of what might happen if we put a glue gun in your hands…feel free to contact a designer you trust to take on the job for you. Once you have the idea, the rest is just logistics.

1. Feathered Hairpieces: Small, lightweight brooches and intricate crystal buttons can become the perfect focal point in a feathered bridal hairpiece, if done right. It’s a little tricky…especially if you’re not the best with patterns, planning, messy feathers and glue guns…so you might want to leave this to the experts. Still, if you can work with a designer, the end result is amazing! I just recently created a gorgeous custom feathered hair piece for one of my brides and polished it off with a stunning rhinestone brooch given to her by her late grandmother. It was by far one of the most beautiful hair pieces I’ve ever seen and, in my opinion, it was the brooch that made it all come together!

2. Clutches: If you’re looking for an easy way to glam up your clutch for the night, then shiny, sparkly buttons and brooches may be just the answer. If you’re using a soft, flexible clutch that is fabric-based, you can easily pin or sew onto your purse your favorite antique bauble and add an extra touch of personality to your handbag. Again, if you’re not the diy type, there are plenty of talented designers who would love to take on a custom project like this one!

3. Bridal Jewelry: Design your bridal jewelry around your vintage brooch. Whether it’s a bracelet or necklace, antique brooches make the most fabulous pendants and will give you that instant WOW look in your accessories. Trust me, with the right brooch, your bridal jewelry will not be overlooked. Here are a few limited edition designs in our current vintage collection to give you some ideas for how you can incorporate your brooch into the design.

4. Need a ring pillow? Select a collection of antique buttons which are somewhat similar in style and reflect the design of your wedding. Design a custom mini-pillow using reclaimed fabrics (which can also be an heirloom) and create a pin cushion pattern using your special buttons. Each indent throughout your pattern will feature a different sentimental button of your choosing and be a symbol of your personal history as well as your future.

5. Shoe Clips: Have a small pair of matching rhinestone clip-on earrings? If you’re sitting on a gorgeous set of brooch-like pave vintage clip-ons and aren’t sure what to do with them, just think below the ankle! Convert them into your own custom stiletto jewels by clipping them onto the front of your heels. This simple trick will turn a plain set of pumps from drab to glam in no time.

Guest Blogger, Katherine DalPra of Green Diva  vintage wedding jewelry

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DIY Birdcage Veil – Glamorous, Gothic & Totally Eco

DIY is all the rage in weddings and, although its most often seen in decor and invites, it can be a fantastic adventure in personalized fashion too!

These photos were taken for a bridal glamour shoot by the creative Jen Shannon Photography team.  All of the items that are on the veil, minus the faux feathers, were re-purposed.  The veil was a pre-owned large bird cage veil that was cut down to a smaller size.  Even the clip-on flower was taken from an old dress and attached to the veil to create a Glam-Goth wedding veil to match the bride’s  edgy gown.  This is custom eco design at it’s finest!!!

Where do you score pre-loved chic embellishments and findings like these?  Try your local second hand store, grandmother’s dusty closet and online resale shops, like Ebay.  You’ll be amazed how easy it is to sew, hot glue and pin together a custom veil or hairpiece that’s the perfect match to your personality.

Guest Blogger, Kathy DalPra of Green Diva eco bridal jewelry

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Eco Bridal Jewelry Shopping Spree – Win $250!!!

It’s the most fabulous contest Green Diva has run yet and brides-to-be don’t want to miss it!!!  Win $250 worth of luxury eco bridal jewelry just by sharing your feedback with Green Diva.  Green Diva Bridal is the first eco jewelery boutique that’s just for brides and formal events, which means there is still a lot to learn about what brides want in eco-conscious jewelry.  Your input is all it takes to qualify for this giveaway.

Here’s how it works:

1. Enter the contest by answering 5 super quick and easy questions
2.  The best suggestion or idea for how Green Diva can better serve it’s brides wins!
3.  The winner is announced on April 1st at Glam Green Weddings blog

—  Enter now to win  —

1st PLACE PRIZE:  A $250 shopping spree toward Green Diva eco bridal jewelry

2nd PLACE PRIZE:  The runner up will win a prize too!  See the contest page for more details.

What makes Green Diva environmentally and socially responsible?

- Fair Trade gems and pearls

- Recycled silver and gold

- Vintage materials

- Handcrafted in the US

Green Diva traces its materials back to the source whenever possible and ensures that harvesting, mining, cutting and polishing all take place under Fair Trade and eco-conscious terms.  In fact, you can even see just how far back every single component in their jewelry can be traced just by viewing the Eco Key.  Plus, all packaging and marketing materials are recycled, sustainable or upcycled; like their Wedding Dress Pouch™ handmade in Michigan using old, unwanted wedding gowns.

Green Diva plants one tree for every piece of jewelry sold and donates at least 1% of all sales to environmental projects through 1% For The Planet.  Green Diva is a contributing member of the Madison Dialogue, a small group of jewelry insiders working to establish Fair Trade standards for jewelry manufacturing and is one of only 50 jewelers that has signed the “No Dirty Gold” pledge.

Guest Blogger, Kathy DalPra of Green Diva eco bridal jewelry

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