I’m always on the lookout for chic and original wedding favors. Some wedding favors are stylish and thoughtful yet others seem cheap and disposable.  Eco-conscious on-line retailer FavorCreative offers a great selection of lovely green wedding favors and earth friendly packaging that will make your guests feel special.  Check out some of their offerings below.

Looking for a “fresh” idea in eco-friendly favors? These mint herb plants come in a 100% recycled favor box – inside the box is a 2″ peat pot which can be planted directly in the ground or in a house plant pot, a peat pellet, instructions for planting, and mint herb seeds. Dress up the simple cardboard box with any of CreativeFavor’s eco-friendly (and adorable) adhesive wrap around labels.

The sweet, clean smell of soap always makes me happy, and I bet it will make your guests happy too. These handmade soaps are created using natural ingredients including dried herbs, natural oxides and ultramarines, pure essential oils and fragrances. They are a practical and unique favor your guests will surely appreciate. They come in a variety of scents including, Eucalyptus & Mint, Lavender Oatmeal, Cucumber Melon and Gardener’s Bar. I love the “tub teas” (right). This cute little pillow box contains a special blend of dried milk, oatmeal, essential oils and fragrance. 

Give your guests the gift of relaxation with these tea favors. Planning a Fall wedding? Try the Fall Spice tea, packaged in an eco-friendly reusable glass jar. Favor includes tea, jar, ribbon and cinnamon stick (simple assembly required). Add a personalized wraparound label for the finishing touch. FavorCreative offers a fabulous selection of favor labels, gift tags, as well as place cards, thank you cards and more. Visit their website and you’re sure to find the perfect earth-friendly favors (and more) for your special day.

photo credit: partylights.com

Envision a backyard wedding reception aglow with gentle candlelight. Paper lanterns and string lights provide a special ambiance and magical appeal. This week we’ve discovered some innovative and eco-friendly products that are both cost effective and convenient, and will add miles of style to your wedding decor.

You’ll love these solar powered Soji Lanterns from Allsopgarden.com. These accordian open lanterns are constructed of fade and weather resistant nylon and are powered by two LED cells. Place them in the sunlight by day to charge, and enjoy a subtle yet beautiful glow by night!

Here are two more offerings from Soji Lanterns. Hang these from trees or place on shepherd’s hooks for maximum effect. The solar power prevents the need for unsightly power cords and the hassle of using extension cords for placement.

Want another fabulous eco-chic decor idea for your wedding? Check out these Soji Aurora Glow string lights. Illuminate your outdoor wedding or reception with beautiful and festive solar powered, hand-blown glass string lights. Six lights crafted from colored and clear hand-blown glass and luminescent details adorn a clear wire and come complete with six high powered LED lights and copper hanging hooks. Aurora Glow string lights are powered by the sun, with a solar panel located nearly 15 feet away from the first glass globe. They are fun, whimsical, and striking all at once. The fact that they are eco-friendly makes them all the more beautiful, and makes you, the bride, all the more wise. Charming and functional at the same time, you’re sure to use these eco-friendly products again and again when entertaining as Mr. & Mrs.

I’m always impressed when celebrities use their status to make the world a better place. That’s why I’m happy to share with you the details of the beautiful (and green) wedding of Nikki Cascone – New York City restaurateur and contestant on the Bravo network reality show Top Chef.  Nikki married her longtime boyfriend and business partner, Brad Grossman June 27^th at Gracewood Mansion on New York’s Long Island.

After bearing witness to the wastefulness that elaborate weddings often create, the couple decided they wanted something different. Nikki’s bridal style is unique (check out her nontraditional choice for a wedding dress, above) and her thoughtfulness is evident in all the little details that made her celebration both eco-friendly and chic.  Read more below to learn how Nikki brought her green wedding to life and inspired others to do the same.

Invitations: Nikki and Brad chose to forgo traditional paper invitations and send out a stylish electronic version – saving both trees and money. Consider this environmentally friendly option for your wedding or rehearsal dinner. Websites like Pingg and Paperless Post offer sophisticated and stylish options for electronic invitations.

Bridal Party: Nikki and Brad chose to reduce the size of their bridesmaids and groomsmen to eliminate excess spending and waste.  For a truly effective way to conserve resources, you can consider reducing not only your wedding party, but your guest list as well. While this is often a challenge, remember that smaller, intimate weddings can often provide the bride and groom with more quality time to spend with close friends and family.

Flowers: Brad and Nikki chose floral arrangements created using local resources. Check out organic and seasonal options in your hometown by contacting local florists. If you have the time and the inclination, visit local farmers markets and recruit friends to help design and assemble DIY bouquets and centerpieces.

Food: Being a chef by trade, it was so important to Nikki that the food for her wedding be all the more special. With the help of her brother-in-law, who runs a local catering business, Nikki created a menu using organic produce from local farms. Organic wines and vodka were served as well as creative non-alcoholic drinks using fresh ingredients.

Favors: Eco-friendly wedding favors are always appreciated – and Nikki and Brad loved the idea of sustainable gifts. They incorporated seeded paper (guests can take the paper home to plant flowers) and small potted herb plants as a favors. Want to treat your guests to eco-friendly favors? Visit BeauCoup.com for a stylish assortment of green wedding favors.

The Dress: Nikki’s dress was a one-of-a-kind original created by her friend (and Project Runway star) Christian Siriano. The non-traditional design was made using organic materials. Following the wedding, Nikki will be auctioning off the dress and donating the profits to charity. She hopes the lucky girl who purchases her dress will, in turn, recycle or reuse it. Buying a pre-owned wedding dress is just another way brides can “reduce and reuse.”

Finally, check out Nikki’s awesome green wedding inspiration board (below, courtesy of thebride&bloom). Cheers to Nikki and Brad for practicing what they preach and planning a beautiful, eco-chic celebration of their love. Congratulations!

photo courtesy the bride&bloom

Photo credits (from top, left – right): Photo by Robert Sukrachand via greenweddingshoes.com; photo of Toms Shoes by Ryan Gladstone Photography; photo of herb pots by Miki Duisterhof via intimateweddings.com; photo of Gracewood from bride; photo of purple bouquet via weddingchicks.com by Boutwell Studio; flowers by Chestnut & Vine; photo of box with grass by Christine Gallagher; photo of wedding signs from misscookie via weddingbee.com; photo of tableware by Wendell Webber; photo of name card found on Etsy’s A Remark You Made; photo of bark conversation starters from green-wedding.net; photo of chair with flowers found on imgfav.com via stumbleupon; photo of boxed flowers found on prontohome.com

How would you rate your  “green IQ”?  Do you conserve electricity by turning the lights off each time you leave a room? Do you have a recycle bin in your kitchen? How about driving a hybrid car? Almost all of us try – in big and small ways – to do our part to make the earth a bit greener.

But consider this Washington state couple. Pete Geyer and Andrea Parrish raised the funds needed for their July 31^st wedding by collecting and recycling over 400,000 aluminum cans. Well, they actually collected just over 280,000 cans with the balance received in donations from United Recycling Services, Alcoa Aluminum, and citizens around the world.  All said and done, Pete and Andrea collected 5 tons of aluminum worth about $3,800!

At just under $4000, their wedding budget was modest, to say the least. But this environmentally conscious couple had a real interest in protecting our earth and in starting their new life together without the burden of paying off an expensive and elaborate wedding. So, by collecting cans and planning a backyard potluck reception with lots of DIY elements, they achieved their goal and are joyfully anticipating the day they say “I Do.”

Now that this creative couple has officially “crushed” their goal (40 days early, no less) you’d think they’d never want to see another aluminum can as long as they both shall live! Quite the contrary, Pete and Andrea continue to collect, and donations continue to pour in. Going forward, 40% of monies raised will help fund their (as yet unplanned) honeymoon. The remaining 60% will be divided between two of their favorite charities: Doctors Without Borders and the Rim Country Land Institute. Their story has inspired brides and others around the globe to discover how they can use funds from recycling to reach their own goals. You can share your comments with Andrea and Pete and learn more about their heartwarming story by visiting their website: Wedding Cans.

All photos courtesy of the Wedding Cans website.