LAST CHANCE TO WIN FREE PHOTOGRAPHY

Its not to late to enter the "green wedding contest" for a full free photo package.

THE DEADLINE IS EXTENDED FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON TOMORROW (SUNDAY 2/15)

The winner will be emailed and announced on my blog by Sunday evening, so check back.

I have received some great entries so far, so I will share some of my favorite bits and pieces.


RINGS:
- My engagement ring is a vintage family setting with lab created sapphire and moissonite because my family ring was important to me, but we just couldn't wear something that was detrimental to the environment or humanity.

- In choosing an engagement ring, we were very concerned with finding a responsible vendor that would accommodate our concerns about the ecological and social consequences of mining. We were very glad to find one in Krikawa Designs -- they source their gems from a distributor that guarantees that certain standards for environmental protection and fair labor practices are met, are members of the Council for Responsible Jewelery Practices, and also subscribe to '1% for the Planet' which means a fraction of their profits goes to environmental organizations. They also provide the option of using 'recycled' metal purchased from other jewelers or refineries, and we will take advantage of this option to have a wedding band made for Michael. I am still deciding whether to have a separate wedding band made at all, as I'm quite happy to wear just one ring.

-After reading about the horrific social and environmental effects of gold and diamond mining, I didn’t want a diamond engagement ring. Then Eric learned about Brilliant Earth in San Francisco. It that closely monitors the ecological and social impacts of its diamond mines in Canada, and traces the stones all the way from mine to ring. Brilliant Earth uses all recycled gold, too.

-This is one of the most creative ring stories I've received - I love it!
My fiancé proposed on the top of a volcano with a nut ring. That would be, a ring carved from an actual nut. Like a tree nut. He is very proud of this because he brought it back from Bolivia, where he was studying jaguar conservation. One of the Bolivian biologists carved it for Paul (and me) while they were sitting in a tree doing radio telemetry work. It is a very cool ring and amazingly, it actually fit my wedding ring finger!


CREATIVE GOODNESS

- recycled paper and soy-based ink for the invites, which I will design; we will save paper by creating a website for information like hotel lists and directions

- I'm planning to recycle pages from a few wedding magazines that I bought to make hundreds of origami cranes to decorate the reception site

- I will make origami cranes from recycled seeded paper as favors for guests so they can plant them and grow flowers when they get home

- We're using mason jars collected from former brides and from thrift stores and melting our own soy wax flakes into them. Soy candles contain no chemicals and burn clean!

- Buying as much of the decoration items as possible off craigslist
and/or reselling afterwards to prevent material waste. (Not sure if
this is really "green," but it just seems wasteful not to repurpose)

- All of our vases have been collected from thrift stores and garage sales and will be donating again or using ourselves after the event

- We will rent a hybrid to shuttle people around West Marin so they don't have to drive

- for place cards, I plan to use beautiful, long eucalyptus leaves that have fallen on the ground and write guests names on them

- I plan to collect vintage napkins for the dinner and then keep them to use in our home

(This couple has some very adventurous guests!)
- Over half of our guests will be camping (not sure if this is actually eco-friendly, but it is really fun).


Please feel free to email me for availability before taking the time to enter. I was so disappointed that I was already booked for a few of the entrants dates.

More ideas to come, so keep checking in .....