Trends for 2012 Wedding Dresses

Words of wisdom from Patty Nayel of Pure Magnolia. 

Pure Magnolia dresses are created locally by Patty and her use of sustainable materials makes her a trend setter in Canada. 

Trends for 2012 Wedding Dresses

By Patty from Pure Magnolia

 As a bride you are probably overwhelmed by all the options you have for your big day. In the end it is all about your personal style and wearing something that looks great on you! We are going to cover some of the popular trends for this year, and maybe you will see something that really works for you!

 Lace:

Lace is by far the most popular fabric of choice for brides this year. It is perfect for a vintage wedding, or a bride who is recycling her mom’s dress. Lace can be just a little addition to the dress, or be the main fabric, it can look rustic or regal: It really is a very versatile fabric!

  

 Diana’s Dress: Vintage Lace and Hemp Silk. Tea Length: $850

 Winter Lace Gown: Fitted English Cotton lace with Organic cotton $1800

A pop of colour:

Dresses are starting to stray from the traditional white to add a few other options. This doesn’t mean tacky coloured embroidery or giant sashes of 5 years ago. This trend is more about a pretty flower belt, shoes to match your bridesmaids, coloured buttons, or even a dress that is blush, sand, or champagne.

 

Diamond Back dress: Vintage lace, Dupioni Silk and Organic cotton $1600

 

Cotton Satin Mermaid: Cotton Silk satin, Organic cotton, Vintage lace $1700 shown in Champagne

Tea and Knee length dresses:

Short dresses are just great fun! Plus they can be a budget saver. But don’t go out and buy a bridesmaid dress in white, really no one likes bridesmaid dresses anyways! Buy a dress that is designed to be a short wedding dress. It can be vintage, or modern, it shows a bride who is ready run around and have fun on her big day!

 

Dotted Mini: Cotton Swiss Dot and Organic Cotton Lining $400 short $500 tea length

 

Tea length Tulle Party Dress: Dupioni Silk, Organic cotton, and tulle Tea length $900, Short $650

 Slim Silhouettes

While some brides still love the look of an amazing ball gown, we are seeing a definite increase in brides looking for a slim, sleek or body forming dress. These simple silhouettes are easy to wear and there is an option for almost any body type. 

 

Garden Dress: Dupioni Silk and Organic cotton: $1200

 

Twinkle A-line: Cotton Silk Batiste, Silk Twill and Vintage Lace bodice: $1300

The Organic Sleep Solution

Sleep is a luxury at times.  In this busy life our nighttime respite from the every day is gold.  Unfortunately for the majority of us our beds are not always the safe havens they should be. 

A completely safe and sustainable bedding system is definitely a financial investment, but one that will pay off immediately.  What better way to invest in a more sustainable sleep system by creating a wedding registry that can address all of your nighttime needs.  Organic latex mattress alone can last between 20 and 30 years!

inBed Organics is a local and sustainable company that is unique in its custom mattresses and bedding.  It is also the only company in Canada to offer a complete certified organic sleeping experience.  Their custom-made 100% organic latex mattresses are certified through very strict European and North American standards.

All sewing for inBed Organics is done in-house.  This includes duvets, sheets,  pillows and pillowcases made from organic wools, organic cottons, hemp, natural wood fibres and even shredded organic latex.  Their products are many and can easily be ordered online from their website. 

Jem, the owner of inBed Organics ,started her company Organic O’Canada five years ago when she started asking questions about what her and her family were sleeping on and her own education process began.  Jem believed in a healthy bed and found limited choices available to her in Canada.    What she found about the chemicals added to mattresses to make sure that they are flame retardant left her feeling deceived, angry and mislead.  She began Organic O’Canada as a ‘basic human right’ for anyone concerned about what they were sleeping on. Her advice, “Do your research.  Educate yourself and do not always believe what sales people will tell you.”  Many ‘organic’ mattresses may only have components that are organic without the whole process following those guidelines.

inBed Organics has a wealth of information available through their website and is definitely worth a visit to learn more about how organic latex mattresses can help you live a healthier lifestyle.  For all your wedding needs set up an appointment for a consultation and visit their Vancouver showroom to arrange your registry and allow your family and friends to contribute to a complete organic sleep system. 

article by Shona Dion

photography by sweet earth photographics

Going the extra mile to be green with your wedding registry

The best part of a wedding (at least when it’s all over) has got to be the gifts – the beautiful ones, the returnable ones, the ones you hoped for and the ones you have no idea what to do with. The best way to appreciate your gifts, no matter how out-of-this-world they are, is to know that each of them expresses the planet-lover in you.

With today’s entrepreneurial, post-American-dream economy, tree huggers and mainstream green buyers alike can find eco-friendly, local and fair trade products to compose their wedding gift registry. The dilemma? It isn’t a cinch like walking to the big box retailer and using an electronic scanner to ‘beep’ your gift list within an hour.

But the fact remains that sustainable gift registries and ideas are out there, and it only takes a little bit of effort for the planet-minded brides and grooms-to-be to find them. Yes, it may mean splitting up gift registries into categories of different stores, and yes, it may be an online-only thing, which grandma may have trouble with (until you teach her the modern meaning of ‘mouse’). But is it worth it?

Boy, is it ever! Going with small, local and green companies for your wedding registry will get you the most unique and well-cared for products out there. Green doesn’t have to be more expensive, and in fact the quality and sustainable specialties of green brands are just as prestigious as going high-end on your wedding registry. Take, for example, Cookworks, a local Vancouver kitchenware store. For lovebirds who already have all the household necessities, thinking outside the box with a gift registry is also an option with requests for fine art gifts (a great investment scheme), or experience gifts, like a gourmet kayaking trip from Edible British Columbia. Then there are things like rafting or some other fear-defying activity perfect for learning the meaning of “till death do us part.”

Shoo-Foo Eco Linens, exhibitor at the upcoming Grassroots Wedding Fair, also has a local, green wedding gift registry. It’s a great place to start a gift registry for wedding showers, stagettes and rehearsal dinners that are all about healthy home lifestyles with linens sourced from organically grown bamboo.

Available to add to your Shoo-Foo bamboo linen gift registry includes:

A 300-thread count bedding set. These sheets, pillowcases, duvet cover and blanket hang and shine like silk or cashmere. They are breathable and ultra comfortable for a good night’s rest. They go especially well for people with sensitive skin and temperature problems while sleeping. Click on this link to see them all!
http://shoo-foo.com/en/e-boutique/bamboo-beddings/

Luxury bath towels. They’ve got it all from robes to face cloths, shower mats, gym towels and of course, a huge bath sheet! (plus more!). Many of their products come in four colours: natural, royal indigo, sage green and mocha brown, allowing a great match for any home decor! The towels are 600gr/sq meter, which means lasting quality. Best of all, all their products are sourced from organically grown bamboo. View the complete line here:
http://shoo-foo.com/en/e-boutique/bamboo-bath-towels/

Are they really green? You bet they are. While rumors abound questioning the sustainability of bamboo products ‘out there’, Shoo-Foo can say for sure that our manufacturing process is certified eco-friendly by multiple governing bodies including the USDA and OCIA. To learn more about their certifications, click on this link:
http://shoo-foo.com/en/bamboo/organic-certification/

Receiving gifts is only one way to use bamboo linens for your wedding day – there are plenty more ways! Want more ideas? check out their blog post on How to Use Bamboo Linens for a Green Wedding! Not bad for a Canadian local green gift registry, eh?

To Market to Market

With sustainability on the mind, farmers markets are a great place to find many vendors to green  your wedding.  Sourcing products from cakes, wedding favours to flowers can all be found at the markets.  The chance to meet the individual in person who will help bring your special day to life is a unique opportunity and fosters a sense of community. 

 The Vancouver Farmers Market is a staple in many Vancouver neighbourhoods and even in the dead of winter the market at Nat Bailey Stadium is bustling with vendors and customers alike. For going on 16 years the Farmers Markets have brought local farmers, bakers and crafters to our neighbourhoods.

Sweet Naturally Bakery is now a regular sight at the market.  With a focus on organic ingredients and simply amazing yumminess (wait until you try the maple oat scone), they are a welcome addition to the market fare. 

The delectable items they have on hand for those chilly Saturday mornings are only half of their business.  They are also amazing wedding cake creators and I have seen these lovely creations first hand. 

Frances and Dickson are committed to creating products that are not only beautiful in their presentation and taste, but that are sustainably made with locally sourced ingredients.  This past year has seen them at the Baker’s Market to The Grassroots Wedding Fair, EP!C and now to the Farmers Market.  We will also see them again in three weeks at The Grassroots Wedding Fair where Frances assures me they will have lots of samples on hand to taste!

One of my favourite tie-ins to weddings from the Farmers Market is the treats available for wedding favours.  Consumable wedding favours are the most eco-friendly and appreciated gifts to give guests.  Many couples make their own jams, bundle their own flower seeds, baked sweet treats, but not everyone is so talented or has the time.  This is when the market is ripe with ideas.  From preserves, honeys and handmade soaps, wedding favours can be found at the market that will make your guests appreciate taking a piece of the local community with them.

Sunshine Coast Natural Care Co. provides soaps for wedding favours and are expanding this year to include personalized lip balms.

Shona Dion

photos by sweet earth photographics