Hello Everyone!
This is my second installment in the Eco-Friendly Wedding series. I’m thrilled to announce that we have chosen our wedding date – July 3. I’m so excited!!!! Imagine me jumping up and down and crying for joy. Then, imagine my mother and my mother-in-love (“Muvie”) doing the same. We’ve chosen a beautiful location, and now I’m going to write about eco-friendly wedding dresses.
There are 4 options I can think of right now:
- Wear something you already own.
- Buy a pre-loved gown.
- Buy one from an eco-friendly designer.
- Make your own.
Which did I choose? Well, I’ll tell you in a minute. You’ve got to read the rest of the post to find out. Hahaha! Let’s examine each of the options, shall we?
Option 1: Wear Something You Already Own
Do you have you’d like to wear for your wedding in your closet? For this option, you might have to think outside the box and imagine making adjustments or embellishments to something you already own. I personally prefer non-traditional looks. If you do, too, you could get really creative and create a unique look that expresses your personality.
Option 2: Buy Pre-Loved
There are many places you can go for pre-loved gowns. Check wedding dress stores in your area – there might be one that only carries pre-loved gowns. You can also check Goodwill, Thrift stores, your local newspaper classified section, or ask around for friends who might have one or might know someone who has a gown. I met a woman around Thanksgiving who had bought 2 dresses because she couldn’t decide on just one, and the other one was just hanging in the closet, brand spankin’ new! Online, check out Craig’s List, Ebay, SellMyWeddingDress.com, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, and the many other sites available to buy a pre-loved gown (there are lots of them!).
Option 3: Buy One From An Eco-Friendly Designer
Some things to look for when choosing an eco-friendly designer include their use of organic and fair-trade fabrics and use of eco-friendly fabric dyes. If your dress is silk, is it Peace Silk? There are many cool designers out there. My favorite is NaturalBridals.com. She has gorgeous gowns that can also be purchased from her Etsy store. I even wrote her a letter about one of her gowns, and she wrote a sweet letter back! I love companies like that. Tara Lynn Studio and Adele Wechsler also have beautiful gowns. Search online, and you’re sure to find something you like.
Option 4: Make Your Own
This is the option I chose! When you make your own dress, choose eco-friendly fabrics. There are many available online. Another option is to repurpose fabric you already have. I found the fabric for my dress at Goodwill. Seriously! I wanted something simple and cotton, so I went to goodwill and found a brand new queen duvet cover made of Egyptian cotton for $15. If I end up completing my wedding dress for under $20, I’m going to brag about that for years to come! Ha! You can follow the process on The Laughing Princess Sewing Diary.
Which of these options would you feel most comfortable with?
Which dress from one of the eco-friendly designers is your favorite? (Mine is Charlotte from NaturalBridals.com)
