I love to follow trends.. what woman doesn’t?! But more than that I love to follow eco-fabulous fashion and wedding trends. Of course, no eco-wedding trend should have a shelf life, expiring at the end of the year…after all they are all great, green practices for any green event!

The Recycled Bride, which also has a fabulous real weddings section of their blog, publishes their take each year on the years great eco-wedding trends.

This year’s report says that the eco-savvy brides and grooms are…

1. still into chalkboards, be it for menu’s, seating charts, or programs they cut down on unnecessary paper waste, and just plane look cool

2. staying away from diamonds by either opting for colored gems or (my favorite) buying man-made stones, which are naturally conflict free

3. staying home for their honeymoons, seeking out romantic hometown adventures (hmmmm? if you lived in San Francisco maybe…)

4. sourcing local food, inspired by Chelsea Clinton’s wedding (of course)

5. opting for a smaller guest list, making for more intimate weddings (and more affordable)

6. recycling, by reusing gowns, party decor, and wedding accessories (though technically, this is called “reuse”)

7. shortening wedding dresses, so they can wear them again (very practical!)

8. registering green to support the sustainable economy (yayyy!)

9. love vintage bird cage veils, opting out of long veiled accessories

10. And last… featuring a more vegetable based dinner, reducing the meat at each plate! (victory for the vegetarians)

The trends are posted at Project Wedding now.. and the photo’s are just adorable, courtesy of Catie Ronquillo (I love the photo shoot!).

Origionally by Allen Norwood
From SouthPark Magazine

Every tiny stitch contributes to the perfect drape of a bespoke suit or couture gown.

At the new Ritz-Carlton hotel in uptown Charlotte, the smallest details add up to a similar sumptuous experience.

The Ritz-Carlton will seek LEED Gold designation for the building, a first for the company. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, as certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The building will be graded on such things as water and energy efficiency, indoor air quality, materials and furnishings.

In keeping with the green theme, the hotel includes a bike valet, offering guests complimentary use of Trek bicycles. Riders get a cycling map of Charlotte, water bottle, lock and safety helmet. Women’s bikes are equipped with baskets for shopping.

Among the features that will help the hotel earn grades for its certification:

– Plantings on the roof reduce urban heat, cutting the need for air conditioning. Irrigation for hotel plants comes from captured rainwater.

– Employee uniforms include materials made from recycled plastic.

– To cut down on plastic bottles, the hotel is equipped with an in-house water filtration and container system. Ritz-Carlton says that could eliminate 73,000 plastic bottles a year.

– The hotel will buy 35 percent of its electricity from a green power supplier the first two years.

– The building uses 30 percent less energy than a conventional hotel. Efficient plumbing fixtures cut water usage by 35 percent, saving 700,000 gallons the first year.

– The two-level wellness center atop the hotel uses organic and vegan products.

– Guest transportation is provided by a hybrid vehicle - and parking is free for hybrid and electric vehicles.

– The banquet spaces feature stylish tables made of recycled aluminum, reducing the need for table linens. Furniture is covered in recycled leather. “People want to hold green meetings, green weddings,” Nowak says. “We can accommodate both.”