Spring is here and I have flower blossoms on my mind.  In exploring ideas for spring inspired centerpieces, I stumbled across these adorable cherry and plum blossom stems with LED lights.  These silk flowers from the Fireworks Gallery come in 8 dozen bunches, and can be purchased in a variety colors.  For a fresh centerpiece idea try bundling a few dozen stems together in a tall vase, and use their illuminated LED's for lighting. 

Images courtesy of Fireworks Gallery

When planning a wedding many couples choose to have their wedding during the summer months.  The summer is especially enticing because of the warm days, long nights and beautiful vibrant colors.  Although many of us enjoy the those sky-rocketing temperatures summer often delivers, the heat can often leave wedding attendants and attendees overheated and uncomfortable.  This got me thinking about clever ways of keeping your guests cool while still mainting the theme and styles of your wedding. 

Providing guests with decorative fans is a creative and inexpensive way to keep your guests comfortable during the festivities. I am absolutely in love with the idea of using fans as the foundation of your ceremony programs or primarily as wedding favors.   Instead of leaving your wedding favors on reception tables, why not give your guests something that will come in handy at the ceremony.  You can order pre-printed fans made from recycled material, or try making this a fun DIY project!  Here are just a few examples of super cute ways to mix and match fans with various colors and styles into your wedding programs or favors.  

Images courtesy of Hanson Ellis

Images courtesy of Hanson Ellis and  Daisy Days

Images courtesy of Etsy

As couples continue to realize the significant effects their wedding can have on the environment, more and more are looking at ways to “green” their wedding.  In addition to their single wedding day, there are additional pieces of a wedding celebration that can become “eco-friendly”.  One area in particular that couples may want to explore is the planning of their Honeymoon.  In the September Issue of emagazine.com, the environmentally friendly magazine explored various ways couples can experience a great green honeymoon.  All of these options may not appeal to everyone, but they are just a few you can consider when planning that special trip. 

Keep the Focus on Each Other

After the whirlwind of preparing for a wedding, then the big day itself, you and your partner are likely to feel a bit exhausted. Use the honeymoon as a chance to unwind with each other, and get some quality alone time. That means avoid over scheduling activities, which you may not feel up to doing anyway, and which can be costly and resource intensive.

Low Key is Good

Some of the popular honeymoon activities may seem romantic, but often have a dubious side when it comes to the environment. Luckily, there are meaningful alternatives that are still sure to get the butterflies going. For example, skip swimming with dolphin experiences, which can create stress for the animals, or harassment of them by tour guides and beach goers. Instead, try a whale- or bird-watching cruise with a reputable eco-oriented service. Check for green certifications from the International Ecotourism Society and country-of-origin agencies.

Give Back Together

There are many wonderful opportunities around the world to participate in service-oriented trips together. Even on your honeymoon, you may just want to consider spending one day, or even a few hours, volunteering together.

Stay Local

It may not sound exciting at first, but there are certainly benefits to honeymooning nearby. You can save a tremendous amount of cash by vacationing in your area. You'll get to know your surroundings better (which can be particularly valuable if you are moving to a new place together), and you'll be able to maximize down time together.

The Eco Trip of a Lifetime

If you do feel up for a far-off adventure, consider a storybook eco-tourism adventure. Some hotspots include Costa Rica, Brazil, the Galapagos, Antarctica, the Maldives…the list goes on. Look for local certifications of green business and transparency about true eco-features. Green resorts are upfront about how their activities preserve sensitive habitat and respect local people; they don't need to hide behind unspecified claims. Here's one list of romantic eco-adventures.

There are also reputable greener options at popular destinations, slightly off the beaten path of mega resorts. For example, not far from the crowded tourist center on the Bahamas is a jewel of a place called Small Hope Bay Lodge. You and your loved one can relax and soak up Caribbean hospitality, while snorkeling, sailing, swimming and hammocking to your hearts' desires.

Just call this new project “Portland’s Next Top Model – Green Version”. I am happy to share with you another Northwest Company leading the way with a new trend in modeling.  Project Green Search located in Portland, Oregon, has unveiled a nationwide search for a fresh-faced, environmentally conscious model.  

This search is specifically aimed at aligning the winner’s personal beliefs about the environment with their new business career. The winner will become “the poster girl for what is ok to sell…and what is not”.   The winner of this contest gets the opportunity to make a mark in both fashion and entertainment by incorporating “eco-friendly elements” and the “green message” into modeling.  Plus the winner will be crowned at Portland’s Fashion Week, and then showered with all kinds of fun and exciting prizes!   

If you are interested in this great opportunity, check out the registration requirements on Project Green Search by September 16, 2009. 

Many of us women are concerned about the environment and want to do our part to protect it for future generations.  However, some of us are not quite ready to forgo our dream Yang wedding gown for a dress made out of recycled fabric.  (I walk by Luly Yang' s shop on 4th Avenue everyday and am obsessed with her dresses).  I think many people have a pre-conceived opinion about what it means to "go green". Often times we can have a big impact by making small changes to our lifestyle.  For example, I rarely turn the light on in my office, and instead use the natural light projected from my window.  And believe it or not, even our Seattle weather provides me with a fully lit office.  In addition, the Starbucks cup that holds my semi-complicated "Grande Americano with light cream, two Splenda and three pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup" is thrown in our company compost bin instead of the trash.

Making small changes to your wedding ceremony or reception can save you money and impact our environment as well.  Think about how many weddings occur each year and how little changes compile into making a real difference.  Did you know the average wedding emits anywhere from 9-16 tons of Carbon Dioxide into the air on a single day?  That is more CO2 than you or I will emit within an entire year!  One suggestion I have on ways to reduce unnecessary waste is to look to your past for inspiration.  This helps cut costs and adds a personal touch to your celebration. For my wedding, I used my parents wedding glasses for the traditional toast and their knife set to cut our cake. Using these items provided us with a sentimental touch and retro flare, while eliminating our need to buy two new items for one time use.  I know these changes may sound small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but trust me, they really add up.