Everyday Beauty: Pangea Organics-BB Jean Events, Bellingham WA Wedding Planner

Every once in a blue moon, I do a Bridal Beauty post with some great find that brides can use to get gussied up for their wedding. This post is taking advantage of the "life" category that we sometimes fill on Fete. Those everyday habits, items and prettys that make day-to-day living a little more fun. These items in particular I love, love, love!!
A few weeks ago, I had a day off to spend in Seattle with my best friend. These are rare days for me because I work during the week, have events on the weekend, a husband to see and all of those other life responsibilities that keep "fun" off the forefront. We scurried around University Village (which by the way, could be it's own blog post! Anthropologie, Crate and Barrel, Sephora, H&M, Williams Sonoma ALL IN ONE PLACE!! Why had no ever told me before?!?!??) and made a final stop at Sephora to stock up on some necessities. We don't have a Sephora in Bellingham. It makes me sad.

Anyway, Sephora skincare expert Ruby introduced me to Pangea Organics: a line of organic, all natural beauty care that more then lives up to it's name. Now, I'm all about being as eco-friendly as possible. We buy local and organic, we no longer use plastic wrap or paper towels, our TP is 100% recycled with 80% post consumer and wrapped in biodegradeable packaging. HOWEVER, I'm at times wary of organic beauty and bath products because a few that I've tried just. don't. work. I'm all about saving the planet, but if I wash my face only to have make-up still caked on what's the point?!

These products, I'm oh so happy to report, work. They work well in fact. They work so well, that I would buy them even if they weren't organic simply because they feel and smell fantastic and make my skin look great. Now the glass bottles along with the glue/plastic free recylcled uncoated boxes these goods come in in addition to the wild harvested herbs and organic ingredients inside each cute little container...well that's the cherry on top for me.

Pangea Organics offers a large line of body care products from face wash to hand soap offering a really great way to green up your day-to-day routines. Currently, they're offering 25% off ALL OF THEIR PRODUCTS in honor of earth day! Yay!! And they offer free shipping on orders over $50 so if you go crazy and say, convert all of your skincare products in one purchase, you'll save about $35 on the products and get it sent your way for free. Try it out, you'll love it!

Eco Ideas: Local Flower Hunting

Local and seasonal flowers are a great choice for an eco-friendly wedding. And right now, they're abundant in famer's markets and local farms in the area. If you're interested in integrating them in to your own wedding, consider a few tips below.

First, do your homework and find out what flowers are in season for your wedding. Keeping in season flowers in mind will guarantee you an easier time of knowing what to expect when you select your flowers. Next, be flexible. A farm may be out of the type of flowers you were hoping for or weather may have permitted them from growing on time (think Skagit Valley Tulip Festival-I think they finally bloomed the last week in April...). If you're willing to opt for a monochromatic color scheme (shades of pinks like the dahlias above for example) instead of a specific flower combination, you're more likely to have fun finding your flowers and getting colors that work with your event.

Determine how many flowers you will need ahead of time, to keep from overbuying, and have a great time hunting down your blooms! Farmstand flowers can look stunning and are an excellent and economical way to dress your reception.

Eco Ideas: Try a little TLC

Turtle Love Committee is not your average jeweler; their purpose is to provide unique and unusual engagement and wedding rings for couples. They also have an entire organic line of eco-friendly rings that are not only far from run of the mill, but are also better for the planet. Take a peek and be inspired.

Eco Ideas: No Electricity Wedding

Part of why I love what I do is the challenge. That's why I loved this post from Earth Friendly Weddings. The idea is to go through your entire wedding electricity free. Impossible you say? Definitely not.

Here are the tips that Earth Friendly Weddings suggests:

• Skip the lights. Hold your wedding outside in daylight.
• Hire an acoustic band. Keep the guest list small and intimate so they can hear the music without speakers.
• Although you have no control over how guests actually get to your wedding, have your ceremony and reception in the same place so guests can walk between the events.
• The biggest obstacle is food. It might be tricky (and it might illicit a few choice words from your serious meat eating cousin) but...it can be done! To serve food at a true-zero electricity wedding, thing BIG salad bar. Vegetables, saladas, pasta salads, breads, fruits, cheeses, and cold cuts are just some of the goodies you could offer.
• Another option? Use a gas grill, which emits a lot less CO2 than charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid. This will satisfy that meat eating cousin and you could even create some very interesting desserts with a grill-think bananas foster or grilled peaches. . .

Going electricity free doesn't have to mean nixing a classy affair. Hold an early afternoon wedding that fades into a candlelit twighlight by the end of the reception. Choose local gourmet food items to serve your guests-seasonal and organic fruit and bread with wheels of cheese paired with local wines. Opt for grilled vegetables and meats. Keep the guest list intimate so guests can hear everything without the use of a mic and request cocktail attire so everyone in attendance knows that despite the use of the outdoors and the lack of electricity, that your wedding is still a classy fete.