If you have not gotten a chance to see Katie’s picks for Fall in the new Fall Issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings – now is the time to head over.  This season’s picks include 3 giveaways!!!

The giveaways include some awesome placemats, a watch and some shampoo for your dog!!! Yep – all eco-friendly items too!

Click on the photo above to start reading the magazine and blog to learn how to win!!!

Need to get those bands ordered?  Try to win them first from Onewed.com’s Platinum band set giveaway!   You have until September 12, 2011 to win!  Click on the rings above to learn how to win!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/giveaways/win-platinum-bands-from-onewed-com/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/win-that-cake-pedestal/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/win-that-cake-pedestal/#comments Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:30:58 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=5406

Today is the last day to win this gorgeous red cake pedestal from Burlap and Blue!  It was featured in our Etsy Love Challenge in the summer issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine!  Click on the photo above to learn how to win it!!!

(Photo by Allison Britton)

We are so proud of our new issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine!  It is chock full of summery goodness!  Plus we have two featured weddings it from local photographers and vendors!  A must see issue!  Click on the cover above to check it out!

If you are at the beginning of your wedding planning process (or you are about to propose) – you need to start thinking about your rings.  Whether you are shopping for an engagement ring or your wedding bands – first place I recommend to start is Brilliant Earth.  This week through Sunday they are giving away the below pendant (with ethically sourced green sapphire) with any ring you purchase!

Looking for a great organization to donate to in lieu of favors?  Here are a few of our favorites:

The National Wildlife Federation is located right in our area and has been teaching children and educating the public about protecting the environment for the past 75 years.

EDF has one of the most effective ways of helping to save the environment through its extensive network of corporations and key players around the world.  They also have a handy Seafood Selector that helps you determine the best eco-fish to serve!

We are in love with Kiva.  An amazing online community letting you donate to help microfinance individuals in poverty to empower them and create opportunities.

REALLY wanting eco-friendly favors – something your guests can walk away with?  Go local by using the local ETSY tool to buy from a local artisan – here are a few we are loving:

Having a garden wedding?  Why not get a vintage chalkboard – write their names out by tables and have these adorable magnets from SophiePine attached to it as giveaways for the ladies?  This way – you only need to buy about half as many favors and they will give a great decorative look as guests look for their tables! Click on the phone to buy!

I don’t care what people say – cupcakes are a current fad – but cookies will remain!  Don’t have a family recipe?  CookieCrowd on Etsy has these yummy cookies – they are located in Southern VA!  IN fact – you could just have a big cookie bar!  Get 10 different kinds of cookies and let your guests have at it!  Too many people are doing cupcake stations! It doubles as your dessert if you forgo the wedding cake and a favor for those that just want to heist a few for the ride home!

LostRiverRags on Etsy has an amazing assortment of soaps that are made with natural and soy ingredients – perfect for gifts for your wedding party!

There is so much more I can write about – but I will leave that to future blog posts!

I hope you are doing some sort of earthy activity today for Earth Day.  Don’t have a project in mind?  Skip the gym and just go for a walk or dust off your bike!  Heck – you might even think about biking to work instead on those upcoming sunny spring-fall days!  Why not try to find a local farmer’s market and buy your produce there today?  Check your grocery list – are there things on it that could be switched to more earth-friendly or local companies?  Maybe just making a pact with yourself to recycle more.  You would surprised what you can recycle these days (or even reuse).

Earth Day Network can Help you plan your day today.

About.com has a list a few activities you might want to try locally.

A few fun activities were listed yesterday on WashingtonPost.com

You can also find activities all over town to do tomorrow if you have to work all day - The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center has a clean-up every year.

Be creative and get earthy today!  Start a green habit today which will hopefully create a healthier, cleaner and greener wedding and lifestyle for you!

p.s. – If you were looking for a link to the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Spring Mini Mag today – we will hopefully post it at some point today.  3 of our platforms for the magazine route their services through Amazon.com which is currently out of service.  As soon as their services are back up – we will post the Spring Mini Mag!

Dreaming about your wedding day but worried how to keep it stylish, fresh and eco-friendly at the same time?  This 4th Installment for Earth Day Week is about how to keep the flowers and the details green!  That is what we specialize in.  Eco-friendly flowers and details is what makes your wedding yours.  If you are like most couples, hundreds (if not thousands) of them have gotten married at your venue before – so the only way to make it special is with floral designs and personal touches.

Working with a logistical team and local farmers, distributors and nature itself, we design an overall design scheme for you to help fit your style!  From flowers that are grown in the US, Canada, New Zealand and Holland (the last two have some of the toughest fair trade and wage laws in the world and Holland practically invented the cut flower trade).  Using a combination of carbon offsetting, commercial flights (as opposed to Fedex or UPS) and sheer information and research – we are able to provide you with the best possible options.  Our inventory boasts thousands of pieces of glassware from small to large.  We don’t charge a “rental” fee for them like most florists do – we just simply pick up our stuff at the end of the night.  With most weddings – we will take any leftover flowers to a nursing home (complimentary).  If not – we also compost!  Our in-house paper and glass lantern inventory is extensive and in every color imaginable.  And…if we don’t have it in stock – we will get it for you!  We have even used leftover beading from Christmas tree decor for a bridesmaid’s bouquet!  We love to upcycle and reinvent weddings.

In conjunction with our flower department and lighting, we have all sorts of decor and favor options available for you.  We have LED lights for our paper lanterns, in-house glassware (like mason jars for serving lemonade on a sunny wedding afternoon).  We also have over 500 pieces of vintage and modern glassware just for candy and food bars.  If your venue or caterer only has trays – we have trays, footed candy bowls, 3-tiered petit four/cupcake plates and more.  We have our own carpentry team in house to custom design mandaps, chuppahs, arches, trellis’, chalkboards, directional signs and more.

We help take your dreams and ideas and make them a reality with the extensive collection of items we have in our inventory to the extensive reach of vendors that we work with in the DC area.  We have an extensive information database gathered from around the world with our magazine team of writers, photographers, interns, researchers and photo editors (Eco-Beautiful Weddings).  There is simply no other event design firm in the DC/Baltimore area that has as much experience, inventory and knowledge about going green as our team here at Elegance & Simplicity, Inc.!  Go green for your wedding today – email us inquiries @ eleganceandsimplicity.com!

(Photo Credits from Top to Bottom – 1st Bouquet – The Observatory, 2nd bouquet – Marta Locklear, Beaded Bouquet – Documentary Associates, Praying Mantis – Amy Deputy, Triple Centerpiece – Documentary Associates, Hanging votives – Marta Locklear, Blue/Green Lanterns, Candy Bar, Lemonade Stand and Cake photos – Documentary Associates (cake by Cakes by Design), Paris Photo – K Thompson, Blue/green votives + Trellis with paper lanterns – Jennifer Hughes, Escort “card” Chalkboard (with calligraphy from Meant to Be Calligraphy – K Thompson)

_________________________

We are gearing up for the Eco-Beautiful Spring Mini Mag!  Stay tuned tomorrow as it is filled with green contents that you will need to jump on!

Continuing our Earth Day week on how to keep your wedding eco-friendly – we move on to the next part of your planning process – THE CATERER!  Why is this so important?  You will spend approximately 50-60% of your wedding budget on food + rentals – so you want to make sure you are putting your dollars in the right place.  Our favorite and one of the best caterers in the United States is Design Cuisine.  Above are glassware from their sister company DC Rental.   Design Cuisine is now Green Restaurant Certified and prides itself on sustainable practices and using local resources as often as possible. (Photo by Kathy Blanchard)

Another nationally known caterer that claims DC as their own is Main Event Caterers.  In 2010, they were named Caterer of the Year by Catering Magazine!  They have their own in-house water filtration system with reusable glass bottles.  Their incredible chef prides himself on using locally sourced food as well.  They are 100% Wind-Powered and Carbon Neutral through Terrapass.  They have a comprehensive Recycling, Reusing and Composting Program and strive to educate their clients about how to stay green for their weddings. (photo by K. Thompson Photography)

Occasions Catering was the first caterer in the country to become Green Restaurant Certified!  One of the first to compost and have been a supporter of local farmers years before it was thought to be “green”.  They even make their own jams and preserves in-house!  Truly one of the greenest caterers in town!

Gail’s Vegetarian Catering has been around for years as the DC area’s greenest vegetarian caterer.  Obviously going vegetarian for your wedding is the greenest option.  They are approved by Green America and create amazing menus with flair.  A note – their business is up for sale – the hope is that whoever purchases Gail’s will have the same philosophy and will continue with the same style.  Since it is has been on sale for a while – we are more than sure that Gail is looking for the best person to take it over!

Our final favorite pick for Green Catering is Catering by Windows, another local favorite that is Green Restaurant Certified.  Certainly one of the largest event caterers in the area – they even recycle kitchen oils and food by-products.

_____________________________________

Earth Day Week Green Giveaway for today are free movie tickets to see the pre-screening of Something Borrowed from Stephanie Ward over at Punk Rock Bride - local eco-friendly wedding gown designer!  LEAVE A NOTE BELOW ON HOW YOU PLAN TO GREEN YOUR WEDDING TO WIN THE TICKETS!

The Spring Issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings is live and a few of my favorite things are in it to win!  Don’t miss out!

Get this vintage frame with a chalkboard for you wedding day!

or

Start your new “NO MORE buying of plastic WATER BOTTLES” regimen with this beautiful reusable water bottle!

or

Have the best doggone salted caramels around for you and your guests!

Just click here to see all the fun stuff you can get for free in the Spring Issue!

It’s Live and we are in Love!  Click on the Cover Above to Check out all the Eco-Friendly Yumminess from the Spring 2011 Issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings!

Eco-Beautiful Weddings + The Cotton Bride have teamed up to giveaway 3 amazing custom couture gowns!  Click on the dresses above to learn how to win as today is the last day to enter the contest!

Good Luck!

There are so many giveaways on the Eco-Beautiful Blog – I needed to give you an update!  Today we are choosing a lucky winner for a pair of shoes from Hydraheart!  Eco-friendly shoes for your wedding – super hard to find!!!  Click on the slippers above to learn how to win!

And not to be missed…yesterday’s mini mag was launched all about The Cotton Bride custom couture gown giveaway and The Chevy Cruze for a week giveaway!  Many of you saw our posts about the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine Anniversary Party and Fashion show of the Fireflies collection from The Cotton Bride.  The mini mag issue showcases our favorite gowns from the new collection.  You can win and either pick one of their dresses from their new collection or have Chris Kole (the designer himself) custom make a gown for you!

Click on the photo above to learn more!  This mini mag issue is also chock full of ideas for how to incorporate cotton into your wedding! (Be Sure to check out our cotton bridal bouquet)

My hopes are that this year, after reading my blog for a while, you will come up with some interesting ways to make your Valentine’s Day green.  This means – no buying 40 cards for your various friends or all of your children’s friends (if you are married already)  I have this very problem with my son being 9 years old.  This year, we are buying his teacher a gift certificate to her favorite store (she is the best) and giving all of his little school friends something other than paper.  A few ideas: Eco-friendly pencils, soy or recycled crayons (like the ones pictured here) and we are pondering a few other crafty ideas.

But I will make recommendations for some eco-friendly chocolate!

Divine Chocolate is actually based right here in the DC area – to learn more about their fair trade chocolates – click on one of the bars above and buy now to get them in time for Valentine’s Day!

When dining out for Valentine’s Day – check to see if your restaurant is Green Restaurant Certified or if they are using local farmers and fisherman for the freshest local fare while giving back to your own community.  I will try to create a nice list for you before Valentine’s Day for DC area restaurants that I frequent!

And last but not least, have the best eco-breath ever with Tom’s Wicked Fresh.  We are giving away a few tubes on the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Blog today (today is the last day).  It’s so easy – get over there to win (click below to find out how)!

Be sure to surf alllll the wedding blogs on Valentine’s Day as they will all be cooking up something cute for you that day.  They will be brimming with Valentines’ Day ideas and cute wedding ideas for your wedding planning pleasure.  We will surely have at least 2 more posts about Valentine’s Day as we know so many of you out there will get engaged that day!

Oh and since we are talking about the day of love…I am very excited on this 2/2/2011 as my nephew is being born!  Stay tuned for some gushing Auntieland photos with Lil Tommy the 3rd!

Cheers!

Today is the last to win these adorable cupcake stands for your wedding from Hello Hanna on the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Blog! Write your comment today to win!

Today is the last day to win this beautiful eco-friendly purse!  Straight from Katie’s Editor’s Pick page of the Winter Issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings! Click on the purse to see how to win!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/eco-friendly-weddings/canopy-verde-giveaway/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/just-engaged-get-a-free-wedding-gown/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/just-engaged-get-a-free-wedding-gown/#comments Fri, 31 Dec 2010 05:01:02 +0000 Katie Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=4388

Eco-Beautiful Weddings + The Cotton Bride have come together to giveaway three (3) bridal gowns to three (3) lucky brides!  Don’t miss your chance!  Click on the images above to see how you can win your very own customized wedding gown from The Cotton Bride!

(photos by a little bit of whimsy photography)

Don’t forget to get on the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Blog today to win one of these cute necklaces by eco-designer Polli (as featured on my Editor’s Picks page in the current issue)

Click on the image to learn how to win!

Our Anniversary Issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings is live!  Click above to see the new issue!

If you have not seen the Momental Designs website yet – you are truly missing out!  Kristy Rice is the talented designer behind this amazing studio that creates one of a kind invitations with hand-painted touches. (Swoon Alert!)

Kristy has now launched a brand new blog-series called Go Paint/Go Draw.  The series is all about sharing art lessons with you!  And now…through December 11th – there is a fun giveaway with the above items to help you start your art journey!  Click on the collage above to see the blog post and comment on her blog to win!

Happy December!

Just got married and wanting to sell your wedding dress but don’t want to pay the fees to list it!?  The folks over at PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com are giving 5 of our readers free listings!  You really have nothing to lose!

Just tell me what your dress is like and a little bit about your wedding in the comments below to win!  We will pick winners in the coming weeks!

Good Luck!

We are very excited about this giveaway at Smartbride Boutique!

All the jewelry from Foxy Originals is made in Canada by local artisans and ethical production!

Last day to enter to win these beauties is September 30th!  Click on the image above and find out how to win!  Plus learn how to order now and get 20% off!

]]> http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/necklace-and-earrings-giveaway/feed/ 0 http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/gems-among-us-contest/ http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/announcements/gems-among-us-contest/#comments Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:30:59 +0000 Katie L Martin http://www.eleganceandsimplicity.com/blog/?p=3634

O my – how we love this contest!  Very rarely do you see contests in the wedding industry that are not just centered on the couple!  This one is about you winning some jewelry yes – but you get to nominate a “gem” in your life!  OneWed.com wants you to nominate someone who you think is making the world a better place.  You could win a vacation for them and jewelry for your wedding day!  Really easy to do – just click on the photos above and enter the giveaway!

Good Luck!

Meet Laura Swanstrom Reece of The Silken Thread!  I was thrilled to be a part of such a cute event for her 5th anniversary over at Frosting!  Not only did I get to meet the mastermind behind this incredible company, but got to see some good friends and catch up with Michelle of Frosting!

I absolutely love this concept of placing this embroidered monogram inside your wedding gown. This is great as a gift! My own sister-in-law had one just like it for her wedding day and she got it as a gift at her bridal shower!

So many of my brides hold a handkerchief around their bridal bouquet – this hemstich monogram handkerchief is also perfect as a gift or just to buy for yourself as a bride to pass down through the generations!  Since The Silken Thread is local it is fantastic for local brides – but you can also buy personalized embroidered items for any occasion right from her website!

Laura and her team were smart by having their party at Frosting!  The cupcakery in Chevy Chase is adorable and the cupcakes are divine.  They were featuring a gluten-free chocolate cupcake today.  I had the raspberry cupcake – as showcased by the staff here:

Since I know the lady behind the scenes – I was able to grab a few swag bags to give away to you!  I have one bag to give away as I already gave one away on Twitter yesterday.

Here is the catch – you have to tell me what you are doing to go green in your life and for your wedding (or wedding business)!  These keepsakes from Laura are true treasures and quality products that will last for generations.  These are not throw-away items and we love anything personalized for a wedding that will last for years to come.  Write in the comments section below about how you are doing something unique to go green and I will send the fab swag bag to you!  I will pick a winner on Monday!

Here is a cute photo of the swag bag from Anh Nguyen:

Good Luck!

I love it when an author sends me a book to review for my clients and our readers.  This one is no exception!  I love what Lorna Yee and Ali Basye did with this gorgeous cookbook.  I am a huge fan of other people cooking for me – especially my husband – as I not much of a cook!  There is always a huge sense of family and closeness when we cook for the ones we love!  I checked out the baked goods section as I am more of a baker than a cook – and what they have – does not disappoint!  This cookbook really does an excellent job of teaching you how to cook and eat together!

Now that I taken a look, savored the recipes with my own eyes – I am now ready to give this book away!

Make a comment here to let me know where and when you are getting married and what is your favorite thing to cook for your soon to be husband or wife!

Good Luck!

We are very excited to announce that we get to be a part of Erwin and Ed’s wedding on August 14!

Why are we announcing this – as we have weddings almost every weekend?  Well – this couple is beyond special.  They are the first recipients of a free wedding through Wish Upon a Wedding for the Washington, DC area.

Wish Upon a Wedding is a charitable organization that finds vendors all over the world to help create weddings for individuals that have terminal diseases.  Erwin is in his final stages of cancer and longs to finally be married to the love his life: Ed!  They asked Wish Upon a Wedding to help them realize their dream.  Then, in turn, Wish Upon a Wedding made a call out to vendors for help!  We will be doing their flowers and feel immensely proud and humbled to be a part of their day!

To learn more about Wish Upon a Wedding and how you can apply for your wedding or become a donating vendor – click on their badge above!

Quick announcement for brides that are on a tight budget!  Project Wedding is giving away up $500 in gift cards for great money-saving tips from you the bride!  Sign up today – the contest ends on the 19th!  Click above to learn how to win!

OneWed.com’s Savvy Scoop Blog is giving away tickets for the Brides Against Breast Cancer National Wedding Gown Sale across the country.  Since our clients come from all over the States and the world – we thought this was a perfect opportunity for everyone!  Click here or on the graphic above to find out how you can get free tickets!

Here are the dates that Brides Against Breast Cancer will be going on sale!  While they do not have a date here in the DC area – They actually have a sale going on today in West Virginia – so there is still time!

Charleston, WV: July 11 at 10 AM, Marriott Charleston Town Center (Power Hour)
Syracuse, NY: July 16 at 6 PM, Renaissance Syracuse Hotel
Dallas, TX: July 23 at 10 AM, Hilton Arlington (Power Hours)
Jacksonville, FL: July 23 at 6 PM, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront
San Antonio, TX: July 31 at 10 AM, JW Marriott San Antonio (Power Hours)

Tulsa, OK: August 6 at 10 AM, The Mayo Hotel (Power Hours)
St. Louis, MO: August 14 at 10 AM, St. Louis Union Station Marriott (Power Hours)
Kansas City, MO: August 19 at 6 PM, Evergreen Events in Paola
Pittsburgh, PA: August 20 at 6 PM, The Fez Banquet and Events Center
Ft. Lauderdale, FL: August 28 at 11 AM, Hilton Deerfield Beach (VIP Champagne Brunch)

Click on the photo to get to the post on the EBW Blog to make a comment and win!

Don’t forget to sign up for the Creative Custom Card Box Giveaway on the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Blog! The box was featured in my editor’s pick section!

WIN IT!

Click here to learn how to win it for your wedding!  We will choose the winner on the 5th!

Good Luck!
Katie Martin

The Eberjey chemise that we featured in the Spring 2010 issue of Eco-Beautiful Weddings is being given away on the EBW blog!  Perfect for your honeymoon!

Click here to go to the blog and win!