During the planning process registering for wedding gifts is something most couples do together. It can be a really fun and enjoyable experience but it can also lead to a lot of uncertainty.  Questions inevitably start to arise:

How many place settings do we need?

Do we register for something we already have?

Is this gift too expensive to register for? 

How do we tell people where we are registered? 

These questions and many more typically come up and of course, Martha has the answer :).  Martha Stewart Weddings has the Do's and Don'ts to registering that I highly recommend you check out here. 

Finally, some green tips for registering from Emerald Weddings:  Don't register for things you already have that work perfectly well, don't register for things just because it's "the norm" and don't register for things you don't need or will never use...DO HAVE FUN! :)

Image courtsey of Martha Stewart Weddings

Hey Seattle, tonight is Crave Green! Crave Green is a eco-friendly party hosted by several local Seattle businesses. You can shop sustainable products, get an organic facial and sip on some organic wine!  The proceeds will support the Women's Funding Alliance.  Find out more details on the event here.  Will any of you be attending? 

I love Seattle, where else can you green your haircut in honor of Earth Day?  The Gary Manuel Aveda Institute on first avenue is offering $25 hair cuts or wax (suggested donation amounts) TODAY to raise funds for the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.  The Puget Sound Keeper Alliance is a local nonprofit dedicated to keeping our waters clean by stopping pollution from entering the Puget Sound.  If you are looking for a pre wedding cut or just need a haircut or a wax head on down there!

With Valentine's day coming up this weekend I thought it would be great to share some ideas on how to green your Valentine's day.  While Valentine's day is a widely commercial holiday, with decorations and chocolate heart candy boxes displayed immediately after Christmas it is also a great day to celebrate your relationship with minimal impact to the environment. 

Some stats: According to the American Greetings Corporation, Valentine's day is the second largest card sending holiday of the year with over a billion valentines being sent globally.  In addition, over 36 million heart shaped chocolate boxes are sold each year.  Green Living Tips estimates that a billion cards laid out across the world would stretch around the world 5 times!  That seems like a lot of trees to cut down for a card you will read only a few times and most likely throw away within a week or two.

What you can do:

• Make dinner at home using locally grown food and celebrate with local wine
• Ask your fiance to buy you a potted plant or house plant instead of cut flowers
  
• Buy fair-trade or organic chocolate instead
• Send an e-card! (They have some great designs)
• Do something together instead of buying each other a gift.  Get a massage, go wine tasting together, book a night at a local hotel, go see a play or turn off your phones, TV, internet etc and just enjoy one another!
  

Image courtesy of Alex Original Handbags

Monica and I have been following the search for an eco-model closely through Project Green Search  on our blog for awhile.  (You may remember these postings back in August and again in October). We are proud to inform you that a winner has been selected!  Rachel Avalon from Los Angeles is the new eco-model and according to ecorazzi  she will be appearing in Organic Spa Magazine, Coco Eco Magazine, Peppermint Magazine and more. You can read about her bio here and watch her video on eco-friendly wrapping here.  Congratulations Rachel!  We can't wait to hear more about your ideas for a greener future!

Images courtsey of Project Green Search