17 Eco-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Your Big Day

Apr 07, 2015

If you're planning on walking down the aisle anytime soon, you know how stressful and potentially expensive it can be. Even beyond the dollars and cents, all those items and operations add up to quite a bit of waste. So on your big day of love, show the earth some TLC by doing things the eco-friendly way. If you're not sure where to start, we've got some awesome tips and DIYs below to help get you started.

1. Send Seed Paper Save the Dates: Instead of purchasing regular save the date cards, buy seeded paper invites. They’re usually recycled, plus all your guests get a little bonus bloom. (via DIY Network)

2. Or Send eCards: Cut down on paper (and cost) drastically by forgoing traditional wedding invitations in favor of evites. With such a wide variety of graphic styles available, you’re certain to find one that still matches your dream theme. (via Paperless Post)

3. Sign Up With a Green Registry: When registering for your gorgeous home decor, try to pick a store (or items) that were made sustainably. (via Green Bride Guide)

4. Purchase an Eco-Friendly Gown: You should never have to sacrifice for your perfect dress, but with all the eco-friendly styles available, you won’t have to. (via Dress for the Wedding)

5. Tighten Your Guest Count: The biggest way to cut down on waste at your wedding is by chopping that guest list in half. It may not be easy, but you’ll save on everything from food to chairs when you’re able to avoid inviting your fourth cousins and their boyfriends. (via Intimate Weddings)

6. Find All-Natural Cosmetics: We may not consider it, but all that makeup we put on (in our daily routine and on our big day) can really soak into our skin. That’s why it’s best to use all-natural beauty products so you glow from the inside out. (via Organic Beauty Blogger)

7. Use Washable Dishware: Instead of throwing away plastic forks and paper knives, invest (or rent) some dinnerware you can wash. Bonus points if you give everyone their own Mason jar to use for drinks throughout the whole night. (via Colin Cowie Weddings)

8. Hire a Local Caterer: Local caterers will emit less waste traveling to your destination and may be more likely to serve local, organic food items (if not, try requesting it). Plus, when you shop local, it’s helping your entire community . (via Wedding Chicks)

9. Make a Paperless Menu: There are tons of great ways to showcase your menu that don’t involve cardstock. So whip out a vintage window or wood pallet and craft a menu made with love. (via Dove Wedding Photography)

10. Hire a Local Florist: Not only are local florists easy to access, they also usually grow toxin-free, seasonal flowers. This means less time, money and energy spent delivering exotic flowers from Peru to your hometown. (via Style Me Pretty)

11. Reuse Ceremony Flowers: All those gorgeous decorations that adorn the aisle at your ceremony? Don’t let them go to waste. Ask your florist to reuse them for centerpieces or other decor at your venue. (via Mod Wedding)

12. Decorate With Mason Jars: Instead of purchasing ridiculous use-once vases, borrow vintage or Mason jars from family and friends. Not only is this eco-friendly, it adds an extra layer of love and family history to your perfect day. (via Knotsvilla)

13. Make Paperless Escort Cards: Another cool way to cut out paper? Make escort cards that are all-natural and biodegradable. (via Southern Weddings)

14. Throw Bird Seed: Instead of having your guests throw confetti in celebration, have them throw bird seed. It's a quirky, unique way of celebrating that includes no necessary cleanup (as long as you're outside). (via Shea Christine Photography)

15. Gift a Plant: Instead of gifting a plastic doodad with your new last name on it, how about giving your guests a plant to take home? It’s the gift that gives year-round. (via Intimate Weddings)

16. Give an Edible Favor: If you’re not a plant person, you can always offer guests an edible gift. It’s something that they will consume and, if you’re feeling extra motivated, it could be something you made yourself! (via Loverly)

17. Arrange a Tree Planting Ceremony: Planting a tree isn’t just a beautiful addition to the environment, it’s a beautiful symbol of the growth of your relationship. So. Much. Love. (via Professional Celebrants)

Would you go green for your wedding? Any ideas we missed? Let’s chat in the comments below!

15 Stylish Fall Wedding Decor Finds We Spotted on Etsy for Under $100

When it comes to your fall nuptials, cooler temps and dusty colors are the order of the day. But there's no reason to spend all of your hard-earned money on wedding decor, especially when you still have a wedding dress to buy. Wedding trends right now are all about making a statement, so we rounded up 15 stylish Etsy finds to help you get the look for your autumn celebration while staying on budget.

Tiered Cake Pick in Fall Colors ($28+)

This fall-ready cake pick is made with a mix of dried and artificial flowers that includes grass, wildflowers, herbs, eucalyptus, and lavender.

Lighted Mason Jar Centerpiece ($19+)

Each of these quart-size mason jar lights includes a set of LED fairy lights, a beige sunflower with coordinating flowers, and a jute bow

Fall Wedding Pumpkin Cake Topper ($21)

Say hello to two of the most darling little pumpkins you will ever lay eyes on.

Cake to the Top Fall in Love Banner ($13)

Gold and on-trend, this adorable banner is perfect for hanging over your sweetheart table. Another idea? Hang it as part of a photo booth where guests can cake photos.

Little Pumpkin Balloon Garland Kit ($32+)

This pumpkin balloon DIY kit includes an assortment of balloons, a strip to make the garland, glue dots, and instructions (both written and video).

Earth Entwine Macrame Wedding Cake Decor ($38)

Having a fall wedding means you can go as earthy as you want. This macrame wedding cake decor looks fab and will add boho vibes to your big day.

Magpie Linens Burgundy Velvet Table Runner ($26+)

This beautiful and luxurious burgundy velvet table runner will take your reception tables to the next level. Pair it with moody blooms for a classy autumn affair.

Bloom Bar Floral Design Deluxe Dried Flower Posie Bouquet ($17+)

Fall kicks off with Virgo season, and nothing represents the maiden like dried sheaths of wheat, flowers, and grasses. These gorgeous dried bouquets are perfect for using in tablescapes, groomsmen's pockets, favors, or anywhere else you need an elegant autumn touch.

Large Velvet Pumpkins, Set of 3 ($40, was $50)

This handmade set of lush velvet pumpkins has three pillows in rust, gold, and olive. Each one measures 6 x 3 inches (plus, the 4-inch tall stem).

Eucca Hair Comb ($45)

Ditching the veil for a non-traditional hair accessory? This lovely comb puts a trendy twist on your look. It's made with real preserved and dried flowers so it's sure to last months — or even years!

Sheila Weil Studios Wool Felted Acorns ($21)

These ADORABLE felt acorns make for the perfect autumn detail. Your can scatter them across your table, decorate with them, or give them as favors.

Eucca Succulent Boutonnieres ($13)

Let your S.O. embrace the theme of your seasonal wedding with these assorted succulent boutonnieres. They're made with dried blooms, berries, lavender, and textural elements. And the best part? You can plant these cuties afterward!

Emma's Attic Store Terracotta Boho Wedding Cheesecloth Tablerunner ($6+)

Line your tables, drape your displays, and wrap your silverware in this beautiful boho cheesecloth. This material isn't just on trend, it's both rustic and elevated.

Personalized Skeleton Wedding Cake Topper ($60)

Get you initials monogrammed on this Halloween-ready wedding cake topper featuring bride and groom skeletons.

Gold Pumpkin Place Card Holder with DIY Place Cards ($31)

This set of 12 gold resin place-card holders come with coordinating blank place cards.

Which item is your fave? Tell us over @BritandCo!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

10 Ways Your Home Office Design Is Killing Your Productivity

I've been working from home since long before it became the norm. And my "office" has evolved from a spindled-back chair at the kitchen table to an airy home office with a view. Back then, my productivity took a hit without essentials like adequate storage space, comfortable seating, and a bit of privacy. While it has its perks, working from home comes with its fair share of challenges; your home office setup doesn't need to be one of them.

Here are 10 ways to redesign your home office for better productivity!

Caio

1. Bad Lighting

Dim or harsh overhead lighting can strain your eyes and limit your focus. Try to get close to a window for natural light or use daylight bulbs to mimic sunlight to boost your mood, creativity, and focus. Find a desk lamp that works for you too!

Ella Jardim

2. Clutter Everywhere

A cluttered desk equals a cluttered mind, IMO. Reduce the stress that comes with a disorganized and cluttered desk by bringing in shelves and organizers; finding sleek cable-management solutions; and removing any unnecessary items to reduce visual distractions.

Vlada Karpovich

3. Uncomfortable Furniture

If you're sitting most of the day, it's so important to invest in a good desk chair. An unsupportive chair or poorly sized desk can be uncomfortable, making it harder to stay focused for long periods of time. Your back will thank you!

Ketut Subiyanto

4. No Boundaries Between Work and Home

Distractions at home like kids and partners can kill your productivity. Avoid blurring the line between work and home life by designating a private space, separate from high-traffic spaces, for your work hours if you can. Use rugs, curtains, or acoustic panels to reduce noise too.

Mizuno K

5. Lack of Storage

I get it, they're not the best-looking pieces in your home, but without proper filing systems you’ll waste time hunting for important documents or supplies. Invest in modern storage options that look good too from Mustard Made and The Container Store.

Vlada Karpovich

6. Unoptimized Tech Setup

Slow Internet or outdated tech tools can make you feel totally frustrated and can slow down your productivity. Upgrade your Internet to a faster connection, and refresh your tech gadgets and programs to make sure you work more efficiently.

Ivan Samkov

7. Awkward Desk Placement

Placing your desk in a spot with too much noise, traffic, or distractions — like facing a TV — will guarantee to disrupt your concentration. Find a more zen spot where you can focus on the tasks of the day.

Anna Shvets

8. Ignoring Ergonomics

Check your monitor height, keyboard positioning, and add a wrist rest so you don't lead to feeling uncomfortable and fatigued, cutting your workday short.

Mikhail Nilov

9. Lack of Personalization

A sterile, uninspiring office design does your motivation and creativity no favors. Make work feel less like a chore by adding personal touches through artwork, personal photos, candles, some fresh flowers or plants. Greenery can improve air quality and actually reduce work stress. Add a little snack station for quick energy boosts and keep water handy. Also, your Zoom backgrounds should reflect your personality!

Serpstat

10. No Inspiration

No matter what you do — whether it's a creative work or something more analytical — you want to feel inspired. Personalization can help, but dive into vision boards, books, magazines, quotes that inspire your work and help you bring fresh ideas to your workday. Color psychology can help too: blues and greens encourage focus and reduce stress while pops of yellow or orange can spark creativity! Break out the paint if needed!

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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

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10 Romantic Wedding Florals You Can DIY — Yes, Really!

As a bride, planning your wedding florals, your dress, and your cake (to name a few) can be magical and hectic in equal measure. We bet your budget is stretched thin! But never fear: Your DIY floral skills are going to pay off for you big time. We’ve rounded up beautiful, doable (really!) arrangements using both real and faux flowers that you or your crafty friends and family can do before the big day. The payoff: beautiful, cost-effective flowers that come out exactly the way you want.

DIY Floral Centerpiece

Statement centerpieces for every table can be a sinkhole for your budget. Cut out the middleman and assemble this graceful arrangement in minutes using faux blooms that you don’t have to worry about drooping before the dancing starts. (via Afloral)

Naked Cake With Flower Topper

This Pinterest-perfect cake is easy to assemble yourself, and a budget-friendly alternative to the fondant masterpieces at the bakery. Make this smaller display cake for photos and the ceremonial cutting, and serve sheet cake to your guests — no one will be any the wiser. (via Brit + Co)

DIY Hanging Flower Installation

Is your dream venue a bit of a blank slate, decor-wise? Suspend this colorful element to create a magical canopy of color and texture. (via Sugar & Cloth)

Geometric Floral Mobiles

No obvious altar in your amazing loft space? Create one in situ with these hanging metallic mobiles adorned with pretty flowers. They’ll frame your ceremony space, then add color to your gift table or bar. (via Brit + Co)

Ultra Violet Bouquet

The best part about this vivid DIY is the instructions apply to making an eye-catching bouquet in any color of the rainbow. (via Ruffled Blog)

DIY Boutonnieres

Give your groomsmen a punchy pop of color with these cheery boutonnieres. The sunny yellow color couldn’t be more perfect for a spring event! (via Paper & Stitch)

Succulent Flower Crown

Ditching the veil for a flower crown? This lovely version puts a trendy twist on the form with succulents, but the basic technique is one you can use with your favorite blooms. (via Brit + Co)

DIY Floral Photo Backdrop

This tropical stunner will make your photobooth pics the best on the ‘Gram. And by using a pegboard, you’ll have no trouble getting it to and from the venue. (via Lovely Indeed)

Hanging Floral Chandelier

Set the head table apart with this magnificent chandelier and give your wedding the wild romantic garden feel you’ve been dreaming about. (And yes, this is DIY-able, we promise!). (via We Are Scout)

Floral Hair Comb

Want that boho look but not ready to commit to a full-on flower crown? These smaller, more delicate hairpieces are easy to incorporate into your updo. (via Brit + Co)

Follow us on Pinterest for more DIY wedding inspo, and tons o’ tutorials!

This post has been updated.

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Spencer Pratt & Heidi Montag Break Down In Tears About “Life Changing” Public Support After $2.5 Million Home Burned Down

The world watched as the devastating L.A. fires swept away home after home last week — including reality TV icons Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt's. To say it was heartbreaking for the L.A. community would be a gross understatement, and these two have been very open about the toll it's taken on their family. In an interview with Good Morning America, the couple opened up to share about their experience — and share the incredible way friends and fans have come together to support them.

Looking for ways to help L.A. after the devastating fires? Here's a very helpful list of resources you can donate to!

Here's how fans are helping Spencer Pratt & Heidi Montag after the L.A. fires

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- YouTube

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt joined Good Morning Americaon January 15, 2025 to talk about how the L.A. fires continue to impact them. The couple shared what it was like having to quickly leave their home in a moment's notice. Heidi explained that Spencer told her to grab anything she wanted to keep, so she ended up grabbing her kids' teddy bears because she was so flustered.

When their $2.5 million home actually caught fire, Spencer got choked up talking about watching their kids' rooms burn on their cameras. He said, "Our son’s bed started just burning in the shape of a heart. The fire started in the shape of a heart. I was like, ‘This is like, out of body insane.’"

Outside of that, the couple detailed the loss beyond the material items of it all. Spencer opened up about the memories lost throughout it all, too. He said, “I feel like a ghost. I don’t have a single photo now from before an iPhone existed. I don’t have any of the dumb little things that are on your shelves in your parents’ they’re all gone. Not a single nothing.”

And to Heidi, their home was more than a physical place to live. She shared, “It’s a place that you love that you live, it’s a refuge from the world. And to have that be gone, it’s a really difficult concept to continue to daily deal with."

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

In the midst of the devastation, fans and friends have banded together to support Heidi and Spencer in a really unique way. After Spencer posted on TikTok that people should stream Heidi's 2010 album Superficial, so they can generate revenue to rebuild their lives with, people took that and ran with it. The song eventually hit #1 on iTunes, and Spencer even shared that there's potential for it to hit Billboard's Hot 100 Dance Chart, too.

And it's not just fans blasting this throwback song. Friends and fellow celebrities like Paris Hilton and Flava Flav both posted the song on TikTok. Plus, former The Hills co-stars shared the song as well, including Brody Jenner, Kristin Cavallari, and Audrina Patridge.

Heidi said, “The fan support has been such a light in such a darkness for us. It’s life-changing.”

We're sending love to Heidi and Spencer — and all the families impacted by the terrible L.A. fires this year.

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OMG, Netflix Just Confirmed The ‘You’ Season 5 Release Date (With New Video)

Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) is back for another season of snooping and stalking in New York City, and thanks to the new You season 5 teaser, we know exactly when this new TV show is returning. In addition to showing us characters from the past like Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail), Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), and Marienne Bellamy (Tati Gabrielle), Joe straight-up says goodbye to the one person who's always been there: you. Yep, Netflix went there.

“Every season they manage to find new space to make it interesting and relevant,” Penn Badgley told Tudum. “And this season, I think somehow coming back to where it started allowed for it to just become grounded in the way that it needs to also have this kind of spectacular finish.”

Here's a breakdown of that brand new You season 5 teaser.

"Hello, you. Do you remember me? Cause I remember you," Joe asks in the You season 5 teaser, over shots of New York City and Mooney's Books. "Here we are together again, back to where it began."

"A lot has happened these many years together," he continues. "Identities, cities, loves, complications." The trailer is a walk down memory lane for viewers and for Joe as he remembers Beck, Love, and Marienne — and locking them up. Plus some fights and escapes he made along the way.

"All that led me here to now, to where I as always meant to be," he says. "And the one constant, the one thing that has always been there for me, is you. You who have been there the whole time and will be there with me to the end. Goodbye, you."

Okay, this is totally giving me Black Mirror, metaverse vibes, especially since Joe's in his creepy underground bunker with all that blue lighting. I have chills down my spine just watching this!

Is season 5 of You coming out?

Yes, You season 5 is dropping on Netflix April 24, 2025.

We've been waiting for new episodes since season 4 premiered in 2023, but the writers and stars have been planning Joe's ending for much longer. "We have some ideas that we've been talking about pretty much from the beginning," Sera Gamble told EW when she was showrunner in 2023. "It's really the debate about what kind of justice would be fair and appropriate for a guy like Joe. And then do we believe that he would get that kind of punishment? My short answer is like, maybe not from the American system. But there might be other ways. So that's the stuff we're talking about."

But whatever these writers and directors have up their sleeves, Penn Badgley promises You season 5 will come to a "perfect" conclusion. “I would love for people to just be like, ‘Wow, it’s over and I feel good and I don’t want to watch it again,'" he told Harper's Bazaarin March of 2023. And honestly, a perfect ending is all TV fans can hope for these days, right?

Who's in the You season 5 cast?

The final season of You stars Penn Badgley, Madeline Brewer, Anna Camp, Charlotte Richie, and Griffin Matthews.

Are you excited for the final season of You? I cannot wait to see the way Penn Badgley and Netflix bring the show to a close. Follow us on Facebook for the latest You season 5 news — and updates on all your favorite TV shows!

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