Eco-Weddings by VERT

Green wedding planning just got a heck of a lot easier.  Created by Meghan Meyers, WedVert, the leading green wedding destination online, teamed up with designers in a range of fields to create a stunning (and exhaustive) wedding collection called VERT.

At their New York launch party, VERT featured a product showcase of Yoko Chapman carbon neutral stationery (with complimentary Sweet Impression vegan cookies), Gardenia Organic fair trade floral bouquets and Fernando Jewelry recycled gold, conflict free rings.  The fashion show, emceed by Starre Vartan, author of “The Eco Chick Guide to Life: How to Be Fabulously Green,” featured designers such as Jessica Iverson and her collection of eco-couture wedding dresses.

Preston Bailey, beloved event designer to the stars (think opulent affairs for Oprah, Joan Rivers, and Donald Trump), was the unlikely guest speaker at this green gathering. But, his honest, from-the-heart detailing of his baby steps toward green which started with a project that required him to consider sustainability, was inspiration for brides and planners alike.

The venue host for the night was The New York Academy of Sciences, a LEED-certified building and, in my opinion, an often overlooked location for chic, eco-weddings,

For the final kicker, VERT’s, “Go Green, Save Green,” promise means you can introduce sustainability into your events without going broke.  Their site is full of easy planning tips for saving money for the budget bride.  So, sorry kids, but no more excuses – time to introduce some green into that white wedding.

Contributing green writer Danielle Venokur is the founder of dvGreen, a sustainable event design  and production firm.  She hosts The Green Party on MNN.com, and has  been featured in GOTHAM, The Knot, Treehugger, Vogue, and Modern Bride as one of their 25 Trendsetters of 2008.

PHOTO CREDIT:  David Lindner