Short on holiday gift ideas? Give a gift that keeps on giving – eco-friendly gifts! Great for friends, family, and the environment.
WeWood
Go stylish, practical and green with a wooden watch. These beautiful pieces are made with 100% natural wood, look great on men and women alike, and they even plant a tree for every watch you purchase!
Red Envelope Herb Garden
For the chef, give the gift that lets them be as sustainable and local as possible – by growing their own herbs. They’ll love the freshness of something grown right at home and that they can contribute to sustainability!
Toys for Kids
We’re always so impressed by how much Etsy has to offer. Etsy sellers have got hundreds of eco-friendly gifts for kids, like this wooden plane made only from natural materials. See how creative those sellers get right here.
Custom Tree Slices
From another Etsy seller, this gift is inspired by the primitive art of tree carving. No chemicals or synthetic materials are involved. Perfect for your outdoorsy friend.
The holiday season is all about giving – now you can give back to the environment, too!
The SmartBride series continues!  Last week, SmartBride Boutique offered advice on selling a wedding dress, and they’re back this week with advice on buying a used dress!  Many brides-to-be want to look fabulous on their big day without impacting the environment. A used wedding dress is the perfect solution to extend the life of a once worn item and save money. Pay less than retail cost for your wedding dress without sacrificing style or the environment. With these 5 Tips on how to buy a used wedding dress, you can have your cake and eat it too!
Anjolique 2053 Wedding Dress available on SmartBride Boutique. Photo by Jamyes Van Hees.
Tip #1:Â A Clean Dress is Best
Look for dresses that have already been cleaned, so that you know if there are any permanent stains and whether or not they will be visible on your wedding day. This way you won’t have to pay a potentially costly dry cleaning bill.
Tip #2:Â Shop Local
By shopping locally you can inspect the dress closely for stains and damage from insects or improper care. Be sure to treat going to an individual seller’s home the way you would if you were visiting a bridal boutique. Bring a friend or your mom with you so you can get an honest opinion from someone who wants to make sure you look and feel fabulous on your wedding day.
Tip #3: Ask About Alterations
Keep in mind that alterations can completely change the fit of a gown and that some alterations are reversible while others are not. Be sure to get the name and number of the seamstress who did the initial alterations because she will know the dress inside and out. In fact, it might be a good idea to call her with questions before you buy the dress.
Tip #4: Do Your Research
If you’re buying a designer or brand name gown, ask the seller to provide you with a style number so you can reference the manufacturer’s website. Visit bridal boutiques to find out the average cost of the designer dresses you’re searching for online. Generally, if you’re buying a dress that is less than one year old, has not been damaged, and has only been worn once, you should pay no more than 50% of the original retail cost for the dress.
Tip #5: Be Ready to Negotiate
Are you willing to pay the seller’s original asking price if the dress is exactly as the seller described and it’s the perfect dress for you? Or do you have a lower price in mind based on your research and budget? Be prepared to negotiate, but remain fair with the seller so both of you can be happy with the sale.
Check back next week for 5 common mistakes made when wedding dress shopping!
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Leah Andrew and Andrea Lown run SmartBrideBoutique.com, a premium wedding classifieds website where brides can buy, sell and save on wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, décor and accessories. Recent brides sell new and used wedding items to recover 50% of their costs. Brides-to-be shop new and used wedding items to save 30% to 70% off retail! Smart Brides can have their cake and eat it too! Connect with SmartBride on Twitter and Facebook.
December already?! Â We’ve got an exciting treat for this winter month – a month of SmartBride Boutique guest posts. That’s right, every Friday of this month, we’ll be featuring a post from SmartBride with tips on buying and selling wedding dresses. Â This first expert piece of the series? Â How to sell your wedding dress (and other wedding items) online!
Mikaella 1513 Wedding Dress for sale on SmartBride Boutique
By selling your wedding dress, wedding accessories and wedding décor items online, you can:
Not sure how to get started? Here are 7 tips to help you sell your wedding dress:
1. There’s no time like the present! Post your dress for sale as soon after your wedding as possible. You’re not going to wear it again, so why leave it hanging in your closet? Used dresses continue to hold their resale value for roughly 2 – 3 years after they’re purchased and worn (depending on the style) but generally sell for the most money within the first year.
2. Price it Right. Many recently married brides wonder what exactly to sell their dress for. Here’s what we recommend as a pricing guideline:
3. Use a Fabulous Photo. Buyers will want to see your dress looking its best, so be sure to use photos that show off the potential of your dress. After all, it could a potential buyer’s dream wedding dress!
When selling your dress online it’s best to include:
Posting less than stellar photos (i.e. on a hanger, a badly lit photo etc.) or no photo at all, will make it more difficult for the potential buyer to visualize the dress and could hurt your chances of selling your dress.
4. Be Specific
5. List any Alterations It’s important to be up-front about the condition of your dress. Describe any alterations that were made and specify whether or not they’re reversible.
For example, the original dress might have been a size 10, but if it was altered to fit a size 8, buyers need to know. Let brides-to-be know of any damage to the dress such as stains, tears or runs. Be honest and you won’t waste your time or their time.
6. Get it Cleaned. It’s important to clean your dress right away. A clean dress communicates to the buyer that you have cared for and loved your dress, and presents better.
7. Be Prepared to Sell! Once your dress is posted with great pictures and all the details, ensure both you and your home are ready to show the dress to potential buyers.
3 easy steps to prepare for the sale:
Stay tuned next week for tips on buying your wedding dress!
Leah Andrew and Andrea Lown run SmartBrideBoutique.com, a premium wedding classifieds website where brides can buy, sell and save on wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, décor and accessories. Recent brides sell new and used wedding items to recover 50% of their costs. Brides-to-be shop new and used wedding items to save 30% to 70% off retail! Smart Brides can have their cake and eat it too! Connect with SmartBride on Twitter and Facebook.
These days, it’s all about living an eco-friendly lifestyle! If you already recycle, buy local and drive less, then you’re doing a great job! But how can you extend practices that are good for the planet to all aspects of your life? Well, when it comes time to get away for special occasions, you can extend that green consciousness to your travels! Karen Avery, owner and general manager of Box Canyon Lodge and Hot Springs in Ouray, Colorado, is here to tell us how!
If green travel brings to mind tree houses and outhouses, relax. You don’t need to sacrifice creature comforts to travel eco-consciously.  Many hotels, lodges and resorts are making great strides to preserve and protect the environment. In planning your trip, you can make a point to seek out unique lodging properties that make “green” part of everyday business.
Here in southwestern Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, it’s easier than you think. The Box Canyon Lodge has taken some important green initiatives already.  Look for initiatives like these – even in smaller, independent lodging properties – when researching and booking your trip, to make you – and the earth – even happier.
Conscious travelers can find many ways to plan a trip that maximizes positive environmental impact. When planning a vacation for someone committed to protecting the environment, paying attention to just a few of these tips can go a long way in creating the perfect trip as well as preserving the destination you’ll visit. Green travel can be easier than you think – no matter what your shade of green.
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Karen Avery is the owner and general manager of Box Canyon Lodge and Hot Springs in Ouray, Colo., in the state’s southwestern San Juan Mountains. Recognized as one of the “Best of the West” by Sunset magazine, Box Canyon Lodge and Hot Springs has earned a four-key rating from Green Key, the national eco-rating program, and has earned Green America’s “Green Business” seal of approval.  Karen can be reached at 970-325-4981 or by email. Find Box Canyon Lodge and Hot Springs at their website, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
Congratulations to Courtney and Chad DeVoe, the first ever winners of the Most Creative DAG Shower Promotion!
When Courtney and Chad decided to begin their lives together, they knew they wanted to do something different. They wanted to bring their love of nature and sustainability into all aspects of their union, and that’s exactly what they did!
From their Registry Note to Guests:
Because we believe in living life safely, healthily, and sustainably, we are going to build an earthship together as our new home. Learn more about earthships here.
Instead of registering for the typical linens and dishware, the newlyweds registered for all the materials needed to build their earthship. And instead of the typical shower, they had a ‘Barn Raising Shower’ and invited all of their guests to come help them build their new home together. The guests had an incredible time helping this young couple and at the end of the day, something big had been accomplished!
Check out some of the great photos here:
We’re so impressed by Chad and Courtney’s dedication to something so important to them! It’s great to see it shine through on their registry and shower.  But Courtney really phrases it best:
At the end of the day we had accomplished so much, and people even came back the next day!  Thank you DAG for a memorable shower and the means to make it happen!  I’ll never forget getting a sledgehammer as a wedding shower gift!
And thanks to our Most Creative Shower Contest, they’ve got an extra $50 wedding present from Deposit a Gift! You can enter the contest too – one winner every calendar month. Happy planning!
Be sure to tune in tomorrow, when we sit down with Courtney to get all details on their amazing creative shower!
