Wedding planning the fair-trade way

We've posted a separate blog entry with ideas for fair-trade gifts for wedding guests to bring. Wedding planners (whether professional, or members of the wedding party) can continue the theme of a fair-trade wedding by providing gifts and accessories for the bride's attendants that reflect the couple's commitment to cooperation and justice.

Bridesmaids can adorn themselves with tagua-nut bracelets as part of the wedding's color scheme, at the reception, or later as a memory of the big event.  We carry a variety of colors and styles on our World of Good website. Tagua is made from the nut of a Colombian palm tree that is dried and dyed. Farmers who sell tagua now earn enough to stop growing coca leaf for the cocaine trade. Brides should know their gifts to the wedding party not only commemorate their day, but bring economic freedom to Colombian families.

Our Nepali beaded bracelet also comes in a variety of palettes, should the bride wish to coordinate accessories with her attendants' gowns. Brought to market by a fair-trade wholesaler who is a former Peace Corps member, these bracelets are fashioned by women who are earning money to send their daughters to school.
Our World of Good earring selection features price points ranging from under $20 (Kenyan recycled metals)  to over $40 (intricate Guatemalan beadwork). Our web site features an even greater selection.

At the reception, your guests find their table strewn with a variety of our Kenyan hearts. These hearts are carved out of soapstone from the Kissi district of western Kenya. Dyed and batiked in Nairobi, they are a cheerful and affordable table favor.

The bride's attendants will look extra-spectacular. The guests will be charmed by their favors. The wedding will be part of the fair-trade movement. And the day will be even more meaningful than before.