Green weddings abound

In case you haven't noticed, it's wedding season. Pretty hard to miss. For most of us, every other weekend is chock full of engagement parties, wedding showers or the ceremonies themselves. I love a good wedding, but in the age of "green living" and an economic depression, it makes you think, hmm perhaps there's a more earth-friendly way to go about the whole excess of it all? Enter people like Adele Wechsler. The Toronto-based wedding designer, originally from South Africa, is one of the top green gown designers in the industry. I know what you're thinking. Hemp sacks and earthy appliques. Worry not. Wechsler's gowns are surprisingly non-eco looking, though they are hand sewn in her Toronto studio, made with organic hemp and silk blend fabrics, vegetable-dyed, and use recycled lace. She even has recycled lace garters- that are sweet and not one bit earth mother style. Her line is "for the bride who cares about the world in which she lives." Sorry Speidi, you aren't her preferred clientele. She has an Eco Couture Bridal Collection and also employs South African women through fair trade to sew the beading for her Hello Africa collection of gowns. They look and feel gorgeous, so if you're heading down the aisle and looking for a luxurious and green alternative, Wechsler's a good place to start. Her dresses range from $2,300 to $3,000. –Kate Daley