Looking for an unusual wedding banquet? I may have found the answer for you- Marije Vogelzang and her food laboratory.

While contemplating the greater joys of food, I remembered hearing Marije Vogelzang speak at the annual PopTech conference last year. This amazing designer has created her own genre for food as art: Eating Design. After studying product design and worried about the wasteful use of materials, this Dutch designer turned to food. Viewing food as already perfectly designed by nature, she began focusing on creating unique and meaningful eating experiences.

Vogelzang’s edible art projects take on many forms, including installations, performance, and event catering. In every case, she explores cultural preconceptions of food, and attempts to change prior experiences or associations with what’s being eaten. At one catering venue for a large holiday dinner party, the designer took the tablecloth and hung the sides up instead of down, creating slits so diners were encompassed in this tent-like construction, transforming the relationship of the eaters to one another and to their food.

Color often becomes a prominent focus in Vogelzang’s work. In a project working with kids and their food perceptions, she arranged a series of healthy snacks according to color, and each color was associated with a feeling or meaning, such as red=energy or yellow=friends. Children then chose their snacks based on a desire for “happiness” or “energy” as opposed to the food itself, thereby removing their previous hesitancy or negativity toward healthy foods.

Other works include spoons made of sugar that melt into your coffee, candy “guns” that are meant to raise awareness that sugar is bad for you, and garden cress grown on clothing that can be used to garnish cocktails.

The post Food as Art, and the Design of Eating appeared first on EcoSalon.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Victoria Everman.

Having a sustainable wedding is as easy as locally-grown, organic pie. In the midst of planning my own event, I’ve found that being planet- and money-conscious is not only feasible – it is fun.

It is so easy to get overwhelmed by the wide world of weddings that you might forget about your green goals. Even I’m guilty of it. That’s where my eco-wedding blog comes in, where I catalog my visual inspirations and favorite sustainable wedding companies.

Ready to save some time and a nice chunk of change? Just check out my list of eco-conscious wedding-related companies and creative ideas that are a click away!

Ink and Wit

There are a number of wonderful eco-friendly wedding invitation companies out there, but Tara Hogan’s Ink+Wit has a special place in my heart. I’ve been a long-time fan of her letterpress art and stationary, so when the time came to began planning my own wedding, I knew she was the designer for me.

Just recently, Tara launched a pre-designed line of wedding invitations that can be easily customized and come in any Pantone color you can imagine. Working with her on my custom invitations has been a fantastic collaborative process; I couldn’t ask for anything better.

Earthly Affair

For those who like more traditional invitation designs, Jen Stambolsky’s Earthly Affair collections are just the thing. With
18 designs to choose from, you can choose the type and colors on all the styles. Though she doesn’t do custom work, she does stick firmly to her sustainable manifesto. A small, eco-friendly, affordable business – Earthly Affair is a triple treat!

Sarah Seven

Choosing a dress is one of the toughest tasks when planning an eco-friendly wedding. For the non-traditional bride, my favorite handmade gowns come from Sarah Seven. Handmade in Portland, Ore. with recycled bustiers and fabrics, Sarah’s designs are mostly above-the-knee, but she will happily customize them to any length (and color) you choose. She has also developed her first bridal line that will make any bride stand out … sustainably.

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com

If you like traditional styles but can’t bring yourself to pay $6,000 for a dress, check out PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com. The site features over 2,000 gowns by any and all major designers you can name, all of which have been either never worn or worn only once. I’ve found over 20 gowns that fit my style, budget, and body. Of course, most gowns will need to be tailored after you receive them, but is a small price to pay compared to how much you can save!

Krikawa Rings

Sustainable rings are another difficult task for a green wedding. There are a number of great companies out there for ethical diamonds and recycled metals, but that is all too traditional for me. Instead, I prefer lab-created color “diamonds” and gems set in palladium – the lesser-known (and more affordable) sibling of platinum. Krikawa Rings specializes in both and makes some beautiful custom bands in varying prices.

Snippet & Ink Budget Tips

Saving money can easily be connected with saving the planet. Snippet & Ink, one of my all-time favorite wedding blogs because of their constant source of inspiration, has a full category of real and idea weddings based on budgets. I’ve found money-saving ideas in their posts that I’ve never seen elsewhere. Inventive and thrifty – that’s a winning combination in my book.

Martha Stewart’s Free Templates

No one can deny the mastery of Martha Stewart and her Weddings magazine is always fantastic. Add a bit of her crafty world to your wedding, thanks to her free downloadable templates. Available in a host of patterns and colors, she offers up options for everything from favor bags and seating cards to centerpieces and thank-you postcards. Who ever said you can’t get anything good for free?

Laurie Cinotto + OnceWed’s DIY Projects

Creatively-endowed or not, you can easily pull off one of Laurie Cinotto’s spectacular DIY wedding projects. Flower arranging, ring pillows, vases, boutonnieres, garlands – there are six pages of simple projects that will create a big impact for your special day. Each project has clear step-by-step instruction and pictures, including an item-by-item cost roundup to help budget. These are not to be missed!

The Small Object Cake Toppers

Be prepared to say awwww, because these cute creations are incredibly swoon-worthy. Handmade by The Small Object’s founder, Sarah Neuburger, these wooden cake toppers are made specifically for each couple and can be customized right down to their wardrobe and flower colors. Sarah recently added cupcake toppers to her list of creations, perfect for anyone with a smaller budget or quirky sense of humor.

Have your own favorite green wedding vendors? Share their website links with us in the comments section.

Victoria Everman is an eco writer, consultant, model, photographer, crafter and yogi. You can check out her process of planning a local,
eco-friendly, independent wedding at Planning an Eco-Indie Wedding. For more eco inspirations, visit her main blog at victoria-e.com.

Images: Fevi in Cayman, Victoria Everman

The post Guest Post: Victoria Everman on 9 Eco Wedding Tips appeared first on EcoSalon.