the blog.
Finding My Wedding Dress: No Silk, Please.
If you follow me on instagram you will already know that I have chosen my wedding dress! (cue the squeals) You will also know that the number one biggest struggle in finding my dream dress was the lack of vegan options. Or in other words, the abundance of silk. Not sure why you should care about silkworms and the fabric they make? Neither was I. That was, of course, until I looked into the industry and really thought about what it's doing. And I want to share with you why you may want to rethink that silk blouse or snazzy silk bowtie you've been eyeing.
If you follow me on instagram you will already know that I have chosen my wedding dress! (cue the squeals) You will also know that the number one biggest struggle in finding my dream dress was the lack of vegan options. Or in other words, the abundance of silk. Not sure why you should care about silkworms? Neither was I. That was, of course, until I looked into the industry and really thought about what it's doing. And I want to share with you why you may want to rethink that silk blouse or snazzy silk bowtie you've been eyeing.
WHAT ARE SILKWORMS?
Silkworms are the larva or caterpillar of silk moths, or as they are scientifically classified, Bombyx mori. They are, therefore, young insects. They are also now extinct in the wild, existing only in captivity. They originally lived peacefully in northern China eating mulberry leaves and dreaming of unicorn moths and rainbows (presumably).
HOW IS SILK MADE?
Silk worms are raised on silk farms. The eggs are incubated for 8-10 days until tiny brown larva emerge. The larva are fed exclusively mulberry leaves for approximately a month as they grow from 3mm to 8 cm long and lighten in colour.
The silk worms are then ready to begin their transition from caterpillar to moth, and turn their efforts to weaving a cocoon. They do so using the "silk gland" below their lower lip to produce a sticky substance that hardens into silk thread when in contact with the air. They use this mechanism to form the skeleton of their cocoon, climb in, and finish it around themselves - using as much as 1 km of silk thread in the process. The cocoon goes from start to finish in about 4 days.
The sleeping caterpillar will become a pupa, and in the wild would finish its transition to moth, emerging from its cocoon to live another life. In the current silk industry, however, they are never given this chance. Once the cocoon is completed the pupae will be killed by extreme heat as their cocoons emerged in boiling water. The thread will then be reeled off, treated, and woven into silk fabric.
WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING
Wedding dresses have been made with silk for a very long time. It is viewed as a luxury fabric, and most brides want to feel luxurious on their wedding day. Silk is a beautiful fabric, in look and feel, and it is completely understandable that designers would wish to work with such a fabric to make their designs come to life.
But what can we do if we don't feel comfortable supporting the silk industry and yet want a beautiful gown?
My top tips for any vegan brides out there are as follows:
ONE Do your research.
This is an essential first step...
- Join a local vegan group online or off and ask any recently married women where they found their gown;
- Search online for vegan or eco-friendly designers with shops in your area, and;
- Find bridal boutiques that have a vast array of silk-free options by exploring their website and getting in contact with them to inquire.
The more research you do at the outset, the easier the entire process will go!
TWO Set your budget ahead of time and stick to it.
This isn't vegan specific, but it is VERY important. Just do it! Oh, and set your budget a couple hundred dollars below your max. You WILL need alterations, and they don't come cheap!
THREE Tell them upfront that you won't consider silk.
Once you've found a couple of shops with promising options you'll want to book your appointments. Be sure to tell them in that first communication that you are looking for silk-free gowns ONLY and will not consider buying a dress made with silk. Ask them (nicely!) if they can pull a selection of silk-free gowns or at least be able to point out during your appointment which options are available to you.
I didn't do this myself and very much regretted it, as I spent much of my short appointment time trying to figure out which dresses were and weren't vegan. Do yourself (and your associate) a favour and let them prepare ahead of time!
FOUR Don't be afraid to look into custom or vintage gown options.
If your perfect dress just isn't materializing, perhaps it's time to repurpose or get creative! A custom dress means you can get exactly what your heart desires, including the fabric choice. I seriously considered a custom gown before deciding on my dress, as many of my favourite pieces were just shy of perfect or were (unfortunately) not vegan friendly. A custom dress means every aspect is completely up to you!
Another great option is a vintage dress or a dress passed down in your family! In my opinion, buying a secondhand dress or repurposing one containing silk doesn't make you a "bad vegan". It doesn't contribute to the exploitation of silk worms and is reusing materials which is more eco-friendly, to boot!
If you are shopping in or around Toronto, I would whole-heartedly recommend Sash & Bustle! This is where I found my vegan gown, and they were very accommodating - sending me pictures of the material tags so that I could be triple sure that my top 2 were vegan, helping me find only the silk-free options, and being all-around awesome people.
A WORD ABOUT PEACE OR AHIMSA SILK
Some vegans see peace (or Ahimsa) silk as the perfect option to fulfill all their silk desires. While I will leave you to make up your own decision on this one (and I would love to hear what you think in the comments) I personally do not feel this is a compassionate option. Yes, the pupae are spared and allowed to hatch. But no, it is not a process free of killing. While the moths who emerge from their silk cocoons will be allowed to live and bread millions of their offspring will die, only they will die of starvation and dehydration approximately one day into their lives rather than of heat exposure within their cocoons.
This is the most comprehensive article I have read that expresses my opinion on this topic, I urge you to give it a read!
I know this is a tough one for many people to grasp, and I understand, truly. We don't know if insects can feel pain, and may never be able to determine the truth one way or the other. But what we DO know is that silk worms have just as much right to live out their lives as we do. If their deaths were a necessary sacrifice for our survival, I would likely come down on a different side of this argument. But as I have never heard anyone make a convincing argument for why silk is required for survival, that hypothetical has no bearing on real life.
While I sympathize with those who make a living in the silk trade, I would urge them to support their families through work that doesn't exploit innocent beings, and for those of us who are lucky enough to have been born into a more privileged life to help create those opportunities.
If we all work together, this amazing planet we call home could be a place of solidarity, compassion, peace, and acceptance - for every creature, whether they be big or small.
Until next time,
I REALLY want to know what your thoughts are on this topic. Let me know in the comments below!
Wedding Planning Update!
It's 10 months to my wedding in a couple of days, and I thought it would be good to take a minute to give you all an update on how planning is going!
It's 10 months to my wedding in a couple of days, and I thought it would be good to take a minute to give you all an update on how planning is going!
So far we've:
- chosen the date (September 11th, 2016 - the 2 year anniversary of our first date!);
- chosen the wedding party (we're keeping it simple with just a maid of honour and a best man);
- created a budget (that we're seriously hoping to stick to!);
- booked the venue (a beautiful farm and forest in Rockwood, Ontario);
- decided on a preliminary menu with the caterer (100% vegan and mouth-watering);
- drafted the guest list (currently sitting at around 50, and we're hoping to keep it below 70), and;
- poured over Pinterest inspiration for hours on end!
What we have left to do in 2015:
- insure my engagement ring;
- choose an officiant;
- create our wedding website;
- make our save the dates;
- book musicians;
- finalize the guest list, and;
- start dress shopping!
I was starting to feel as though we hadn't done anything and were getting so behind. It's great to see the done and to-do list together to realize that we're actually pretty on track! We have almost 2 months to get those 7 items checked off, and other than choosing the dress (which I know is going to take a LONG time... how can I make a snap judgement on my wedding dress??) everything should be pretty easy to get done in a couple days of work.
If you're planning your wedding and not sure where to start, check out my wedding planning timeline here. It's a great guideline to follow so that nothing is left too last minute!
And for those of you who don't follow me on instagram (but why aren't you? I thought we were friends!) I'll include a couple shots of our venue!
Until next time,
Are you on track with wedding planning? What has been your favourite part so far? Let me know in the comments below!
The Minute (Wedding) Guest List!
Weddings are exciting. But deciding who gets to come? Less so. How can you possibly decide between both of your families and friends? How do you choose who deserves an invite? Well, I've made a handy infographic that will allow you to draft your guest list in 60 seconds, flat!
Weddings are exciting. But deciding who gets to come? Less so. How can you possibly decide between both of your families and friends? How do you choose who deserves an invite? Well, I've made a handy infographic that will allow you to draft your guest list in 60 seconds, flat!
Easy peezy, lemon squeezy!
Until next time,
How many guests did you have/do you plan on having at your wedding? Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Plant Based Bride newsletter!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram, @elizabethturn!
How To Choose The Perfect Wedding Date!
So you're engaged. Congratulations! Let the planning begin. But how much time do you have to check everything off your list? Choosing the wedding date is one of the very first things you and your fiancé should do. But how do you decide? Read on for the 5 things you can do to narrow the options down to a single, perfect, day!
So you're engaged. Congratulations! Let the planning begin. But how much time do you have to check everything off your list? Choosing the wedding date is one of the very first things you and your fiancé should do. But how do you decide? Read on for the 5 things you can do to narrow the options down to a single, perfect, day!
ONE Make a list of special dates in your relationship.
When was your first date? The day you became "official"? The first time you said I love you? Any of these dates (and so more!) would be wonderful to commemorate by holding your wedding on the same day, x years later!
TWO Take your budget into account.
Keep in mind how much you need to save up for your big day. Is it doable in 6 months? Or is a year and a half more realistic? Don't let your excitement outweigh practicallity - it's very hard to throw a wedding without any money! Don't stress yourself out by giving yourself too little time to save. The wedding planning process is already intense enough!
Not sure what your budget is yet? Read my article on setting a realistic wedding budget here!
THREE Rate the seasons from your favourite to least favourite.
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Do you share a favourite season? Great! If not, try a little math. Rate your favourite season a 1, next favourite a 2, and so on. Have your partner do the same. Then, add the numbers for summer together, the numbers for winter together, and so on again. It should look something like this:
Spring: 1 + 2 = 3
Summer: 2 + 3 = 5
Fall: 3 + 1 = 4
Winter : 4 + 4 = 8
The smallest number is a great choice! You could also just compromise, of course, but no married couple ever has to do that, so there's really no need. (Hopefully you detected all of the sarcasm is that statement.) If you both really have no season preference, or are really bad at compromising, it may be easier to come at it from a design perspective first. Think about your ideal colour scheme, venue, photos, decor, mood, attire, food, everything! Does a theme emerge? If you were to pick one time of year that fit with all of the aspects you both love, which would it be?
Not sure what you want your wedding to look like? I suggest starting a Pinterest board and pinning images that jump out at you! Check out one of my four (yeah, four!) wedding boards below for an idea:
Regardless of how you come to an agreement, knowing which season you'd like to get married in is a great help!
FOUR Where will your wedding take place?
The location of your wedding will, of course, have a big impact on which date you choose. Getting married in Greece? You probably won't pick the same day as if you were getting married in Northern Canada. If you're planning on getting married or taking photographs outdoors, you'll want to pick a time in your preferred season that is likely to have favourable weather. If you're planning on staying inside, you have a bit more leeway!
FIVE Think of your guests.
Are your guests coming from out of town? Are you inviting children who are in school? Is your best friend going away for 3 months? Keep the people you care about most in mind when choosing the date. Not only will they be thankful, but you will be too when more of your loved ones can RSVP yes!
Jason and I loved the idea of getting married on a day that was special to us, and what could be more special than our first date? Since we had our first date at the beginning of September, and we both wanted an outdoor wedding and LOVE summer, it was a perfect fit! We checked the date in our preferred year (about 15 months after our engagement to give us time to save!) and it fell on a Sunday. Absolutely ideal for our dream brunch wedding! I hope that these tips help you and your partner find your perfect wedding date, and wish you all the best with the exciting changes to come :)
Until next time,
How did you choose YOUR wedding date? I'd love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to subscribe to the Plant Based Bride newsletter for updates on new posts about wedding planning! Scroll down to find the form below the comments section!
