My Fair Wedding
The sacrament of marriage calls us to serve others. You can live out this important dimension of our faith by supporting companies that respect people and the environment during your wedding celebrations. This page will provide you with some practical ideas for incorporating fair trade into your special day.
For additional resources on planning your ceremony, please check out our My Fair Wedding Pre-Cana Flyer or visit the USCCB’s webpage on marriage.
Fair Trade and Conflict Free Wedding Jewelry
In developing countries, the wealth created by mining metals and minerals generally fails to benefit local communities and often devastates the poor. Make a commitment as a couple to uphold the dignity of every human life and care for creation by purchasing diamonds that are certified conflict free and jewelry made from clean or fair trade precious metals and stones. Another alternative is to use a family heirloom or purchase used or antique jewelry. Learn more about jewelers for social and environmental responsibility at Ethical Metalsmiths, and about ethical sourcing at Fairtrade Gold and Precious Metals.
In Tandem Fair Trade Weddings also offers a great green and ethical ring guide for those who like to shop around - we’ve pulled out our top picks:
- Brilliant Earth: Engagement and wedding rings crafted from conflict free gemstones and recycled precious metals.
- Cred Jewellery: Fairtrade and recycled precious metals and conflict free gemstones.
- Fair Trade Jewellery Company: Fairtrade/Fairmined wedding and engagement jewelry.
- Peace+Love+Bride: Ethically traded bridesmaid jewelry that supports women’s empowerment.
- Simply Wood Rings: Simple, sustainable wedding jewelry crafted from eco-conscious wood.
Wedding Registry, Gift Ideas, and Favors
Invite your guests to purchase gifts that benefit the poor throughout the world by buying fair trade items as wedding favors for your guests and bridal party, or by registering for fair trade wedding gifts. Check out the handcrafted goods in SERRV’s Wedding and Gifts of Faith collections, or consider Equal Exchange chocolate or coffee for your reception (also a good source for ingredients to bake a fair trade wedding cake!).
Know someone registered with SERRV? Search for their gift registry here - be sure to indicate you’re a CRS customer during checkout!
Want to create your own gift registry? Simply create an account, log in, then add items to your ‘Wishlist’ from individual product pages.
Wedding Gowns and Bridesmaid Dresses
In Tandem Fair Trade Weddings also offers a pretty comprehensive ethical bridal gown guide, so we’re going to defer to their expertise on this one; however, Celia Grace is definitely one of our favorites!
Mata Traders is also a great source for fair trade wedding ideas and bridesmaid dresses. Two of their founders highlight their experiences with ethical wedding ceremonies in blog posts titled My Montana Wedding and My Fair Wedding (all credit to Mata for the title of our webpage - such creative ladies!).
