We’ve written a little bit about how to make a white wedding more green. From invitations to flowers to food, it can be done with a little bit of extra resolve and planning. Some things take a little (ok, a LOT) more planning and resolve than others — like trying to find a Earth-friendly wedding dress that’s both suitable for a more formal affair and affordable to boot. I’m a Catholic gal through and through, so getting married anywhere but a Catholic church wasn’t an option for me, and I wanted a dress that was formal enough for the occasion but stood up to my Greenist values.

There are a few designers out there who are really committed to using organic fabrics and humane production processes. Two that I found in my research of green dresses were Adele Wechsler and Lea Ann Belter. These ladies may fall into the high end of your  price range if you’re on a strict budget like I, but they produce some gorgeous gowns that would make any gal feel like a princess.

They’re not your only options though. I also fell in love with Wai-Ching and Olivia Luca while looking for a dress. These ladies work directly with you to create a one-of-a-kind design that suits you and make your dress by hand. Not only do they offer a wide range of organic, naturally dyed fabrics, they’re also very reasonably priced! (as wedding dresses go). Olivia makes some gorgeous bridesmaid dresses too.

Purchasing your wedding dress is also a great time to go local. Most cities have their share of dressmakers who will be happy to work with you to create the green wedding dress of your dreams. You can suggest your own organic fabric or can repurpose someone else’s wedding dress to suit your own style. You’ll also eliminate the footprint of shipping this way.

Even if you didn’t go the green route when getting your wedding dress, you can still do the green thing by offering your dress to another lovely lady. (White organza never seems to come in style, so really, when are you going to wear it again?) You can sell it online at a site like recycledbride.com, donate it to Brides Against Breast Cancer or just gift it. If you want to see it go to someone deserving, check out Meg’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress campaign at A Practical Wedding.

Check out some of our previous tips here.