30 million.
That’s how many people are victims of human trafficking today.
As part of the wedding industry, Amanda of Pure Lee Photography and I want to make the world different for women living under the devastating grip of sex trafficking.
For the men working day in and day out in slave labor.
For the children shackled to a life of exploitation.
And we believe that is possible. You see, the annual revenue of the wedding industry is $300,000 billion; double the $150 billion human trafficking rakes in. By mobilizing the wedding industry to be rooted in the empowerment of all beings, we have a lot of power.
Change is possible by incorporating companies doing good. This is a practical wedding day guide for brides, put together by two wedding photographers, to create an inexpensive, simple, and chic wedding. There are multiple honest brands creating products for just about every wedding day need, and we’ve also brought in other inspiration making wedding day decor more sustainable.
But we didn’t just stop at brands making a difference. We’ve also incorporated vendors giving back a portion of earnings from every single wedding to combat trafficking. Photographers, florists, artists, videographers, and more accomplish this through Love Gives Way, a platform rallying wedding vendors all over the country giving to anti-trafficking causes.
These mindful weddings begin with the couple’s story + end with someone else’s. When couples partner with Love Gives Way, the message of hope + action continues with a common goal of seeing people set free. The vision of Love Gives Way is simple–you will always need vendors for your wedding, so why not choose ones who are giving back to world changing causes, for the same price.
Everything you see in this styled wedding is fairly traded, ethically made, and changing the world. We included potted plants as table decor because, unlike most floral accents, they survive long past the wedding day! You can borrow them from your plant-crazy friend, invest in new ones for your home, or use them as gifts for people who helped out with your day.
BRIDE’S OUTFIT
Emily’s look is created by these incredible brands:
Dress: Wear Your Love
made with a portion of eco-friendly + sustainable fabrics, like ultra soft bamboo and lush organic cotton
Ring: Sarah O Jewelry
conflict free, ethically sourced diamonds
Earrings: UNCVRD Jewelry
40% of all proceeds donated to a partner nonprofit fighting sex trafficking
Bouquet + Hair Flowers: Jae Le Mae
Love Gives Way vendor
Perfume: GIVESCENT
a portion of all proceeds goes to Women for Women International
Shoes: Lotta From Stockholm
trusted brand ensuring suppliers operate ethically
GROOM’S OUTFIT
Although the list of men’s ethical brands is smaller than women’s, we hope this shoot encourages more companies to join the cause. These trailblazing companies brought together Ian’s look:
Wedding Band: Sarah O Jewelry
conflict free, ethically sourced diamonds
Blazer: Apolis
founded on the simple idea that people can live better lives when they are given equal access to the global marketplace
Button Down: Taylor Stitch
committed to providing fair wages, and using recycled + regenerative fibers
Shoes: Nisolo
produced out of Peru providing salaries 27% higher than fair trade wage requirements
Tie + Pocket Square: Kathrine Zeren
ethically made in the USA using sustainably sourced materials
The name cards placed on each dinner plate were torn from an old thrift store book. The options for decor with these adorable vintage pages are endless!
Candles from Eleventh Candle Co. is a social enterprise working globally to redeem, restore, empower and equip those vulnerable to human trafficking, abuse, exploitation and addiction.
Calligraphy by Love Gives Way vendor Abbey Ratcliff
Whatever decor style you’re going for, there’s a furniture rental company suiting it. Rental companies support sustainability through the reuse of material goods. You can take pride in knowing none of your decor is ending up in a landfill.
Passion + character. Those were the ideals of this extravagant cheeseboard, bringing the ultimate color bomb to your wedding decor. Fair trade chocolate + wholesome ingredients from your local natural grocer create a mouth-watering centerpiece that guests can snack on during cocktail hour.
The ultimate goal of this ethically-styled wedding was to activate the wedding industry toward good. We are promoting the idea that fighting injustice begins with what we buy into. When we choose to shop fair trade + purchase from brands employing artisans for a fair wage, we are killing slavery. When we buy ethical products made by women, we are rescuing them from sex trafficking.
So we put our money where our mouths are–we stand up for fair trade, ethical business models, and products benefitting more than the consumer. We give back. And we hope for justice.
ALL OTHER VENDORS:
Photography: Myself + Pure Lee Photography
Videography: Media Mansion
Venue: Milston Well Farm
