This Valentine’s Day weekend, an estimated 6 million couples will get engaged. Most of those brides to be will wear a diamond engagement ring and a white wedding gown on their big day. Once engaged, one of the first things a bride will shop for is that wedding dress, usually seen as a symbol of love, purity and commitment. However, what most brides don’t know is that the production and creation of most wedding dresses is a direct contradiction to those values.

“Americans host 2 million weddings a year and most brides wear one-time use gowns,” said Kate Harrison, author of The Green Bride Guide. “Many of these dresses are made overseas in sweatshop conditions and are manufactured from petroleum-based fabrics which are from non-renewable resources.”

As awareness of the social and environmental problems behind our purchases spreads, engaged couples are trending toward eco and ethical weddings. Celia Grace — America’s first Fair Trade wedding dress brand — is one example of a company offering couples a sustainable, ethical and Fair Trade alternative for their wedding.

“The Fair Trade movement is a global movement to end poverty by giving you — as a consumer — the ability to vote with your dollars for the kind of world you want: one where people are paid a living wage, work in safe and fair conditions, and can break the cycle of poverty for themselves, their family, and their community,” said Celia Grace owner Marcie Muehlke. “Fair Trade uses international trade rather than aid so that people can better themselves with dignity and in a sustainable way.”

Launched in 2012, Celia Grace now sells its wedding dresses across the United States in bridal boutiques as well as internationally. Celia Grace is working to make its gowns accessible to as many brides as possible and offers dresses at a range of prices.

“Celia Grace, like a growing number of companies, is working to redefine the idea of the perfect wedding to one that makes couples more beautiful and joyful by allowing them to spread their love around the world,” Muehlke said. “We use exquisite heirloom eco silks, vintage-inspired laces, romantic and flattering designs and dresses handmade for the bride by small Fair Trade sewing groups to set Celia Grace wedding dresses apart from traditional gowns.”

Grace is America’s first line of fair trade wedding dresses. Based in Amherst, Mass., Celia Grace sells in bridal boutiques across the United States and around the world. Celia Grace is proud to be a member of the Fair Trade Federation. For more information, visit www.celia-grace.com. For samples, images, or additional information, please visit www.celia-grace.com or contact [email protected].