Nashville weddings

We Love Thistle Farms: Great Bridal Party Gifts, Wedding Favors {Spread the Word + We Donate $$}

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Everyone is raving about Thistle Farms - from Opulent Couturier (who first mentioned the organization to me - thanks girl!) to The Thirty Something Bride, who visited Thistle with me and who shared her story on her blog today.

So why are we all in love with Thistle? Because Thistle Farms is a great Nashville non-profit that supports local women while offering great gifts for women, bridesmaids and wedding guests!

About Thistle Farms

Thistle Farms is a non-profit business for women who have survived lives of violence, prostitution and addiction.  Thistle Farms creates bath and body products that are good for your body and that support and empower our sisters - from Nashville to Rwanda. All of the proceeds go directly to the women in the program for transitional living, counseling, job skills, etc.  While based in Nashville (located on Charlotte Avenue), they are changing lives in our backyard and the entire world!

My Visit to Thistle Farms

To learn more about the group, I was invited to visit Thistle Farms, a day that was life transforming.  The day started with a meditation session where the group of recovering drug addicts, prostitutes, visitors (like me, Tabitha, Louise and the Jonathon Campbell Photography crew), volunteers and staff shared life affirmations.  Listening to their trials, experiences made us all realize that regardless of our backgrounds, our human story was the same - our lives were parallel and that self-love and survival are universal goals.  

The topic of the day was secrets and how their existence keeps us imprisoned while our release frees us.  After sharing my love story last month, I could totally relate.  I could also relate to a group of women working together to raise one another, thereby raising humanity and the Nashville community specifically. 

Pictured above: Carolyn (a Thistle Farms volunteer who invited ABG to visit) + wonderful survivors showing me how the products are made.

Words will not do my visit justice so I encourage you to 1) visit Thistle Farm yourself to learn more about the organization and unique opportunity to help other Nashvillians by introducing your church, girlfriends, fellow bloggers or out of town gift lovers to TF and 2) consider being a Thistle Farms bride/supporter!

5 ways to be a Thistle Farms Bride / Supporter!

1) Leave a comment, spread the word and we will donate! 

The easiest way to support Thistle Farms is to leave a comment + spread the word!  When you share today's post on Twitter or Facebook, ABG will donate $1 to Thistle Farms.  How easy is that?  Just share this post on Facebook or tweet the link and mention @weddinggirl and @thistlefarms and link to this article (here's the shorten link - http://bit.ly/beMN3W). Simple!

2) Purchase gift baskets for your bridal party, birthdays, new baby or any occasion where a fabulous gift is needed!

For the select few people you've invited to be a special part of your big day, consider personalized gift baskets from Thistle Farms. Filled with your choice of four fragrances (tuscan earth, citrus vanilla, lavender healing and tea tree mint), pick the size of basket filled with handmade bath and body products that fit your needs and pocketbook. Each basket will also contain a personal note from the bride and groom."

We loved this! it would be a great gift for your bridesmaid to pamper them during your hot summer Nashville wedding!

3) Give your wedding guests Thistle Farms favors - from lip balm to scented satchets

Thistle Farms Lip Balm is a perfect one to use at a wedding!...Pick from five scents of handmade lip balms (tuscan earth, citrus vanilla, lavender healing, tea tree mint, unscented – or let us choose a mix of scents), which will be attached to a keepsake postcard with the Bride & Groom’s names and wedding date."

4) Host a Thistle Farms bridal shower

Instead of a typical bridal shower, host a unique Thistle Farms Bridal Shower. Two of our trained employees will come to you, share their personal stories of hope, and tell you about our products. Sample our divine Body Polish...or smell our naturally fragrant candles. Celebrate your special day with women and products that truly say 'Love heals'.

3) Consider a {donation} wedding registry in lieu of gifts

Donating funds to a charity in lieu of giving guests favors is a very socially responsible and heartfelt way to thank your friends and family for sharing in your wedding. Thistle Farms will create a beautiful framed piece of artwork on thistle paper to let your guests know that a donation has been made in their name to the organization.

4) Buy every day products - from geranium spray (aka bug repellant) + candles to shower gel - to pamper yourself!

5) Volunteer and give of your time, love!!

AshleysBrideGuide.com is proud to support them and excited to share the many ways that EVERYONE can support this wonderful Nashville jewel.  Special thanks to Carolyn Snell who is a wonderful person and the Thistle Farms volunteer who invited me to visit and to Jonathon Campbell Photography who took time out to not only capture my visit but to meditate + share this incredible experience.

Find out where you can pick up their awesome wedding products via their website or via their Thistle Farms wedding blog post. 

About the Author:

Ashley King

Hey - I'm Ashley! I started AshleysBrideGuide.com to give Nashville brides, or folks planning a Nashville wedding, a local resource for inspiration and resources. Hope to see you at a bridal show soon! Until then, Find me on Google+.

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send   Posted on August 24, 2010 | Filed under: Bridal Showers, Luncheons, Parties, Guests, Gifts & Favors, Inspiration & Trends,