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The cotton wedding dress. Easy and comfortable to wear, these dresses are surprisingly affordable.

Most of us associate cotton with everyday wear. Since cotton is the ultimate in laid-back casual, we rarely think of it in terms of bridal wear. Think again. Especially about the imported Swiss eyelets in the photos above and below.

Imported swiss eyelet with scalloped neck and hem.

Cottons are not just for kids dresses anymore. High quality cottons like these have always been a stylish option for summer brides and garden weddings.

All over eyelet A-line with Sabrina neckline

Not every bride wants the formality of silk on her wedding day so some designers are getting this message, offering at least one cotton option in their spring/summer collection.

Close up of 'Gretel', a sweetheat neck trimmed in cotton lace

Want to see more of what's going on with the cotton collection? Visit Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal Couture.

Above: Swiss cotton eyelet bouffant dress reminiscent of the daytime formal look. Below: Tea-dyed hemp and silk gauze gown specially commissioned for a client.

Green brides are just going to have to spend a little more time and care choosing the dress. Since more are going custom or buying wedding wear in green-alternative boutiques, there's not only a need to know what materials go into the making of a dress but also who is making the piece and where. As one bride put it, "I couldn't stand up and make such an important commitment, knowing any part of what I had on my body might have been put together by prison labor or in a sweat mill. It just goes against everything I believe in." Going Green can mean wearing a dress in natural fibers: organic cotton, wool, linen, silk, and of course, hemp. It helps to have a knowledge of the natural dying process and thinking through what impact toxic dyes might have on the environment. Here are some questions to ask: Is that silk I love really its natural color? If it is tinted, was it done with non-toxic dye? Is that snow white silk taffeta chlorined? And was that cotton grown free of pesticides? If you find answers to these questions through the help of a green-savvy designer or seamstress, you could make this a real project planet-style endeavor.

Going Green can also mean saving resources by wearing a previously owned gown. So where do you find one? Here are some options.