Rather than registering for high-end espresso makers, what if couples started out their new lives together by giving back? “The prospect of building a marriage and a life on the ritual of generosity was one I had hoped would resonate,” says Helmstetter, who got her start in fundraising for nonprofits. That it did: Earlier this year, she launched The Good Beginning, an online charitable donation registry (that can be paired with more traditional wish lists) that raised more than $250,000 for causes around the world in the nine months since it launched. For those who still need a few things, we asked Helmstetter to curate a selection of charitable, eco-friendly—and of course, stylish—picks. To see the curated selection, please pick up a copy of the C Weddings Spring 2017 issue, available at select newsstands now. THEGOODBEGINNING.COM; bethhelmstetter.com. 

Edited  by Lesley McKenzie.