Green Wedding Tips

There are 2.5 million weddings in the U.S. every year and it’s estimated that next year 1/3 or over 800 thousand couples will incorporate eco-friendly wedding planning into their big day.

With the recent surge in green weddings, vendors of all sorts are jumping into this category. When choosing your green vendors make sure that they have a clear understanding of green practices and are not just toting their products and services as eco-chic as a means of increasing prices.

If you’ve chosen to plan a green wedding, be open to the fact that going green in some categories may increase expenses, but you will also find that in other categories green options are actually less expensive. This give and take (and a savvy wedding planner) will help you to stay within budget. Below are a few tips to making your wedding eco-friendly and socially responsibility. Remember, going green is not an all or nothing option. Even just incorporating a few of the below ideas into your upcoming nuptials will lessen your wedding’s impact on the environment.

Rings
· Purchase rings made of recycled gold.
· Shop estate fairs for antique jewelry or consider a vintage family heirloom that you could adjust and modify as desired.
· Buy diamond alternatives such as lab-created diamonds, wood bands, or even coconut bands.

Location
· Stay local to reduce travel and help support your local economy.
· Look into outdoor options such as gardens, beaches, parks or historic grounds.
· Consider having a daytime affair to take advantage of natural light.
· Look for a venue that will benefit from you having your wedding there such as a museum or art gallery.

Dress
· Buy a used vintage dress from a charity drunk show or consignment shop.
· Borrow a dress from a friend or family member.
· Wear natural fibers like organically grown cotton, silk and hemp and avoid synthetic materials or chemical dyes.
· Find an organic drycleaner.
· Donate dress to a charity after the wedding.

Invitations
· Use recycled paper for all wedding printing needs (ex. invitations, save the dates, programs, etc.).
· Print on tree-free paper from materials such as bamboo, hemp and kenaf.
· Have printers use a non-toxic ink such as a soy-based ink.
· Send electronic invites and save the dates.
· Put additional info like directions or schedules on a wedding website.

Bridesmaids Dresses
· Let your bridesmaids buy something that they can wear again, or better yet, wear something that they already own.

Photographer
· Ask your photographer to use digital film. It is easier to share with guests and doesn’t have harmful chemicals or result in wasted paper.

Catering
· Find a caterer that will use local, organic, seasonal food.
· Select organic beer, wine, and spirits.
· Serve organic, fair-trade coffee.
· Rent cutlery and crockery that is reusable.
· Use recycled paper products or treeless options such as bamboo.
· Choose cotton or natural fiber table cloths and runner that don’t need to be dry-cleaned.
· Discuss recycling and composting with your caterer and reception venue.

Cake
· Have you bakery make your cake from organic, fair-trade ingredients.

Music
· Hire acoustic musicians that don’t need to use a power outlet.

Flowers
· Select a florist that will use locally grown organic flowers.
· Potted plants are a great option as centerpieces and can be rented or purchased and given to guests as gifts to re-plant after the wedding.
· Collect all the flowers from the ceremony and reuse them as reception decorations.
· Donate flowers afterward to a local hospital.

Ambiance
· Purchase candles that don’t contain petroleum such as those made from soy, pure beeswax, or vegetable-oil.
· Select candle holders made of recycled glass
· Decorate with bamboo, which is known to be one of the earth’s most sustainable materials growing up to 2 ft. per day.

Registry
· Set up a green registry by registering for green gifts, experiences (ex. newlywed cooking classes), and/or charities.

Favors
· Buy guests green gifts or donate to a charity in their name.
· Organic chocolates, plant seeds, and tree saplings all make great green gifts.

Transportation
· Hire hybrid vehicles to transport guests during the wedding day.
· Organize carpooling or book vans or buses to decrease emissions from guests wedding day travel.
· A horse and buggy can be a romantic choice for a bride and groom’s “get-a-way” vehicle.
· Explain to guests your choice to have a green wedding and encourage them to purchase carbon credits to help offset the wedding’s carbon footprint.

Getaway
Skip the rice tossing or butterfly releasing and opt for a clean getaway or possible something like birdseed if your location allows it.

Honeymoon
· Select a honeymoon that qualifies as sustainable travel such as an eco-tour or an REI Adventure.

Carbon Emissions
· Purchase carbon offset credits for the wedding and honeymoon using wedding specific carbon calculators that are available online.