Brides are planning green weddings in greater numbers than ever.
General Tips
- Choose who you invite carefully, don’t just invite people to make up numbers. This will reduce the environmental impact from traveling, invitations, and food and drink preparation.
- Encourage their guests to carpool when going to the venue.
- Make use of local artisans where possible.
- Hire a photographer who uses recycled paper for his photos and albums.
- If you have to use disposable items (like plates and cups) try to use of organic-based disposable items like corn based plastic and sugar cane plates.
The easiest way to go green is with your favors and invitations.
Look for recycled, plantable, or tree-free papers, or even sustainably harvested wood-veneers on which to print your invites.
For favors, We are seeing a lot of interest in seeds or organic edibles, and the move to skip packaging and instead put favors directly on each guest’s plate.
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| Favors idea by using old wine corks |
The Invitations!!
Time to order invitations! Consider printing your invitations on bamboo paper. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world! It requires very little water, no pesticides or fertilizers, making it a highly sustainable, renewable resource for paper and other materials. The bamboo bonus? It makes BEAUTIFUL paper!!
The fabulous recycled wedding details!
Okay, Wow. If you have time and resources, this is an incredible way to bring re-used materials all the way to your alter!
The possibilities are endless! Find yourself an old headboard, old doors, old windows and you could build your own alter that will result in fascinating photos of your ceremony!
This gets more fun detail by detail! How about one-of- kind gifts for your attendants?! It doesn’t get more creative than this–choose a color theme, or even your own plates and order custom-designed pendants for the bridesmaids along with coordinating cufflinks for the groomsmen!
Going green is all about reusing, taking everyday items and turning them into luxurious rustic décor elements such as place card holders, chargers and even vases for florals.
If you know someone who recently got married, then perhaps they have some decorations, silk flowers, ideas, or suggestions that you can reuse or recycle. If nothing else, it will save you time researching these things!
Wedding Flowers and Decors
- Instead of cut flowers, you can borrow potted plants from a nursery.
- To decorate the aisle, use organic rose petals.
- You can also buy new flowers or plants but donate them afterwards or let another couple borrow them.
- It would be better to use organic local plants instead of imported plants and flowers. which require travel.
- Keep away from decors that are disposable.
- Potted plants can look just as nice as cut flowers.
- You can also use potted herbs like lavenders as decors.
- Organic candles like those made from beeswax or soy are earth-friendly.
- If you can’t avoid balloons completely, make sure you get FSC certified ones.
- You can reuse the flowers used in your wedding as table and dance floor decors during reception.
- After you wedding flowers are used, you can donate them to local hospital or senior citizen nursing homes.
- Hire a local florist who grows her own flowers and potted plants.
- Try to only use flowers that are in season, otherwise the flowers will have to imported.
- Avoid unnecessary washing of table cloths by using recycled paper for the table cloths.
No matter what your budget or theme, putting a little extra thought into both ceremony and reception decor will reduce one-time-use items. Something as simple as reusing ceremony floral arrangements at your reception will eliminate the need to purchase as many flowers. Using your location and the season for inspiration will provide you with a number of natural, cost-saving decor ideas such as collecting sea glass or shells from a nearby beach for a summer celebration. Centerpieces made from vintage items or pieces collected from friends and family will add unique personality to your tables, and give your wallet a break, too.
A beautiful DIY Eco friendly chandelier - Learn how to make it
here
Wedding Food and Drinks
- Make use of organic, local, and seasonal foods.
- Instead of alcoholic beverages, you can serve organic fruit juice and sparkling water.
- There are good organic wines and beer available.
- To offset the costs of food preparation, you can donate excess food.
- Instead of commercial table napkins, use recyclable ones.
- If you are going to serve chocolates make them from organic ingredients.
- Buy your local produce from farmer’s markets or local farm to save on gas and carbon emission in transport.
- Look for a caterer who knows about sustainable catering.
- If you prefer to have beverages served in your wedding, you can source a local brewery to provide you and your guests beverage right from their keg.
- It’s healthy and helpful to the environment when majority of the food served would be vegetarian cuisine.
- Bake your own wedding cake or ask a loved-one to do so with organic ingredients.
- You don’t have to have a wedding cake, you could have a fruit pie made from fruits from the local orchard. Wonderful!
- Make sure the kind of seafood you have on the menu is sustainably harvested.
