Wedding Solutions’ Top Ideas to Go Green with Your Wedding

 

The eco-chic wedding has grown in popularity over the past few years. Couples are looking to protect the environment by choosing organic and recyclable options, as well as offsetting the impact guests’ travel will have on the earth.

Whereas weddings often mean “the more extravagant the better,” having a green wedding can make a statement to your guests about the importance of protecting the earth from wear and tear.

The easiest way to keep emissions and effects on the environment low is to have a small wedding – 20 guests instead of 200. Obviously, this isn’t always possible. The goal is to have a beautiful wedding that is as least wasteful as it can be.

Many facilities are now catering to eco-chic weddings. However, be aware that a green wedding can cost up to 20 percent more than a traditional wedding.  For instance, having an organic menu can raise costs by 10 percent. But if the environment is your main priority, there are plenty of great ways to plan a beautiful green wedding and keep the environmental impact low.

Here are Wedding Solution’s favorite tips for a green wedding:

 

1. Invitations:
   1. Use organic or soy ink on recycled paper 
   2. Choose paper not made from trees. Paper alternatives include bamboo, hemp, banana stalks, and even cotton.

c.       Save paper by skipping the multi-envelope invitations and using a postcard for your Save the Date

d.       Use online invitations or create a wedding website to give guests details of events such as the bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner, and bridal shower

 

1. Location:
   1. Have your wedding and reception in the same place to avoid wasting energy and natural resources on transportation
   2. Have the wedding outside, instead of in an energy-inefficient reception hall. If you have an outdoor wedding, you can utilize the natural beauty of the site to have fewer wasteful decorations
   3. You can also locate an LEED-certified space to have an indoor wedding. LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” and means the space is sustainable and conserves water, energy, and electricity using solar power, insulation panels, and other state-of-the-art technology. Visit the U.S. Green Building Council’s website to search a list of LEED-certified locations by city or state — www.usgbc.org

 

1. Flowers:
   1. Use potted plants — then have your guests take them home as favors and reuse them. Or have them donated to a local hospice or elderly care center.
   2. If you do want flowers, get organically grown flowers – meaning they are grown without pesticides or insecticides. Consider organic roses, which are a beautiful option and have an amazing – and real – fragrance. Non-organic roses are actually sprayed with perfume. Have your guests toss the organic rose petals as you walk down the aisle. (Be aware that organic flowers won’t last as long, however, so make sure your florist considers timing.)
   3. Get flowers from a local nursery to avoid using up natural resources during shipping.

 

1. On the table:
   1. Choose an organic menu, with seasonal or locally grown products (to avoid shipping costs). You will be hard-pressed to find an all-organic caterer, so simply instruct your caterer to shop at local farmer’s markets and choose fresh, season ingredients, such as heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs in the summer. Be aware that with a seasonal menu, you should find a caterer you really trust, because it’s not likely you’ll be able to taste the menu ahead of time.
   2. Donate any extra food to a homeless shelter!
   3. Choose organic wine or beer selections. Make sure they are registered with the USDA National Organic Program
   4. Use recycled napkins and table linens
   5. Use natural products for placecards – one couple used a pressed tree leaf with each guest’s name on it as a placemarker. Or writing guests’ names on a smooth river with a paint pen is an eco-friendly option.
   6. Choose beeswax or soy-based candles over those made with petroleum, a non-earth friendly product. Best of all, beeswax candles smell amazing, like honey!

g.       For the serious eco-friendly couple, request biodegradable utensils and plates – made out of potatoes, cornstarch, or sugarcane. Then have them composted after the wedding.

 

1. Gown & tux:
   1. Purchase a secondhand or vintage gown. Have it altered to look more modern and to fit your body perfectly.
   2. Donate your gown after the ceremony

c.       The groom can wear a hemp tux

d.       Buy a dress – and have your bridesmaids buy dresses – that you will wear again or can have altered

 

1. Rings:
   1. Buy a conflict-free diamond. The Blood Diamond controversy is very hot right now – this means diamonds mined in war-torn African countries that help fund rebel armies, and finance arms purchases and other illegal activities in those countries. Be sure to ask for certified conflict-free diamonds.
   2. Opt for a vintage piece. Or you can have an old piece of jewelry melted down and made into a new ring.

c.       A lot of eco-friendly couples are opting for wooden rings. They’re custom-made and inexpensive (a few hundred dollars). Touch Wood rings are gaining popularity … www touchwood.com

 

1. Gifts:
   1. Create a registry where guests donate to a favorite charity instead of buying you gifts. Avoid something political that guests might take issue with … stick to organizations that benefit international aid, nature, animals, disease prevention, or relief efforts. Their contributions will be tax-deductible, and you won’t end up with a bunch of crystal glassware that you use once a year.
   2. Register for a home-delivery service that delivers organic food products
   3. Ask for national park passes

 

1. Honeymoon:

a.       Instead of a lavish honeymoon, go on a volunteer trip! Build houses for Habitat for Humanity or help hurricane victims.

b.       Take an eco-friendly or low-impact honeymoon. Stay in a green resort, go camping.

 

1. Travel and Carbon Credits:
   1. Carbon dioxide emissions from guest travel are the single biggest environmental impact from your wedding. The energy needed for lighting, catering, DJs, etc. always plays a role. Use an online “wedding carbon footprint” calculator to determine the amount of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions that will be generated by guests flying and driving into town. Then, the couple can purchase “carbon credits” – which puts money toward U.S. carbon-reducing energy projects ­– to help offset the environmental damage of the wedding. One site designed specifically for wedding planning is www.terrapass.com. You might also ask your guests to contribute to carbon credits, instead of buying a wedding gift.

By Alex A. Lluch

www.weddingsolutions.com

www.wspublishing.com

In today’s society, green can mean so much more than just the color of your wedding invitations. ‘Going green’ is a very popular topic these days even when it comes to wedding planning and can start with your invites. There are a number of easy ways to be more environmentally conscience with your invitations some of which may even save you a little money.

 

The biggest way is having your invitations printed on recycled paper stock. Designs on recycled papers have come a long way in giving you some gorgeous choices.

 

Another way to ‘think green’ with your wedding invitations is to simply reduce the amount of paper used for your invitation ensemble. Suggested ways to save on paper include:

 

• Select an invitation style that comes with only one envelope for mailing thus eliminating the familiar inner envelope. An example of this style is a self-mailer invitation where the envelopment wraps around all of your pieces and seals up to become the actual mailing envelope. Another benefit of having only one envelope is that you will save on your handwriting time. This style may require extra postage depending on its overall size.

• Use a response postcard to eliminate the need for a return mailing envelope and to save on postage.

• Opt for a seal and send wedding invitation which gets mailed without a separate envelope. This economical all-in-one design folds up and seals into its own self-mailing piece. This style also has a response postcard attached for easy removal and mailing back by your guests.

• Choose a smaller sized single-panel invitation card instead of a larger folded or layered style.

• Include your reception information on your invitation to avoid including a separate reception card (having less weight in the envelope may even save you from affixing extra postage). If space allows, your dinner and reception details can be added on as extra lines aligned with the rest of your verse printing, or some invitation styles allow the option of a corner copy – 3-4 lines that appear in the bottom left or right corner usually in a smaller sized font. There may be a small extra charge for corner copy which is not recommended for narrow or tea length styles.

• Set up a personal wedding website to give your guests easy access to online maps, directions, area hotels, gift registry information, etc., instead of printing extra invitation insert pieces.

 

Today it is easier than ever to make earth-friendly choices when selecting your wedding invitations without sacrificing quality and style. Every little bit helps when it comes to saving our planet and some of your choices might even save you some ‘green’ (money) in the process.

Having an eco-friendly wedding is very important to many couples. There are a lot of details that make up your special day. For each element that makes up your great day there is an opportunity to make eco-friendly decisions. Today we will explore eco-friendly decisions for your ceremony and reception.

Candles

The romantic impact of a candlelit ceremony or a table decorated with candles is hard to overlook, however you can lessen your impact on the environment by making the right choices.

Candles create a wonderful ambiance for your romantic day. However, some candles can also emit carcinogens and neurotoxins. Making an eco-friendly decision to choose candles made from palm oil, beeswax, and soy ensure you clean-burning illumination that’s also longer-lasting and petroleum-free.

Choose locally-made candles so that you can avoid the carbon impact from transporting the candles across the country or from overseas.

Reuse old candles, ask for old candles from churches. Some churches use new candles for every service, you may have the opportunity to reuse these candles and prevent them from being thrown out.

Beeswax:

Candles made with beeswax are naturally fragrant, nontoxic, soot-free, and non-allergenic. They’re completely renewable and require little, if any, additives. Candles made from 100 percent beeswax are easy to come by and burn longer than regular petro-based paraffin candles.

Soy:

Candles with soybean-based wax are generally vegan, soot-free, and biodegradable, and like beeswax, they’re renewable. They can burn up to 50 percent longer than paraffin candles and, if spilled, can be cleaned up with soap and water. Make sure they are 100% paraffin-free and have lead free wicks.

The scent of soy candles may not throw well. Which should not be a problem for a wedding, I generally would not recommended scented candles for a table setting or ceremony. Which leads to another tip, finding scentless candles can be a healthy choice since synthetic fragrances often added to candles have been identified as VOC-emitters.

Soy wax is soft, soy candles may usually be found in jars and tins, which might limit your decor options.

Palm oil:

Palm oil wax comes from coconuts (the fruit of palm trees) so no plants die during harvesting. Palm oil candles are clean burning and long lasting.

Choosing soy, beeswax, or palm oil candles will get you burning more cleanly, but keep in mind that hidden ingredients sometimes sneak their way into natural products, so check labels before making a final purchase.

Flowers

Find a florist who uses flowers which are free of pesticides and herbicides.
Choosing a florist who uses organically grown, in-season, local flowers is an eco-friendly decision for your wedding flowers. You can also find some online sites that offer organic flower options.

Organi Bouquet
offers sustainably grown flowers fresh from partner farms. They have adopted social and environmental standards—developing the most eco-friendly floral packaging, initiating the industry’s first carbon offset program, and growing flowers in a way that is gentle on the earth and that safeguards the ecology and the well-being of wildlife and farm workers.

Bamboo is a sustainable materials , it can grow up to two feet a day. Tall stalks of curly bamboo in centerpieces is a great and modern-looking and “green” option.

Buy fresh flowers at your local farmer’s market.

Use dried or silk flowers as an eco friendly alternative.

Reuse the flowers used at the ceremony to decorated your reception.

Catering

Choose a caterer who uses locally grown organic food where possible. If fish is on the menu, the caterer should choose them from sustainable sources and is MSC certified.

Wine lovers consider having organic wine at your reception. If your venue does not offer this option, they might allow you to bring in your own wine. Keep in mind that the venue might impose a corking fee for wine brought into their establishment.

Venue

Choose a Site with Significance

The money that you spend on your wedding venue can also be an eco-friendly decision. Locations such as botanical gardens, arboretums or non-profit sites that will use the money gained to offer programs that will maintain and support eco-friendly ideals.

Remember the key to an eco-friendly wedding is to simplify. You can save money and resources by reusing accents. You can be confident of your “green” efforts by choosing to work with what you’ve got nearby (and in season).

Through every couple’s life, the wedding party is one of the events wherein you spend the most expenses. These days, it’s best to be practical especially with the whole world recession going full swing. But then, just because such a memorable occasion may only come once in a lifetime, people regularly spend too much just to come up with the best wedding they can ever have. However, with the beginning of eco weddings, folks have found the perfect alternative in going for the most romantic wedding that doesn’t require the couple to spend so much cash.

Eco weddings were simply generated from the idea of doing everyone’s part in saving Earth. From wedding venues down to invitations, eco weddings use things that are thought to be natural and not dangerous to the environment. Beginning from the venue, this is one single factor that makes up virtually half the total wedding expenses. But with an eco wedding, you can spend less with an outdoor location like a garden where there are less decors and less electricity use. There is no doubt that such a venue is indeed much more romantic with all the fresh flowers, cool breeze, sparkling water maybe, and singing birds than with a confined church or hotel wedding. Extra decorations are also virtually needless as mother nature herself can simply give you all the amazing embellishments you need.

And when it comes to the wedding dress, you do not spend too much on a gown that you only wear once. For an eco wedding, brides are encouraged to wear wedding dresses that are sometimes passed down from their great great grandmas. These are called vintage wedding gowns or heirloom wedding gowns. If mom’s style does not work for the child, a seamstress is all that it takes to make it all to fall into place. Another good alternative for selecting a wedding dress for an eco wedding is by simply going thru vintage clothing shops for pre-worn dresses. In this way, you can save half of the amount you are going to spend on a new one. But if you really insist in going for a brand new dress, there are some designers today who are using organic materials like cotton, silk, or hemp.

For favors or parting gifts, it is much better to give away dear and memorable extras that won’t end in landfills. Edible favors like jars of jam or fresh honey is a good idea from which you have also given your visitors reusable glass containers after they have finished what’s within. But the bottom-line here is that it is far cheaper than to order some specially made giveaways that might just end up being disposed of into trash cans the next day. They can also have plant seeds as parting gifts. This will surely be a good souvenir for your wedding as they may be reminded of you with the blooms or the tree perhaps as a result of those seeds. With all of these considered, who says you must spend a life-time worth of savings on your wedding?

A wedding is a special celebration, but can be very expensive – not just in terms of dollars spent, but also in the impact all facets have on the environment.  Luckily, there are many ways to lessen the impact of wedding festivities; here are ten ideas to consider.

1.  Consider recycled metal for the rings and buying a diamond from a manufacturer that subscribes to fair labor practices.  Gold mining in particular is very environmentally destructive; utilizing gold from existing jewelry is a naturally renewable resource with no compromise in quality.

2.  For the Save-the-Date cards and invitations, choose recycled and recyclable paper and select colors other than bright white, which contains chemical bleach.

3.  When registering for gifts, look into green gift registries; choose stores that donate a portion of sales to a charity, and register for recycled house wares and those made from sustainable materials.

4.  For the wedding gown, consider wearing vintage; if a new dress is important, select materials such as organic hemp or organic silk, which are less resource-intensive than cotton.

5.  Cut flowers are usually quite toxic, both to the workers who grow them and to the environment.  Transportation and emissions costs also come into play for flowers which are not grown locally.  Select locally-grown and organically-farmed flowers.

6.  For place cards, choose eco-friendly bamboo card holders, which can be reused for photos after the wedding.  Another alternative is to use recycled-paper plantable place cards with embedded wildflower seeds; guests can enjoy planting flowers after the wedding festivities.

7.  Centerpieces can be beautiful as well as green; live perennials or baby bushes can be taken home by guests and planted in their yards.  Recycled glass bowls are another eco-friendly centerpiece idea.

8.  For the menu, try to stay with local, seasonal, and organic foods as much as possible.  Since one pound of beef requires 826 gallons of water to produce, consider a beef-free entree.

9.  Ideas for eco-friendly wedding favors include plants, bulbs, or seeds.  Plantable seed favors can be personalized with the couple’s names and to match the wedding decor.

10.  Don’t forget to stay with the green theme when planning the honeymoon!  Research eco-friendly travel ideas at websites from the likes of the International Ecotourism Society, the Greener Lodging Directory, and Travel Organic.  When you check in, request that the housekeeping staff not change your towels and sheets daily.

A wedding of about 150 – 200 friends and relatives is certainly going to leave a carbon footprint. With the social conscious now trying to reduce carbon emissions and the push towards carbon neutral product we can as individuals make a difference. Even on our wedding day. Planning a green wedding is not as difficult as it seems. There are venues you can book which are carbon neutral along with alternatives for nearly everything you’ll need on the day. Wedding favors or bonbonnieres are but another way in which you can reduce your carbon emissions. Here are some ideas for your green wedding favors.

One option you might consider is seed packet wedding favors. You can create a recycled paper packet which you can personalise with your names and date of the wedding and inside you can place some seeds for planting. You may also pair these with mini flower pots which will be unique and practical alternative to the traditional wedding favors.

You may also choose a mini plant for your wedding favors. It can be individually wrapped and personalised with your names and date of the wedding. The plants can range from palm plants, to drought resistant plants or evergreens. This a perfect idea for a wedding favor, as who wouldn’t like to receive plants as a gift.

One of the more obvious eco-friendly wedding favor ideas for couples is to give something organic. Organic chocolates can be a nice wedding favor which you can package in recycled boxes. You may also wish to make a donation to an eco friendly charity. Some couples may choose to not give wedding bonbonnieres or to receive gifts but instead have donated all of these funds to the planting of trees to offset their weddings carbon footprint.

Choosing environmentally friendly wedding favors can be as simply as purchasing these locally. Much of the carbon consumed is associated with the transportation of goods especially from overseas. But buying home-grown or local products and gifts you can significantly reduce your impact on the environment.

Bamboo coasters or placemats are another cute eco-friendly bonbonniere idea. Bamboo is said to be lucky and it is luckiest when received as a gift. It is also a symbol of strength and success. All of these themes can be incorporated with your wedding and your life long journey together. By adding a personalised note or tag with the gift could make it just a little more special.
Energy efficient light bulbs, organic candles are some other options for consideration when choosing your wedding favors.

Having an environmentally friendly wedding is easier than you may have thought. It definitely requires planning on your part. Wedding favors are not the only product you can get that is eco friendly for your wedding. Wedding gowns are now made out of hemp. You can also purchase completely bio degradable wedding confetti. Venues can be completely carbon neutral. Simply purchasing domestic products are another way of keeping your wedding environmentally friendly. Have fun planning your green wedding Day!

For more information visit http://www.nusuevents.com.au

Being eco-friendly or ‘green’ is fast becoming a key factor in many people’s lives and weddings it seems are no different. There has been a rising trend for ‘green’ weddings in recent years and wedding favors are one of the easiest parts of your wedding to make eco-friendly.

Typical green wedding favors revolve around plants and seeds but there are a number of other favors which would fit with the green ethos too.

If you are choosing edible favors then look for products which are made with organic ingredients and preferably locally grown/produced so they haven’t clocked up lots of food miles. Choose products which are from fair-trade producers as well, such as tea, coffee and chocolate – all of which are widely available now and can be bought fairly cheaply in most major supermarkets.

If you do choose plants or seeds then you need to consider a few factors before choosing your varieties. Introducing foreign species into local habitats has been a contributing factor to the loss of environment and many natural varieties. Bluebells for instance brought over from Spain have thrived so well that they threaten native varieties of the bluebell. Japanese knotweed was introduced by the Victorians as ornamental filler in landscaped gardens but this plant is a vigorous grower and is difficult to eradicate. It can populate huge areas and grows so densely it kills off any smaller plants trying to grow beneath it.

Choose local varieties of plants and native species, particularly for plants which will re-grow each year, spread seed by airborne means and in particular, be sensible with varieties of tree as tree saplings have become a popular wedding favor for green weddings.

Consider your packaging also. Choose boxes and bags which are made from recycled materials and which are biodegradable. Another option is to choose packaging which could be used for something else long after the favor itself has been removed: aluminum tins are a good example of this. Depending on your favor you could dispense with the packaging altogether and simply present your favors with a little ribbon and a thank you tag.

If you choose candles as wedding favors then look for ones made from natural wax or bees wax. Paraffin wax candles emit harmful pollutants when lit, defined by the black smoke they give off when lit. There are many natural candle companies out there and they needn’t cost much more than those produced from paraffin.

Finally, give favors which have some useful purpose and which your guests are likely to utilize. Decorative objects such as mini photograph frames or novelty items are often shoved away in a drawer somewhere or simply thrown in the bin. Giving a favor such as coasters, bottle stoppers or measuring spoons means they are more likely to be utilized than thrown away.

Wedding Solutions’ Top Ideas to Go Green with Your Wedding

 

The eco-chic wedding has grown in popularity over the past few years. Couples are looking to protect the environment by choosing organic and recyclable options, as well as offsetting the impact guests’ travel will have on the earth.

Whereas weddings often mean “the more extravagant the better,” having a green wedding can make a statement to your guests about the importance of protecting the earth from wear and tear.

The easiest way to keep emissions and effects on the environment low is to have a small wedding – 20 guests instead of 200. Obviously, this isn’t always possible. The goal is to have a beautiful wedding that is as least wasteful as it can be.

Many facilities are now catering to eco-chic weddings. However, be aware that a green wedding can cost up to 20 percent more than a traditional wedding.  For instance, having an organic menu can raise costs by 10 percent. But if the environment is your main priority, there are plenty of great ways to plan a beautiful green wedding and keep the environmental impact low.

Here are Wedding Solution’s favorite tips for a green wedding:

 

1. Invitations:
   1. Use organic or soy ink on recycled paper 
   2. Choose paper not made from trees. Paper alternatives include bamboo, hemp, banana stalks, and even cotton.

c.       Save paper by skipping the multi-envelope invitations and using a postcard for your Save the Date

d.       Use online invitations or create a wedding website to give guests details of events such as the bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner, and bridal shower

 

1. Location:
   1. Have your wedding and reception in the same place to avoid wasting energy and natural resources on transportation
   2. Have the wedding outside, instead of in an energy-inefficient reception hall. If you have an outdoor wedding, you can utilize the natural beauty of the site to have fewer wasteful decorations
   3. You can also locate an LEED-certified space to have an indoor wedding. LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” and means the space is sustainable and conserves water, energy, and electricity using solar power, insulation panels, and other state-of-the-art technology. Visit the U.S. Green Building Council’s website to search a list of LEED-certified locations by city or state — www.usgbc.org

 

1. Flowers:
   1. Use potted plants — then have your guests take them home as favors and reuse them. Or have them donated to a local hospice or elderly care center.
   2. If you do want flowers, get organically grown flowers – meaning they are grown without pesticides or insecticides. Consider organic roses, which are a beautiful option and have an amazing – and real – fragrance. Non-organic roses are actually sprayed with perfume. Have your guests toss the organic rose petals as you walk down the aisle. (Be aware that organic flowers won’t last as long, however, so make sure your florist considers timing.)
   3. Get flowers from a local nursery to avoid using up natural resources during shipping.

 

1. On the table:
   1. Choose an organic menu, with seasonal or locally grown products (to avoid shipping costs). You will be hard-pressed to find an all-organic caterer, so simply instruct your caterer to shop at local farmer’s markets and choose fresh, season ingredients, such as heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs in the summer. Be aware that with a seasonal menu, you should find a caterer you really trust, because it’s not likely you’ll be able to taste the menu ahead of time.
   2. Donate any extra food to a homeless shelter!
   3. Choose organic wine or beer selections. Make sure they are registered with the USDA National Organic Program
   4. Use recycled napkins and table linens
   5. Use natural products for placecards – one couple used a pressed tree leaf with each guest’s name on it as a placemarker. Or writing guests’ names on a smooth river with a paint pen is an eco-friendly option.
   6. Choose beeswax or soy-based candles over those made with petroleum, a non-earth friendly product. Best of all, beeswax candles smell amazing, like honey!

g.       For the serious eco-friendly couple, request biodegradable utensils and plates – made out of potatoes, cornstarch, or sugarcane. Then have them composted after the wedding.

 

1. Gown & tux:
   1. Purchase a secondhand or vintage gown. Have it altered to look more modern and to fit your body perfectly.
   2. Donate your gown after the ceremony

c.       The groom can wear a hemp tux

d.       Buy a dress – and have your bridesmaids buy dresses – that you will wear again or can have altered

 

1. Rings:
   1. Buy a conflict-free diamond. The Blood Diamond controversy is very hot right now – this means diamonds mined in war-torn African countries that help fund rebel armies, and finance arms purchases and other illegal activities in those countries. Be sure to ask for certified conflict-free diamonds.
   2. Opt for a vintage piece. Or you can have an old piece of jewelry melted down and made into a new ring.

c.       A lot of eco-friendly couples are opting for wooden rings. They’re custom-made and inexpensive (a few hundred dollars). Touch Wood rings are gaining popularity … www touchwood.com

 

1. Gifts:
   1. Create a registry where guests donate to a favorite charity instead of buying you gifts. Avoid something political that guests might take issue with … stick to organizations that benefit international aid, nature, animals, disease prevention, or relief efforts. Their contributions will be tax-deductible, and you won’t end up with a bunch of crystal glassware that you use once a year.
   2. Register for a home-delivery service that delivers organic food products
   3. Ask for national park passes

 

1. Honeymoon:

a.       Instead of a lavish honeymoon, go on a volunteer trip! Build houses for Habitat for Humanity or help hurricane victims.

b.       Take an eco-friendly or low-impact honeymoon. Stay in a green resort, go camping.

 

1. Travel and Carbon Credits:
   1. Carbon dioxide emissions from guest travel are the single biggest environmental impact from your wedding. The energy needed for lighting, catering, DJs, etc. always plays a role. Use an online “wedding carbon footprint” calculator to determine the amount of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions that will be generated by guests flying and driving into town. Then, the couple can purchase “carbon credits” – which puts money toward U.S. carbon-reducing energy projects ­– to help offset the environmental damage of the wedding. One site designed specifically for wedding planning is www.terrapass.com. You might also ask your guests to contribute to carbon credits, instead of buying a wedding gift.

By Alex A. Lluch

www.weddingsolutions.com

www.wspublishing.com

GREEN WEDDING

 

When would the best time be to have a wedding? Which time of year would be best for a wedding ceremony? Many people would say spring – they would say that a green wedding would be a wonderful event, the best possible time for a wedding, because a wedding held then would more than match the newly energized season and as such, they would suit each other to a ‘T’.

 

Spring is a time of renewal for those countries lucky enough to experience it, when the earth seemingly awakens from its long winter sleep and when life, which by and large has remained dormant through the long winter months, begins to stir once again with a new energy. Many of those animals and plants that have not been hibernating during the cold months have been reducing their level of activity to cope with the increased cold and lessened warmth; this changes in the spring, when life leaps forth with renewed energy and vitality.

 

Green weddings, or weddings held in the spring, can easily channel this energy and liveliness. First off, if you wish to hold a green wedding, you and your wedding planner would do well to take a hint from the season and come up with a spring theme – light but not overly bright colors, designs, and hues for the wedding’s overarching theme, in keeping with the season outside.

 

Perhaps at your green wedding you could also elect to serve food to match both the theme and the season – food that is light and not overly heavy or highly flavored; food that relies more on freshness and fresh flavors for its appeal and not so much on flavors added during the cooking process itself. Food “close to nature” – salads, fresh fruit, foods not requiring long cooking and processing – will work best with your theme.

 

This will be the first season of the year during which you can elect to hold your green wedding outside. You can select a certain time and date during the spring (subject of course to confirmation of the weather bureau) during which the weather will be sufficiently mild and comfortable – not too cool but not too warm either – for you to hold your wedding outside and not within a room or a chapel. Many green weddings are held in parks, in the middle of the greenery; some out in open fields; and others, for those not willing to leave the ambience entirely to the elements, within rooms but with the doors and windows flung wide open. Of course this will have repercussions for your guests and your equipment and other logistical preparations (you may have to inquire ahead of time to accommodate hay fever sufferers), and you may well elect to dispense with an outdoor wedding altogether if many of the guests are averse to those sorts of events. (That does not mean that you cannot keep the theme, of course.)

 

A green wedding seeks to make the most out of being held in spring by channeling the freshness and renewed vigor of the environment. By doing so, you can definitely make your wedding an event to remember!

For More Information, please visit www.mgproduction.ca

Wedding Solutions’ Top Ideas to Go Green with Your Wedding

 

The eco-chic wedding has grown in popularity over the past few years. Couples are looking to protect the environment by choosing organic and recyclable options, as well as offsetting the impact guests’ travel will have on the earth.

Whereas weddings often mean “the more extravagant the better,” having a green wedding can make a statement to your guests about the importance of protecting the earth from wear and tear.

The easiest way to keep emissions and effects on the environment low is to have a small wedding – 20 guests instead of 200. Obviously, this isn’t always possible. The goal is to have a beautiful wedding that is as least wasteful as it can be.

Many facilities are now catering to eco-chic weddings. However, be aware that a green wedding can cost up to 20 percent more than a traditional wedding.  For instance, having an organic menu can raise costs by 10 percent. But if the environment is your main priority, there are plenty of great ways to plan a beautiful green wedding and keep the environmental impact low.

Here are Wedding Solution’s favorite tips for a green wedding:

 

1. Invitations:
   1. Use organic or soy ink on recycled paper 
   2. Choose paper not made from trees. Paper alternatives include bamboo, hemp, banana stalks, and even cotton.

c.       Save paper by skipping the multi-envelope invitations and using a postcard for your Save the Date

d.       Use online invitations or create a wedding website to give guests details of events such as the bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner, and bridal shower

 

1. Location:
   1. Have your wedding and reception in the same place to avoid wasting energy and natural resources on transportation
   2. Have the wedding outside, instead of in an energy-inefficient reception hall. If you have an outdoor wedding, you can utilize the natural beauty of the site to have fewer wasteful decorations
   3. You can also locate an LEED-certified space to have an indoor wedding. LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” and means the space is sustainable and conserves water, energy, and electricity using solar power, insulation panels, and other state-of-the-art technology. Visit the U.S. Green Building Council’s website to search a list of LEED-certified locations by city or state — www.usgbc.org

 

1. Flowers:
   1. Use potted plants — then have your guests take them home as favors and reuse them. Or have them donated to a local hospice or elderly care center.
   2. If you do want flowers, get organically grown flowers – meaning they are grown without pesticides or insecticides. Consider organic roses, which are a beautiful option and have an amazing – and real – fragrance. Non-organic roses are actually sprayed with perfume. Have your guests toss the organic rose petals as you walk down the aisle. (Be aware that organic flowers won’t last as long, however, so make sure your florist considers timing.)
   3. Get flowers from a local nursery to avoid using up natural resources during shipping.

 

1. On the table:
   1. Choose an organic menu, with seasonal or locally grown products (to avoid shipping costs). You will be hard-pressed to find an all-organic caterer, so simply instruct your caterer to shop at local farmer’s markets and choose fresh, season ingredients, such as heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs in the summer. Be aware that with a seasonal menu, you should find a caterer you really trust, because it’s not likely you’ll be able to taste the menu ahead of time.
   2. Donate any extra food to a homeless shelter!
   3. Choose organic wine or beer selections. Make sure they are registered with the USDA National Organic Program
   4. Use recycled napkins and table linens
   5. Use natural products for placecards – one couple used a pressed tree leaf with each guest’s name on it as a placemarker. Or writing guests’ names on a smooth river with a paint pen is an eco-friendly option.
   6. Choose beeswax or soy-based candles over those made with petroleum, a non-earth friendly product. Best of all, beeswax candles smell amazing, like honey!

g.       For the serious eco-friendly couple, request biodegradable utensils and plates – made out of potatoes, cornstarch, or sugarcane. Then have them composted after the wedding.

 

1. Gown & tux:
   1. Purchase a secondhand or vintage gown. Have it altered to look more modern and to fit your body perfectly.
   2. Donate your gown after the ceremony

c.       The groom can wear a hemp tux

d.       Buy a dress – and have your bridesmaids buy dresses – that you will wear again or can have altered

 

1. Rings:
   1. Buy a conflict-free diamond. The Blood Diamond controversy is very hot right now – this means diamonds mined in war-torn African countries that help fund rebel armies, and finance arms purchases and other illegal activities in those countries. Be sure to ask for certified conflict-free diamonds.
   2. Opt for a vintage piece. Or you can have an old piece of jewelry melted down and made into a new ring.

c.       A lot of eco-friendly couples are opting for wooden rings. They’re custom-made and inexpensive (a few hundred dollars). Touch Wood rings are gaining popularity … www touchwood.com

 

1. Gifts:
   1. Create a registry where guests donate to a favorite charity instead of buying you gifts. Avoid something political that guests might take issue with … stick to organizations that benefit international aid, nature, animals, disease prevention, or relief efforts. Their contributions will be tax-deductible, and you won’t end up with a bunch of crystal glassware that you use once a year.
   2. Register for a home-delivery service that delivers organic food products
   3. Ask for national park passes

 

1. Honeymoon:

a.       Instead of a lavish honeymoon, go on a volunteer trip! Build houses for Habitat for Humanity or help hurricane victims.

b.       Take an eco-friendly or low-impact honeymoon. Stay in a green resort, go camping.

 

1. Travel and Carbon Credits:
   1. Carbon dioxide emissions from guest travel are the single biggest environmental impact from your wedding. The energy needed for lighting, catering, DJs, etc. always plays a role. Use an online “wedding carbon footprint” calculator to determine the amount of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions that will be generated by guests flying and driving into town. Then, the couple can purchase “carbon credits” – which puts money toward U.S. carbon-reducing energy projects ­– to help offset the environmental damage of the wedding. One site designed specifically for wedding planning is www.terrapass.com. You might also ask your guests to contribute to carbon credits, instead of buying a wedding gift.

By Alex A. Lluch

www.weddingsolutions.com

www.wspublishing.com