Let’s begin the New Year with a look at Green Weddings, or eco-weddings if you prefer. (We’ll take a chance and call this our Green Wedding January series – yea!)
You don’t have to go down the aisle barefoot in a recycled paper wedding gown to add a dash of “green” to your wedding plans. Here are a few ideas to get you started “eco-thinking”:
- There are wonderful jewelers who recycle gold into beautiful engagement rings and wedding bands. Just search for “recycled wedding bands” and you’ll discover a whole world of artisans crafting lovely pieces from recycled materials.
- Choose flowers that are in season in your area, then buy from a local supplier. After the wedding, donate them to a nursing home or hospital.
- Pick a central location for your venue, near most of your guests, like the hometown where you both grew up. Pick a garden in the park in the spring, or an outdoor venue in a historic location.
- Wear your mother’s wedding dress – or your grandmother’s wedding dress – or look for wedding dresses made from easily renewable organic cottons and silks.
- You might enjoy browsing through The National Green Pages for ideas. Find them at greenpages.org.
- Have your wedding invitations printed on recycled paper or, better yet, design a fabulous email invitation, and then list your wedding details on a secure wedding website so your invitees can just log on and stay up-to-date with your exciting plans!
- Consider using live plants for your centerpieces! Think potted hydrangea, cleverly-trimmed boxwood, beautifully fragrant rosemary – you get the idea!
- Donate excess food from your reception to area food banks and homeless shelters. And if you really want to do it right, choose menu selections that will allow your caterer to use only locally grown products – much more energy efficient than food flown in from across the country.
Add eco-friendly favors to your wedding, too with our Natural Bamboo Coasters, “Tranquility” place card holders and our biodegradable wedding poppers made from recycled paper – plus there’s more to come with the first 2010 new favor launch! Stay tuned for more Green Wedding January posts!
Happy eco-thinking! 
