Trends:
“Green” Wedding Practices
Do you conscientiously recycle? Drive a hybrid car? Buy organic produce? Think about the long-term impacts of global warming? If you said “yes” to any of these questions, chances are that you are thinking “green” as you are planning your wedding.
You have so much else to think about when planning your wedding that the added pressure of thinking green may seem overwhelming. However, making environmentally conscious decisions is becoming easier, as vendors are increasingly offering goods and services that allow you to do so. Below are ideas in four areas, including both green and very green suggestions.
Favors, green: Pick out something that is locally produced and consumable, meaning that guests are likely to use it up. You can select favors with a clear use such as fruit from your local farmer’s market, seeds or flower bulbs, locally made organic chocolate, pottery from a nearby artist or organic soap.
Favors, very green: Forego favors all together. Most guests will never give it a passing thought.
Stationery, green: Invitations and other stationery elements that use recycled paper are readily available.
Stationery, very green: Use organic soy ink or, greener still, go digital by only sending paper invitations to those guests whom you know do not have internet access. You can arrange for RSVP notification through your wedding website or via e-mail.
Catering Practices, green: Check to make sure that your caterer recycles plastics, glass and aluminum.
Catering Practices, very green: Select an organic caterer who works with local distributors of items such as produce and milk products.
Wedding Attire, green: Rent the bridesmaid dresses or allow the bridesmaids to individually pick out a dress, selecting a color that they are likely to either already own or minimally wear again. Most women have a black dress hanging in their closet, just waiting for the right occasion.
Wedding Attire, very green: Limit the wedding party to your maid of honor and best man. Have your bridal gown made of recycled materials, wear a vintage gown from a relative, rent the bridal gown or purchase a once-worn gown online or at a consignment boutique.
The most important thing to keep in mind if you wish to have a conservationist wedding is the size of your guest list. Hosting 50 guests in a non-green setting is likely to result in a more environmentally-friendly outcome than hosting 200 in a pure-green fashion.
