Eco Friendly Living Recycling Earth Friendly

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something………..green?

 

Here’s some ideas:

 

Consider a daytime outdoor wedding and reception-no electricity or lighting and you won’t have to decorate two spots or travel from one place to another.

 

Choose locally grown products especially local flowers and menu items,  Eco-Chic Weddings .  Suggest glass bowls of seasonal fruits or candles instead of flowers. 

 

Ask the hard questions – such as “Where does the food come from?  How is it raised or produced? A good caterer will be happy to answer your questions and work with you.

 

Serve smaller food items maybe tapas-style which will also save you money.  Better food but less because most people don’t want huge portions anyway.  Left over food can be donated to a local charity or food bank too.

 

Buy recycled paper for your invitations and skip the save-the-date cards.  You can email your guests using a free wedding web site.  This can be a great alternative to sending out traditional paper invitations at all.

 

Plan favors that are useful after the wedding like little jars of raw honey.  Opt for creative centerpieces like framed photos or soy candles instead of lots of flowers. Set up charity favors to a favorite charity of your choice and print out a small card to communicate this too guests.  

 

When it comes to what you and your wedding party will wear, there are no rules other than the ones you make yourself.  Vintage or “gently” used dresses are a great find whether they come from a shop or your mom or sister’s closet.  Some dresses even come in eco-friendly fabrics such as silk, organic cotton, bamboo or hemp.  Grooms have been renting tuxedos for years which are the best of “reuse”. If your suit or dress needs to be cleaned, consider an environmentally friendly dry cleaner.

 

Set up carpools for attending guests and pick an eco-travel honeymoon.  Check out a special Green Travel Report for ideas    

 

It is important that a bride and groom feel good about their decisions.  If you can’t do everything, that’s totally all right.  Pick and choose how green to be.  Do what YOU can.  Even the small steps make a big difference.