Green Wedding Tips

How would you like to have your dream wedding and keep it as earth friendly as possible?  It is very easy and cost effective.

Invitations

Use an email invitation site to create your invitations. These sites allow you to design your own invitations and add your pictures and/or music at a minimal cost compared to printed invitations.  Using this method prevents the paper from ending up in the landfill, if not recycled.  And all the energy that would normally be used for the printing is also saved. Some sites that offer email invitations include:

http://www.myinvitationlink.com/

http://www.moderndayinvite.com/

Photography

When interviewing wedding photographers, ask them if they would create a digital wedding album made up of digital photographs that can be viewed on your home computer or ask if they would include the digital frame loaded with your photographs instead of the traditional album. This should save money compared to printing all of the pictures and placing them in the album. Using digital photography allows you to keep these photographs forever without any deterioration, and there are no photographic chemicals used in creating them.

Wedding Gown

Buy a vintage gown or borrow/buy one from a relative and have it altered.  Reusing something extends the life of that item and usually costs less than something brand new.

-OR-

Take an existing gown you own and alter it a bit to fit your wedding gown needs.  This would be a gown you could use for special occasions for many years to come.

Decorations

If using candles at the wedding venue or reception, try to ensure they are soy-based or beeswax candles. Decorate with potted flowers and plants that can be planted in your or someone's garden after the festivities.

Reception

Use filtered water in large pitchers instead of individual plastic water bottles. If you use the individual water bottles, have a bin available for recycling. Use the bin for recycling glass and other plastics that may be thrown away at the reception. Add a large sign by the bin to encourage everyone to recycle.

Use china, glass, or reusable plastic plates and glasses instead of paper plates and styrofoam that will usually be thrown away.

Add a small compost bin for organic waste.

Miscellaneous

Instead of renting a limousine, rent a horse and carriage to arrive and depart from the wedding.

As wedding favors, use small herbs in pots or small tree saplings that can be replanted.

© Michelle A. Potter