When thinking about weddings, words like elegant, personalized and beautiful often spring to mind. One word that may not have come to mind is green. More and more brides and grooms are planning eco-friendly weddings that reflect their lifestyles. Here are some easy ways to incorporate green ideas into your wedding day:
Invitations
For non DIY brides and grooms, there are hundreds of sites offering beautiful invitations on recycled paper. A simple Google search turns up lots of companies with some really pretty designs ranging from classic to more modern styles suited to any wedding. For those DIY couples wanting to tackle a project, try making your own paper (paper making kits are under $30 at most craft stores) embedded with dried wildflowers and flower seeds. Put a note on the back asking your guests to plant the invitation after the wedding in their own gardens.
Favors
Rather than Jordan almonds or a CD as a favor, give your guests packets of flowers seeds or tree saplings to plant in their own yards (the National Arbor Day Foundation sells small evergreen trees in a recycled tube with your personalized label for just $3 each on their website: www.arborday.org. Another option is to make a donation in your honor of your guests to your favorite environmental group. Simply place a small card on each place setting or a sign in an area with lots of traffic like the bar, letting your guests know about your donation - on recycled paper of course!
Flowers
Some of the most popular wedding flowers - roses, gerbera daisies and hydrangeas to name a few - are often grown in backyards around the country. Think about what you and your friends have growing in your backyard and try to incorporate those flowers into your bouquets and decorations. If you don’t want to or can’t grow your own, seek out an organic florist (try www.organicbouquet.com for online flowers).
Food
Look for a caterer that specializes in using organic products. Even if they don’t specialize in organics, many caterers will agree to use them when planning your wedding menu. Another option is to ask your caterer to use locally grown produce and products - the less the food has to travel to get to your plate, the better for the environment.
Attire
Organic cotton, silk satin, and hemp are just a few of the fabrics available for wedding attire. Ask your tailor or seamstress to use these fabrics when creating your wedding gown or the groom’s wedding suit.
There are tons of eco-friendly products that can be incorporated into your wedding day - this list is just a few examples meant to get you thinking. Good luck with your planning!
Emilie
Be sure to check out Portovert, an exclusively online magazine for eco-savvy brides and grooms! http://www.portovert.com