Green Wedding Guide; Planning an Eco-Friendly Exchange of Vows

This entry is part 1 of The Green Wedding Guide Series.

Your wedding is one of the most important days in your life, and it also provides you with an opportunity to be kind to the environment. Weddings are a display of consumerism in most cases. The average cost of a wedding in this country is about $20,000, with most of that money being spent on things that are used and then just discarded. Getting married leaves a huge ecological footprint, and this guide will help you create a memorable celebration that’s eco-friendly.

Wedding Flowers Via Flickr © Amber

-Keep it small. Your wedding has an impact that’s both environmental and fiscal. A bigger guest list means more waste, because more fuel is used and more food is eaten. It IS your big day, and you should have your loved ones there- but you shouldn’t feel pressured to invite people you really aren’t that close to.

- Green the wedding gown. Wear your mom’s or your grandmother’s dress, or get a vintage gown from a consignment shop or eBay. Many brides sell their gowns after the ceremony- it’s a great opportunity for you to get a gently used gown. Or, you could just select a simple dress that you’ll be sure to wear again. There are several eco-gown designers who create beautiful wedding gowns made of sustainable materials, see Green and Gorgeous Wedding Gowns.

-Use local vendors wherever possible. Whatever you want can probably be found somewhere close. If you buy your food, drinks and flowers locally, it takes less fuel and energy to get them to you. Farmer’s markets and community gardens are a great source of fresh, locally grown flower.

-Everything you use in your wedding will impact the Earth in some way, so you should buy and rent from environmentally responsible companies. If possible, ask your caterer to use locally and organically grown produce.

-When it comes time to choose a venue, pick one that’s centrally located to most of your guests. If guests don’t have to travel far to get to the wedding, it will save everyone money and reduce the impact on the environment. If there’s no religious or sentimental reason for you to say your vows in a certain place, you should consider getting married outdoors. Local farms, historic sites, and gardens may allow you to hold your ceremony on-site- and some even offer organic catering services as well.

-When it’s time to get everyone to your wedding, be as green as possible. Carpool, train, bus, and bike- there are plenty of environmentally-responsible ways to get people around. Arranging transportation for your guests will save money, time, and energy.

-Your invitations should be eco-friendly, too. The invites set the tone for the rest of the festivities, and there are a variety of recycled, tree-free, and organic-paper invitations available. There are even kits that you can buy and print/decorate your own invites. When printing, choose a soy-based or other natural ink. For more laid-back weddings, e-vites may be appropriate. Learn more about eco-friendly wedding invitations.

-When signing up for bridal registries, choose those that offer green gift options. Companies like Gaiam and Branch have tons of eco-friendly choices, and even mainstream retailers are offering earth-savvy, organic options like linens and drapes. When you live green, less is more- so try to avoid signing up for more than you need. If you think you have enough “stuff”, sign up for an online registry that will allow your well-wishers to donate to good causes in your name.

-Make a good effort to cut waste and emissions while getting ready for your wedding. No matter how much you try, though, there will still be some environmental impact. Offsetting is a good way to make things right- you’re taking responsibility for the damage you’re doing to the environment by giving money to an offset provider like MyClimate or Terrapass. On your invites, you can include information on your chosen offsetter, and encourage guests to make a donation.

Some other questions to ask: What’s my dress made of? Where (and how) was the gold in our rings extracted from the earth? Is the chocolate we use “fair trade”? It may be hard to ensure that every vendor follows green principles, but even asking the questions is a step in the right direction.

Whatever you do to make your nuptials more green,you should tell others about it. We aren’t encouraging you to spout “treehugger” propaganda during the ceremony, but you CAN take advantage of your captive audience. Tell them why protecting the environment is so important to you. Most people mistakenly think that being green involves boredom and sacrifice- use your wedding as an opportunity to show that it’s possible to have fun and be eco-friendly at the same time!

Related Topics:

1. Green Wedding Guide; Eco-friendly Wedding Invitations
2. Green Wedding Guide; Eco-friendly Wedding Rings
3. Green and Gorgeous Wedding Gowns for the Eco-Conscious