Saturday, June 18, 2005
Here's how to make your wedding more earth-friendly:
WEDDING DRESS/TUXEDO
Consider buying a vintage dress and tuxedo from a resale clothing store.
Buy an organic silk/hemp wedding dress or suit. If you can't find one locally, try online.
Choose a simple dress and suit that you can wear again.
Learn how you can donate your wedding dress for charity at www.idofoundation.org
INVITATIONS
Buy 100 percent post-consumer-waste recycled invitations processed without chlorine.
Have seeds embedded in the paper so guests can plant the invitations and enjoy the flowers that grow from them. You can do the same with place cards and menus.
Create a Web site about your wedding and ask guests to reply online instead of enclosing reply cards.
RECEPTION
Hold the ceremony and reception at the same location, or at least near each other to avoid having guests drive between the two.
Use caterers who will donate leftover food to homeless shelters and recycle bottles and cans.
Ask your caterer to use locally grown, organic ingredients and serve organic wines and beer.
Rent real glasses, dishes and cloth napkins to avoid using disposable versions.
Use organically grown flowers and candles made from beeswax. Plantable table arrangements such as rosebushes or green plants are an alternative to flowers that die quickly.
Eco-friendly wedding favors include packets of organic teas, packets of wildflower seeds and plantable papers imbedded with seeds.
OTHER
Use an eco-friendly travel agent for your honeymoon and stay in a certified green hotel.
Encourage guests to make contributions to your favorite charities rather than give traditional gifts, or sign up with a wedding registry that specializes in earth-friendly products such as recycled glass, linens made from organic cotton, etc.
Choose wedding bands made from recycled gold and a synthetic diamond for your engagement ring.
Helpful links for planning a green wedding:
GENERAL
www.organicweddings.com
www.chiceco.com
WEDDING FAVORS
www.plantamemory.com
www.nuptialseeds.com
HONEYMOON
www.earthroutes.net
www.vegtravel.com
www.greenhotels.com
www.greenerlodging.com/green/gld.htm
www.betterworldclub.com
CLOTHING
www.consciousclothing.com
www.rawganique.com
www.ecolution.com
WEDDING BANDS
www.greenkarat.com