It's an exciting time to plan a green wedding. Couples who care about living lifestyles connected to health and sustainability can tap into the blossoming eco weddings movement and create a momentous occasion.

Your wedding is an opportunity to show who you are now and who you are committed to being. As you weave your values-based dreams into the celebration, you can create a deeper meaning and inspiration for you, your family and guests. Green weddings are celebrations from the heart and for the planet!

Here's a quick list of wedding planning tips to consider, provided by Corina Beczner of Vibrant Events.

TOP 10 WAYS TO GREEN YOUR WEDDING

1. Cut down on paper invitations.
2. Find a venue that limits travel for you and your guests.
3. Buy earth-friendly jewelry, such as a conflict-free diamond or an antique ring.
4. Dress in eco-friendly attire. There are beautiful gowns made of bamboo or organic silk.
5. Choose digital photography and avoid disposable cameras.
6. Offset carbon emissions for guests and the wedding party.
7. Serve local and sustainable food and drink when possible.
8. Decorate with organic flowers or even celebrate nature with potted plant centerpieces.
9. Use alternative gift registries that offer eco gifts or give a percentage of purchases to deserving charities.
10. Make your honeymoon as green as your wedding with local travel or eco-focused resorts.

Visit our eco weddings guide for additional details on this subject!

What do flowers say? We know that roses are about romance. What about gerberas, one of the top five most popular floral gifts? Judging by their clear vivid colors and classic daisy good looks, gerberas are about happiness—with a bit of purity, innocence, and cheerfulness thrown in. They come in so many vibrant colors—orange, yellow, red, pink, white—they can stir up all kinds of other pleasant emotions too. Display a bouquet around your house this summer and see how they make you feel, or present some gerberas to your loved ones and watch how they respond.

View our Gerbera collection in 20-stem bunches or big boxes of 84.

Hear what people are saying about Organic Style and what we have been up to recently.

•	How many of our flowers go to green weddings? According to Organic Style's CEO Gerald Prolman in the Pacific Sun, "We get calls every day from florists and brides who are asking for organic flowers for their weddings." As he says, "People today are making conscientious purchase decisions. They want to know how the farm workers are treated and want assurance that the earth was not contaminated in the process."
•	See Organic Style featured on the Sundance Channel. The Eco Biz Show, which profiles people making big ecological advantages in the business world, interviewed Organic Style on the benefits of growing and purchasing organic flowers. Watch the video here.
•	Want to know more about Organic Style's high standards? That's always a good thing to look into as you choose products based on your own eco-values. We partner with artisans and growers who adhere to rigorous U.S. and International standards of sustainability. See our Eco Standards page for details on the strict standards that apply to our products, packaging and carbon offset program.

No doubt the mission of Oceana—"protecting the world's oceans"—sounds daunting, but the organization is making remarkable progress getting laws passed to safeguard marine life and critical habitat. With 300,000 members and e-activists worldwide, it is now the largest International organization focused entirely on ocean conservation.

Oceana focuses on key issues that affect everyone on the planet, such as climate change's impact on the oceans, destructive fishing and seafood contamination. The organization drives home the point that all of us can play a part in the ocean's recovery with "10 Things You Can Do to Save the Oceans"—such as selecting sustainable seafood and avoiding harmful products. There's also a list of grocers that post warnings about mercury at their seafood counter. You can find "Green List" grocers in your neighborhood at oceana.org/gl.

One really simple and effective way to get involved with the effort: Sign Oceana's Plastic Pledge not to "trash the ocean." Plastic is an ocean enemy because it harms water quality and sea life—turtles mistake plastic bags for prey and eat them.

You can also support Oceana's valuable programs through the purchase of a dedicated Oceana Blue Iris Bouquet. 5% of the sale of each bouquet will be donated directly to Oceana.