Have you ever gone to a wedding and wondered "What will they do with all these flowers after the event?" or "Wow, that's a lot of food, I wonder who's going to eat it all when we leave?" Then maybe a green wedding is what you'd like to consider when planning your special day!
As one of the most celebrated occasions of our time, we often approach weddings with a "gung ho/sacrifice nothing" perspective. Consumer America especially has sold us a "more is better" attitude, so when it comes to the biggest landmark event of our lives it's hard not to buy into the fantastical white wedding dream we've been fed by the wedding industry. The truth behind the tulle is that much of the choices going into a wedding celebration have quite a large impact on the planet, people and our ecosystem.
Impact of Weddings
- The waste: 75% of brides wear their gown once and never take it out of the closet afterwards.
- The pollution: One rose has an estimated 127 different pesticides sprayed on it, polluting waterways and causing harmful working conditions during its harvest.
- The carbon emissions: One wedding averages 40 tons of carbon emissions in the atmosphere from energy use and transportation. If you offset that, it would be the equivalent of taking 7 cars off the road for a year.
In weddings we celebrate love, family, and tradition. We look back through generations past, and look forward to generations to come, rejoicing as we witness the formation of a new family, giving it our blessings and our support. In short, your wedding isn't just about you; it is a place to honor loved ones, heritage, and the spirit that connects us all.
Emergence of Green Weddings
With the blossoming green wedding economy flourishing at our fingertips, now couples that care for living lifestyles connected to health and sustainability can actively participate and create a momentous occasion connected to what they care about. While a lot of eco-friendly wedding practices started in the 70's with casual, non-traditional ceremonies and a reception that rejected lavish decorations and preparations, green weddings today aren't the hippie weddings they used to be.
Today's eco-friendly wedding vendors meet the market needs of thousands of couples wanting to integrate sustainable principles without sacrificing style, sophistication or tradition. In fact many vendors who may have been recycling, using recycled content, or reducing their energy use for years, are now sharing their green practices openly. It is an exciting time to plan a green wedding!
Where Do You Start?
A green wedding integrates healthy living basics such as organic food, wine, flowers, and wedding cake, with natural eco-fabrics for décor, gowns and attire, while at the same time seeking to go beyond basics by integrating sustainable operations practices such as energy and water efficiency, recycling and composting, and offsetting carbon emissions. The result is an integrated approach to reducing impact, resource consumption, and innovating in the name of our environment.
Now that you're excited to give it a try, here are some things to consider and some resources to help when planning your green wedding.
Sending Invitations
It's not just about adding recycled paper invitations, when inviting guests to your wedding consider the amount of people traveling for the event. The more people the more impact…and money! To cut down on both, consider having your wedding closer to the majority of your guests. And to cut down on paper all together, have you considered electronic invitations or save-the-dates? Of course if paper is your choice, go 100% post consumer with some of the great new vendors entering this market.
Guest Accommodations
Lodging and transportation logistics are a large part of creating an experience for your guests that fully integrates your passion for a better environment. Be sure to offer thoughtful green products in their room gift baskets or sign them up for walking tours, or bicycle trips of the area as an added bonus!
Finding a Venue
It's a big investment to secure your ceremony and reception locations. Have you given yourself enough time to find a green one? Would you like to use that money to support a local farm or an eco-chic green hotel in your city? Try to find locations that are in walking distance to each other or be sure to arrange an eco-friendly shuttle service for your guests.
Buying the Rings
While conflict free diamonds are a great option today, be sure to ask for documentation from your jeweler before you purchase, just to be safe. However, you may want to consider steering away from something new and buying an antique ring or heirloom piece instead. How about a man-made stone, or recycled gold or platinum band? There are a host of other ethical stones if diamonds aren't for you, such as tourmaline, sapphire or garnet. Many local jewelers can support your values if you just ask!
Your Gown and Attire
You're in luck and getting luckier by the minute here. New fabulous eco-fabrics make this decision more exciting than it used to be. Bamboo or soy silk? Hemp or milk cashmere? And of course there is always vintage or new. Renting or buying used is going to be your most eco-friendly choice, but that isn't for everyone. At least consider donating to a charity when you are married!
Eco-Photography
With the age of digital photography, this choice is pretty easy when it comes to the environment. Cut down on waste and chemicals as much as possible by going digital. If you want to up the eco ante consider a green wedding photographer. Yes, more and more photographers are coming out of the closet to embrace their eco-fabulous side. Look for photographers that offset their driving emissions, use hybrid vehicles, and even offer a recycled eco-friendly photo album for you after the wedding. If you want your guests to take photos as part of the fun, stay clear of disposable camera's and opt-in for a digital rental instead.
Offset Your Carbon Emissions
Flights, transportation, and energy used by lodging guests will likely be the largest contributors to the environmental damage of your wedding. Luckily, there are now a number of carbon emissions offset organizations you can contribute to reduce your impact. Make sure you track where all the guests are traveling from and get the square footage of your venue, and you can adjust your emissions impact through tree planting, renewable energy credits (REC's), and carbon emission reduction projects around the globe.
Reception Food and Drink
As one of the focal points of your celebration, eating and drinking with your community is definitely a highlight for all. Will you choose all organic, fair trade or local? How about seasonal? Will you include vegetarian or make the whole meal meatless? If you are serving seafood, are you aware of the sustainable seafood catch in the area? Check for organic caterers in your area, or work with your favorite caterer to craft a meal that is seasonal and organic. Many chefs know that organic simply tastes better! Finally, don't forget to include organic and biodynamic wines with your meal as well!
Decorating
Bring beauty in with flairs of color, gorgeous flowers, and special personal touches. Does your budget allow for certified organic flowers? Can you work with local growers to grow your blooms? Are you interested in potted plants instead of flowers? Does your designer know what is seasonal and local instead of flown? Be creative with reused objects to save on budget and the environment.
Greening Your Gifts
Receiving and giving gifts is a time-honored tradition of any wedding. If you've been living together for awhile you may not need a lot of new stuff. The first rule in a green wedding planning is "reduce," so be sure to only ask for what you need. If you need help instead of stuff (like with setting up the reception site), consider adding that to your Alternative Gift Registry, or signing up for a honeymoon registry to help pay for your island getaway. If you do need some new tableware, linens, etc. the I Do Foundation will help you donate to your favorite charity while still shopping at all the usual registry stores. Seek out organic, fair trade and eco-friendly lifestyle options.
Honeymoon
Keeping your wedding footprint down doesn't stop at the end of the wedding, you'll want to green your honeymoon as well! As a symbol of the beginning of your marriage, your honeymoon can provide an opportunity to give back, help out, and be socially conscious. Are you planning a beach retreat or an adventurous bike trip across Croatia? Two weeks or two months? Especially seek out eco-resorts that incorporate local food, and support the local community by offering job opportunities and give–back programs. Don't forget to offset your travel carbon emissions too!
The sustainability movement is about making better choices for the sake of maintaining a rich and vibrant life for future generations on our planet Earth. When it comes to honoring our direct connection to the planet and how it nurtures us all, it's only natural to consider the product choices we make when planning a wedding.
Your wedding is an opportunity to showcase who you are now and who you are committed to being. As you weave your values-based purchases into your wedding celebration, you create a magic and a deeper meaning that you and your guests will be touched, moved, and inspired by. Green weddings are celebrations from the heart and for the planet!