You’ve heard the saying “green is the new black.” Make green the new white by planning an eco-friendly wedding. There are several unique and fun ways to make sure your wedding leaves behind the smallest carbon footprint possible while still making an impression on your guests. You might even save some money while you’re at it.
First, think local. This concept comes up when talking about doing anything in an environmentally friendly manner. Start by having the nuptials close to home. If you live far from the majority of your guests, consider having it closer to them. You’ll lower your carbon footprint from the start if fewer guests have to travel long distances. Next, work with your caterers to plan a menu based on what’s available locally and what’s in season. This could be more challenging in some areas but focus as much of your menu as possible to local fare and you’ll make a huge difference. Also consider using locally sourced flowers. Most cut flowers travel over a couple continents at least before they reach our florists. Thinking locally will not only cut your carbon emissions, it could save you money while promoting the local economy. Seems like a win-win all around!
Recycle, reuse, and reduce. From ensuring your caterer and other vendors recycle all appropriate material to reusing goods for the celebration, there are all kinds of ideas waiting in those three simple words. Request that any dinnerware, napkins, and table decor used is fully recyclable or reusable to help reduce waste from your reception. Print your save-the-dates and invitations on recycled paper or use e-vites to eliminate paper all together. Consider looking into used dresses for you and your bridesmaids. Secondhand dresses are generally much cheaper and in great shape, seeing as their previous owners only use them once. Consignment shops offer a more unique selection of dresses than what is available in stores and just imagine giving a beautiful wedding dress a second life at your wedding!
You don’t have to create extra waste to thank your guests. If you make your own favors, use as much recycled material as possible. Or you might want to make a favor that creates no waste while improving the Earth’s atmosphere at same time. You could have a tree planted for each guest or donate goods to poverty-stricken areas. Another idea is to give your guests flower seeds dried into biodegradable material. Include planting instructions and your guests can leave the wedding with a flowerbed full of beautiful, local flowers in their pocket. A lot of couples have also started donating to charities and other worthy organizations in their guests’ names with the money they would have spent on trinkets. Excite your guests by offering something completely different than the usual, useless gifts that are often left behind anyway.
With so much at stake planning your eco-friendly day, you might be wondering, “do I need wedding insurance?” There are several companies that now offer wedding insurance to help prevent you from losing money if your DJ never shows up or extreme weather hits. As with most other events in life, these companies encourage you to hope for the best but plan for the worst. With a range of different plans and pricing options, you’ll know at least you and your wallet are protected which would be worth it considering how much effort goes into planning a green wedding.
Your vows are forever, but that doesn’t mean the Earth needs to pay for your wedding forever. You can save carbon emissions and money by using some of these green wedding trends, so why not go green?
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