It’s your D day, and you plan to make it a memorable event, albeit in a different way. As an active follower of the ‘Go Green’ movement, you want to have a wedding that is both eco-friendly and easy on the budget. Well, here are some tips that can help you plan an eco-friendly wedding to perfection.
Choose an eco-friendly location
The first step to planning an eco-friendly wedding is to choose an eco-friendly location for the event. Some of the best options in this case can include parks, gardens or beaches for outdoor weddings and art galleries and local museums for indoor weddings. In the case of the latter, choose places that have programs to donate the deposit you make to charitable causes.
Choose local vendors
Aim to purchase everything for the wedding from local vendors. In addition to reducing transportation time and cost, this would help you cut down on emissions related to travel. It would also help you support the local economy to thrive and grow.
Choose digital photography
Rather than opting to make a photo album that would contribute to mass deforestation in the process, consider choosing digital photography. The highlights of this are manifold and not restricted to the environment alone. In addition to saving you plenty of money in making rolls and copies, digital photography would also allow you to enhance the pictures whenever needed so that you end up looking better in the photos.
Choose ‘green’ rings
Another great way to highlight your ‘Go Green’ agenda at the wedding is to opt for eco-friendly rings. Rather than having them made form first hand gold, silver or diamonds, you can opt for rings made from recycled alternatives. You can also choose rings made of fair labor gemstones, thus supporting the local economy.
Choose recycled paper
From the invitations and photos to the table name cards and the tissues, you will end up using a lot of paper during the wedding. While you cannot avoid this, a great way to get it done in an eco-friendly manner is to opt for recycled paper. You can also send the used paper for recycling at a local center. Another great way to cut down on the paper would be to go for a wedding website which would act as a formal invitation for all your guests.
Choose a re-used wedding dress
Although you may be compelled to choose a new wedding dress for the occasion, there are plenty of ways in which you can go about it in an eco-friendly manner and still end up looking gorgeous.
You can start by opting to get your mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress altered and wear the same as part of the family tradition. There are also several thrift stores that sell wedding gowns that have been used only once or twice, for extremely cheap prices. Some shops also donate the money from the sales to charitable organizations. Choose these places to get your wedding dress for ‘D’ day.
Choose home grown and seasonal flowers
A wedding can never be complete without flowers. There is an eco-friendly way in which this can be arranged as well. Rather than opting for imported or out of season flowers, choose home grown and seasonal flowers that help you make the wedding more colorful without adding to pollution and fuel consumption. While a local organic florist can do the decorations, centerpieces and bouquets, a farmers market can also help provide local flowers for the purpose.
Choose an organic menu
Finally, let’ settle on the menu. Rather than choosing exotic items, try providing your guests with an organic, vegan menu for a change. Also make it a point to check for the catering supplies like dishes and spoons as this would reduce the need to go for disposable plates, cups and dishes.
A wedding need not necessarily be an expensive, anti-green affair. There are plenty of ways in which you can ensure that your wedding is a grand success without causing much harm to the environment in the process.