Give Living Plants as Favors
For an environmentally conscious couple, having an eco-friendly wedding can be incredibly satisfying and rewarding. Celebrating your partnership means celebrating everything that you believe in and care about as a couple, including your love for the Earth! Making responsible environmental choices is deeply symbolic—it sets the stage for a life of stewardship and respect, beauty and health. Remember, even if you can’t go 100% eco-friendly, every little bit counts!
Screen the Venue
Before you decide on a venue for your wedding, ask some questions. Does the venue compost their waste? Do they recycle? If you’re getting married in a big city you may even be able to find a venue that recycles gray water and has low-water toilets (in a large building, these can save thousands of gallons of water every day!)
Go Local
Consider feeding your guests organic foods from local farms. Many caterers will be willing to substitute organic, locally grown foods for conventional varieties. If you have the time, you can contact local farms yourself. They will often give you a discounted price when you purchase food directly from them. Also, if your venue doesn’t compost, many farms will gladly accept leftover food for their gardens. Consider asking about locally grown flowers too.
Recycled or Electronic Invitations
In this day and age there is no real reason to send paper invitations. There are many beautiful templates available online, no trees required. If you have your heart set on paper invitations, consider choosing recycled paper and just use a single page. You can still set up a wedding website for directions and accommodation details.
Recycled or Repurposed Décor
Get creative with household materials or with objects you find at your local thrift store or vintage shop. Mason jars are particularly popular these days. Couples are using them for everything from flower vases to hanging lanterns. Look at your materials with fresh eyes. Would that embroidered cloth work as a table runner? Would that costume jewelry work in a non-traditional bouquet? Let your imagination go wild. There are no wrong answers.
Voluminous Vintage
Vintage wedding dresses aren’t just fashionable, they’re eco-friendly! Try shopping at consignment stores or high-end thrift stores. If you give yourself lots of time to shop, chances are good you’ll find the perfect dress. Remember, you can always have the dress tailored so it doesn’t have to fit perfectly when you first try it on. Vintage dresses evoke old glamour and that’s always beautiful.
The Green Bride Guide has everything you need to plan a green wedding. We've got a site full of inspiration -- from real wedding stories to eco-friendly wedding day items to organic gifts -- and offer the largest green wedding directory in the country!
