Tips for an Eco-Friendly Wedding
Going green is the big trend at the moment and many brides are looking to adopt some eco-friendly practices for their wedding day. Being environmentally aware with your wedding planning does not mean it will cost you anymore but you will have to think more carefully about your choice of vendors and suppliers.
Here are a few tips on ‘greening’ up your wedding day!
Invitations and Stationery
This is perhaps one of the easier elements to make eco-friendly! Look for papers which are recycled and/or which come from sustainable sources. Many stationery printers are offering ranges printed on recycled papers and the design options are increasing all the time.
Don’t order more than you need, adding on an extra 10% is fine, but don’t be tempted to order 250 when you really only need 150. Also consider all those little extra items that wedding stationers so love to get you to buy. Do you really need an extra set of printed menus or one per guest? Display one or two menus on your tables instead. Do you need to send directions to people who live locally? And does your best friend or parents need to know about local accommodation?
Instead of ordering lots of extra inserts to go with your invitations, set up a wedding website where you can publish all this information and much, much more. No printing is involved, it is cheaper and there is not waste paper at the end of the day.
Food and Drink
Look for caterers that specialize in organic food and use free range ingredients such as eggs. This also goes for your wedding cake which can be made with organic and free range ingredients and natural colorings for the icing.
Ask your reception venue about what happens to all the left over food. Do they have a composting scheme? Could they send any uneaten portions to local hospices or homeless shelters? If you are having a buffet could you take home any leftover food?
Aside form using organic and free range ingredients, also try to use locally produced food stuffs which haven’t been transported millions of miles. The food will be fresher, tastier and you will be supporting local businesses as well as reducing your carbon footprint.
Flowers
Flowers are expensive and can be more expensive if you order blooms which are not currently in season. This means that they have to be imported and this is also the case for more exotic varieties such as orchids.
Consider what will happen to your floral arrangements after the wedding also. You might want to give them away as gifts, have them sent to local hospitals or send them to a local care home where they can continue to give much pleasure.
Transport
Try to choose your ceremony and reception venues close together to cut down on the amount miles you will need to travel. Better still choose them within walking distance of each other, imagine how wonderful you will all look walking down the street from the church to the reception!
Green transport options may still be in their infancy and finding wedding cars which run on green fuels may be an impossible task, however you could consider a horse and carriage, rickshaws and even bicycles!
