Going Green With Your Wedding Reception

Almost every engaged couple wants their wedding day to be truly unique and special. They want it to reflect who they are and what they care about. With that being said, going green with your wedding is often a great way to make your day not only unique but meaningful. It gives you the opportunity to show your friends and family that living a sustainable and healthy life can be a great thing. Listed below are a few ideas that can help you plan for a green wedding. The Invitations- Things to look for when shopping for invitations.

• Consider using recycled paper or paper substitutes such as cotton, hemp, bamboo, or banana stalks.
• Opt out of using papers that are metallic and/or plastic-coated, these characteristics make them very hard to recycle.
• Opt out of using the traditional double envelope and consider using a postcard.
• Consider ditching the traditional paper method completely and use virtual invitations online or through email. There are also great wedding websites available for this as well.

Bridal Attire – Things to consider when shopping for your bridal attire

• You may want to consider wearing a secondhand gown. You can have the gown altered and fitted just as if it were your own.
• Consider using all-natural make-up.
• Opt for using vegetable dyes on your shoes if needed, or consider going barefoot if it’s a beach wedding.
• After your wedding re-donate your dress for another bride.
• You may also want to choose a gown that you could wear again to another event.
• Choose clothes that are made from hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton or silk– (men’s clothing also comes in organic cotton or wool).

Wedding Accessories – Things to consider when shopping for wedding accessories

• Choose a vintage wedding band.
• Melt down old pieces of jewelry to create a new one.
• Buy a conflict-free diamond wedding band, not sure ask your jeweler.
• Borrow headpieces, necklaces, and other jewelry from friends and relatives.
• Consider one of kind wooden bands.

Ceremony & Reception – Things to consider when planning the reception and ceremony

• Choose a location that is centrally located so it’s convenient for guests and travel times are minimized.
• Consider having an outdoor wedding that infuses the green feel into the event.
• Make sure your venue recycles at the end of the night.
• Have your ceremony and reception at the same venue to avoid wasteful travel and decorating.
• Choose a venue that is a LEED-certified space, this stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. You can search for these types of businesses at www.usgbc.org.
• Use L.E.D. lighting as opposed to the normal incandescent and halogen bulbs to reduse electrical consumption.
• Rent glassware, dishware, and linens instead of disposable dishes.
• Consider using organic wine and beer selections.
• Don’t bother using petroleum based candles; opt for beeswax candles or soy-based candles.
• Donate any extra food you may have to a local homeless shelter.

Wedding Gifts – Things to consider when planning for wedding gifts.

• Create a registry where your guests can donate to a charity rather than buying gifts.
• Consider requesting that related guests give a combined card rather than several individual ones. This will eliminate wasted paper.
• Create a custom wish-list of eco-friendly items.

Honeymoon – Things to consider when planning your honey moon

• Try to travel close and avoid wasted fuels to get there.
• The train is often the most green, consider this are your transportation.
• Consider staying at a green resort.
• Forget resorts completely and consider going camping.
• Travel around on bikes while on the honeymoon.