Must Love Green: How to Have an Eco-friendly Wedding

An eco-friendly life never goes out of fashion. But, the concept of a “green wedding” is becoming a more widely recognized wedding term. A green or an eco-friendly wedding is one that aims to help, not harm Mother Nature. There are many ways to green up the occasion; even if you don’t follow each and every step, there are plenty of alternative ways to celebrate your special day without generating unnecessary waste and electricity. If you want to make a positive impact on the environment, then an eco-friendly wedding may be the right option for you. The ring is a symbol of union between husband and wife.

Why not make it your symbol of union with the environment? A vintage ring from Grandma’s jewelry chest can be resized and repaired according to your taste. If there’s none available in the family, there are plenty of jewelry stores, or you can go to Ebay and Craigslist. Look for jewellers using recycled gold, as this doesn’t require new materials to be mined. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but these have become so closely linked with war, smuggling and other conflicts. There are plenty of gemstones other than diamond which are just as beautiful, such as your very own birthstone.

Alternative gems such as moissanite or adia which are created in labs can pretty much look like the same thing. Letting the guests know of your priority to reduce wedding waste can be done primarily through the invitations. Lots of guests mean lots of paper, so consider inviting only a few guests. As much as possible, use recycled stationery which can turn out to be as pretty as the bleached ones. Tissue inserts which are quite unnecessary, can drastically reduce your paper wastage—use a single card instead. One doesn’t have to be a computer expert to send out electronic invitations.

Better yet, create your own wedding website through which you can relay all the important information to the guests. The wedding dress doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg; even for a fraction of the cost, a bride can still showcase her personal style and convey a message to the guests. A vintage wedding dress is always unique. Local resale shops and Ebay can turn out a few choice selections, as well as high end vintage stores. Mom’s wedding gown altered to your liking can turn out to be an elegant, meaningful wedding dress minus the cost. The menu doesn’t have to be necessarily vegetarian, although organic foods would be ideal.

It’s even better when such foods are locally grown, since associated fuel costs are reduced. There are also plenty of local small-scale farmers who can provide organic wines, coffee, and even recycled glasses. By opting for organic food, one can support the local farmers while keeping waste to a minimum without sacrificing the taste of the food. Instead of using disposable service ware, why not rent plates, glasses and flatware that can be washed and reused? Just about every aspect in planning a wedding offers tons of opportunities to “green it up” or make it into an eco-friendly wedding. You may not want to adopt all of the ideas, but giving extra attention to areas in which you think you can make a difference can make a wonderfully favourable impact.