The Environmentally Friendly Wedding

More and more people are jumping on the awareness train. People are educating themselves on their options and this is leading to the choice of having an environmentally friendly wedding. There are more options available today than at any other time in history and because of this the options for inexpensive alternatives at your wedding are made easy.

The invitations are the easiest way to cut down. If most of your family and friends are online or have email access, then you can hire someone (for a substantial price difference) to create an e-card wedding invitation. This can be as beautiful and unique as paper invitations but it is eco-friendly and a lot less expensive for you. Even if you have to send out some paper invitations the expense will be dramatically reduced.

The big buzz is always the focus on the dress. Now there are several kinds of gown designers that use only organic, sustainable materials to create their gowns. This is good for the environment and also good for your look. The only difference is the material, not the quality of the dress.

You can decide to keep the venue and location of the wedding local to save on fuel usage. If you have already decided to have a wedding in a far away place, then consider keeping the list of attendants small and purchase carbon credits to help offset. If you are using a horse drawn carriage to exit the ceremony then you are already doing your part for gas-free transportation. Every little bit helps. Try t encourage car pooling by allowing guests to arrive at a central location and ride in a few pre-selected vehicles to reduce waste.

Have your wedding when the sun is out. If it is summertime I wouldn't recommend having the ceremony at the peak of day, but having it sometime before sundown will keep you from forking the bill for lights and saving on energy usage.

If you have a few family members that are avid gardeners (assuming the seasons are right) you can ask to have them set aside some ingredients towards your reception spread. Otherwise, work with local organic farmers to create your fresh fruit and vegetable spreads for the reception. If you are planning to hire a caterer, choose a local one, and have them stick to your demands of using locally grown produce for the edible arrangements. Choose a local florist who possibly works with organically grown flowers and have them make your creations. Make the favors from organic, sustainable products and keep it green. Your day can be perfect for you and the planet.