Have an Elegant, Eco-Friendly Wedding

With all the talk about the Royal Wedding and wedding season is upon us it's the perfect time to give back to the environment, and have an Eco-friendly wedding. When most people think of "green" weddings, they usually picture it looking tacky, but I am going to show we simple ways to have an elegant, green, budget-friendly, wedding.

Invitations 

Invitations can be a money-sucking, paper ball of waste. Thankfully there are plenty of choices when it comes to invites.

1. E-cards: Sending your guests a card by e-mail, definitely, eliminates the use of paper and the drops the pieces by 100% because it is free. Unfortunately it can take away the class, of your wedding, and you risk having some people not know about your wedding, because you can't guaranteed everyone checks their e-mails.
2.  Recycled Paper: You also have the option of having regular invites, but printing them on recycled paper. You can also do this professionally at local print shops or online at websites like baroncards.com.  

Other Stationary
Too save money and be eco-friendly remove unimportant wedding stationers like save the dates, reception cards bookmarks, programs, and menus. If you want to keep them all you can also print on recycled paper or cut down the size.

Venues 

 When Choosing a venue you have a few options to help cut back your impact on the planet. 

1. Choose a venue close to the majority of your guests.This including having your wedding in the same country as most of your guest live in.
   
2. Hold your reception and ceremony at the same place.
3. Have a smaller guest list. This will not only cut down on cost, but on food, transportation, and venue size.
4. Have an outdoor wedding. Enjoy the natural scenery. Which also cuts down on the price of decor.
5. Check out green venues. This is help cut down on your weddings carbon footprint.   

Appeal

1. Try a vintage dress: You can use your mom's your grandma's dress (I am sure they will love it). If you don't like a couple things about the dress you can recreate a new dress using the fabric from the old one.
2. Buy a dress made locally: This will insure that your dress didn't have to travel a long distance creating more air pollution.
3. Have a wedding dress made of natural fabrics: try a dress made of 100% cotton or even bamboo. 
4. Have your groomsmen and/or bridesmaids rent your outfits: or once they finish wearing there outfits have them donate it or send it to a thrift store. 

 Food

1.  Find a "green" catering
2. Have vegetarian options
3. Have organic foods
4. use foods grew locally

Rings

1.  Use a vintage ring 
2. Have your old jewellery melted down into your wedding bands
3. Get conflict-free diamonds: This will make sure your diamonds were not mined in war zones (blood diamonds) or get your diamonds mined in peaceful countries.
4. Get lab-created diamonds

* I used some tips on green wedding rings from sierraclub.typepad.com

Decorations 

1. Use tablecloths made from natural fibres and fabric
2. Use fabric napkins instead of paper
3. Use metal utensils instead of plastic ones
4. Use eco-friendly candles
5. If you decide to use overhead lighting use eco-friendly light bulbs

Flowers

When it comes to flowers you have two choices real or fake. Personally I think real flowers are a bit more eco-friendly than fake ones, but there are pros and cons for both.

Real flowers

Pros

• not made from plastics
• look real
• biodegradable
• smell good

Cons

• may have been sprayed with pesticides
• do not last long
•  cost more

Fake Flowers
Pros

• last longer
• vary of more colours
• less expensive

Cons

• made from plastic
• may have travelled long distances
• do not look real

Wedding Favours 

1. Planting Kit
2. Bamboo box filled with organic candy
3. Monogrammed reusable water bottles
4. Organic soaps
5. Tote bags made from natural fabrics
6. Bamboo picture frame
7. Bamboo plant
8.  Eco-friendly candles

Check out www.green-wedding.net/ for more eco-wedding favours

After the Wedding

1.  Recycle or donate your wedding decorations
2. Compost the rest of your wedding food (may sure the foods you are compacting can be composted
3. Clean up using eco-friendly cleaning products
4. Donate your dress or save it for your future daughter's wedding

Honeymoon

You don't have to sacrifice going to the honeymoon of your dreams to help the environment with these tips.

1. Do your research
2. Stay at a green hotel
3. Eat at green restaurants that serve organic foods
4. Enjoy the natural beauty of the place that your staying
5. Participate in green activities, like tree planting
6. Continue with your daily green activities like turning off the lights, or unplugging electronics when not in use.