Are you finally taking the step to say 'I do'? Then why don't you consider exchanging your nuptials while being environmentally friendly. You can have the event of your life that is both joyous and helpful to the environment.
If you are considering having an environmentally friendly wedding, here are a few key pointers to put you in the right direction:
- Use recycled glass votives and one-hundred percent soy candles.
They will not emit any harsh chemicals into the environment, and they last up to four times longer. Not to mention being environmentally friendly, they can also be quite elegant. If you chose to put soy candles into mason jars and tie a ribbon around, they can complete any wedding scene. And not to mention you could save money, visit your local farmer's market and mention they're for you wedding, they may be willing to give you a discount for such a large order. Environmentally friendly as well as economically conservative.
- Food is a huge part of any wedding. And more often times than not, a sit down dinner will cause the majority of any wedding party's food to go to waste. One way to save the amount of food that is wasted, is offer a buffet option to your guests. This will regulate the amount of food they eat, and in turn the environment will benefit from little to no waste. Also, many environmentally friendly weddings now will opt for organically and locally grown foods, this will also help on the costs of you food.
-Who doesn't like walking away from a wedding without something sweet to remind them of the joyous day. Instead of the standard Jordan almonds, why not try something new and offer your guests organic chocolate, or something from the array of sweet Fair Trade options. Again, there doesn't have to be anything standard or sour in an environmentally friendly wedding.
- Depending on how environmentally friendly you want to get, you also have the option of organic cotton dresses.
You can pick and chose from a wide variety of vegetable dyed fabrics that can be made to fit everyone from the bride all the way down to the flower girl. By using organic dresses, you will be helping the environment in conserving materials that would other wise been discarded.
- If you are still conscience about the environment after all of these efforts, you can chose to distribute one-hundred percent cotton paper, or recycled paper. If even after that you do not feel as though you are doing enough to save the environment, you can chose to go completely paperless. The Internet is the hub of all socializing nowadays, why not send an invitation via email.
- Flowers, a huge part of the ambiance of a wedding, and a huge part of how they contribute to the environment as a whole. If you use potted plans or organically cut flowers, you can feel as though you are doing your part to help along the environment.
- The exchanging of rings, the age-old tradition that must take place at a wedding in most Western cultures.
Instead of purchasing rings for you special day, you should consider using rings that have been passed down though the family, or find one in a vintage or antique store, instead of buying it in a major jewelry store. Not only will your diamond be one-hundred perfect unique, but you will also be doing you part to helping the environment.
- After the wedding is over, all you want to do is relax! The honeymoon can even be environmentally friendly. You can chose from a list of vacation spots listed on the World Wildlife Fund's site that will get you relaxed, but you can get the opportunity to help the environment as well!
And maybe the first day of the rest of your life, can also be the first day of the rest of your life to be environmentally friendly as well. You may even inspire some of your guests to become environmentally friendly! After a wedding as beautiful as yours, why wouldn't your guest want to do their share to help the environment.