Everywhere you look the world over, people are concerned with being more green. If you have been hiding under a rock for the past few years, know that the term “green” is synonymous for environmentally friendly.
Companies are becoming increasingly concerned with their impact on the environment, people are realizing those recycling bins the City passes out really do serve a purpose, and brides and grooms everywhere are taking steps to ensure that their special day doesn’t negatively impact the planet. If you are a part of this thoughtful bunch, read on for tips and ideas on how to green-ify your wedding day.
Local, Local, Local: A large environmental impact weddings can have on the planet is the means of travel for the wedding party and the guests. While destination weddings are a wonderful way to see the world, think of all that is being used in fuel for transportation for everyone attending. If you decide to be committed to keeping your wedding as local as possible, consider the following options.
Have your wedding and reception in the same venue, so guests don’t have to drive between venues. If you do decide to have the ceremony and reception at different places, consider setting up carpool options for guests or arranging for buses. Seek out local caterers from the city you are having the wedding in, and check to see how much they adhere to getting ingredients from local merchants.
Recycle, Reuse: A lot of paper goes into announcing a wedding: save the date cards, invitations to bridal shower, bachelor parties, the official wedding invitations, thank you cards…Many companies these days are offering materials different from the thick cream card stock of the latter generations.
You can easily find companies willing to print any and all invitations and cards on recycled stock (up to 100% recycled paper). If you want to take it one step further, consider sending invitations for the “smaller” events like the bridal shower over e-mail, through a website like www.evite.com. No paper waster and you can immediately view people’s responses. Easy as 1-2-3.
Vintage is En Vogue: Although it is fun to scrounge through racks of dresses at Jessica McClintock, you could easily find something vintage (some people are easily scared off by the term “used”) that will be just as stunning. Grab your mom or girlfriend (or fiancé) and head to your city’s vintage shops.
You may discover a dress you might have never considered before, and even if your groom doesn’t find a tux that suits him, he could discover a terrific tie or pair of classy leather shoes. Encourage your bridesmaids to do the same. Even though their dresses wouldn’t be identical, you would feel good knowing you made purchases that didn’t break the bank nor make a dent in the environment.
Farewell Flowers: This is not to suggest that you should not have flowers in your wedding at all. Flowers are a gorgeous way to spice up a wedding ceremony, and the tossing of the bouquet is a sweet and time honored tradition. Instead of buying heaps of flowers from a florist, you could ask that your guests each bring a flower to the ceremony.
With these flowers you could then create your bridal bouquet, and it would be even more special knowing your loved ones put thought into what flower to contribute. Instead of having bouquets of cut flowers adorning the tables at the reception, you could have little live, potted plants for guests to take home, or even lovely rock and soy candle arrangements.
There are so many wonderful ways to stay green and still have a wedding that is exactly what you have always dreamed about. For more ways to make your wedding a unique and special day, please visit the Irish Celtic Jewels store. We feature the best in Celtic jewelry that is crafted in Ireland. We have a large selection of Irish wedding and engagement rings that can help lend a distinct sentiment to your vows. We have the highest in quality customer service and superior products, and guarantee you will always find what you are looking for.