How to Throw a Green Wedding

The wedding industry is changing at lightning speed these days. Technology has had a huge hand in how weddings are planned. It has allowed couples and weddings planners to make the day a truly unique experience for everyone involved. With each new wave of weddings there comes a change in how couples view the event. Some couples choose a certain theme, other couples put the emphasis on fashion, and in current times more and more couples are looking at how their wedding makes an impact on the environment. Going green is what the world is striving for. Companies are cutting down on their waste and looking at alternate energy means. Families are finding small ways to help cut down on their waste as well. In the wedding industry, planning a green wedding is slowly becoming more and more appealing. Since weddings are often large events, making a small footprint on the environment is a great way for couples to have a wonderful wedding as well as feel good about their choices. If you are looking for tips to begin planning your green wedding then check out the items below for some great ideas. Reusable and Recyclable Décor A wedding is made up of bits and pieces from all over the place. Consider just how many small pieces there are to your wedding day. There are wedding invitations, flowers, table settings, rehearsal dinners, wedding programs, and a whole host of other items that make up a full wedding day. This can also add up to a lot of waste in the process. Think of how much could be saved and recycled or reused if you took a moment to check out green alternatives during the course of planning your wedding. Tablecloths, for example, can be washed and used over again. Buying one-use tablecloths can be a waste and leaves no room for recycling. Items like tablecloths, dinnerware, and a lot of decorations can be used again at some point. For centerpieces try and think DIY. Use items that youll be more than happy bringing back to your house once the wedding is done and over with. As far as invitations and paper goods go, always find paper which consists of recycled material. Since you might be printing up quite a few of the invitations and programs think of how eco it is to use recycled paper for all of it. Shop Local This is one item that tends to get tossed aside by some couples, but also some wedding planners. Shopping local might take a little more time but it is definitely worth it at the end of the day if youre looking to make your wedding as eco-friendly as possible. Looking for local vendors means that you can investigate their practices behind the scenes. Are they striving for eco-friendly practices in their day-to-day operations? Can you verify that the products you purchased are up to green standards? When you shop local the questions are easier to ask and locating the greenest vendors is much simpler than if you were to try and search online. Local vendors also have the added benefit of being, well, local. That means large amounts of fuel arent used transporting the goods to you from the other side of the country or world. Shopping local puts you in charge when looking for eco-friendly shops. Small guest favors can be bought from local shops which may lead guests to checking out the shop for themselves. Green Fashion One of the greatest ways the wedding industry has changed is the availability of green items and the ability for everyone to make their wedding as eco-friendly as possible. Every part of your wedding can reduce waste. Reducing your footprint on the environment can inspire guests at your wedding to think green in their everyday life. A major way to bring green practices into your wedding is by showcasing your commitment to the environment one the day of your wedding and beyond. Dresses and suits made of recycled material do exist and are becoming more popular with each year. Research gowns online and find out which shops have gowns made up of some recycled materials. You can also buy gowns from second-hand shops. Suit rentals are also a great way to go green on your wedding day. One of the best options for a green wedding is purchasing antique wedding rings and bands. These rings have been around for many years and the stones can often be replaced with conflict free diamonds, or another stone if preferred. Buying vintage wedding rings and bands, which come in a variety of beautiful shapes and sizes, can remind you of your green wedding day for years to come.