Eco-Friendly Weddings

With the world changing very quickly before our eyes, many couples are opting for eco-friendly weddings to help do their part.

You may be thinking, “Eco-friendly wedding?! What... how!?” which is exactly what we thought until we did our research.

Below are some tips on how you and your To Be can have an environmentally friendly wedding:

Invitations:

Print your invitations on recycled or recyclable paper - most paper and invitation stores offer options of recycled or recyclable paper. Many companies offer tree-free and recycled wedding invitations.

Earth-friendly rings:

Passing rings on from a loved family member can be a nice way to keep from adding to the damage already done to our earth. If you do buy new, find out where your diamonds and other gems and materials originally came from. Make sure they come from socially and environmentally responsible dealers who can ensure you that you are buying responsibly.

Wedding Gown:

Believe or not - you can make an eco-friendly wedding gown from natural fabrics. Another idea is to use somebody else's wedding dress. Remember: you can take a used wedding dress to a seamstress for alterations.

Favors:

Just by putting the words “Eco-friendly Wedding Favors” into Google.com I found lots of great ideas! Some suggestions are:

• Eco-Friendly confetti
• Natural sea shell place card holders
• Lavender wedding rice
• Plantable seed favors

Flowers:

You can be environmentally conscious by choosing flowers that have not been grown using heavy pesticides. The best way to accomplish this is to purchase your flowers from a local grower who you know do not use lots of pesticides, or to grow the flowers yourself that you carry on your wedding day.

Pot Your Pieces:

For centerpieces and other decor elements, use potted flowers, plants, or even small trees, which can later be transplanted to your garden or yard

Skip the Extras:

Instead of placing a menu at every setting, have one or two for the table. If you're having wedding programs, eliminate unnecessary pages (like that monogrammed layer of vellum). Or print up one per couple -- you definitely don't need extra programs.

There are many ways your wedding can help save the world - so take a look online and explore your options.