Planning a Green Wedding

Are you getting married? Forget white! These days many engaged couples are choosing a green celebration to start their lives together.

Eco-friendly weddings are very popular, and not any more difficult to plan than a "regular" wedding. From engagement through honeymoon, reducing waste and making environmentally-sensitive choices are as easy as saying, "I do!"

Go as green as you want, too. Select some or all of the tips in this article as they fit your lifestyle and the type of celebration you envision. Just like weddings themselves, there is no one-size-fits-all.

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials and decision to plan a green wedding. Let's get started!

Its easy to reduce energy costs when you are planning a wedding. In fact, there are so many short-cuts you can take, you'll probably end up saving time and money as well.

Once you get engaged, pull out your computer - not a pad of paper - and make a list of the following considerations:

• Date of the ceremony and reception
• Location of the ceremony
• Location of reception
• Announcements and/or invitations
• Wedding showers, if any
• Bachelor/bachelorette party, if any
• Attendants (bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, ring bearers, who else will be in the ceremony?)
• Bridal gown or dress, shoes and anything else the bride may wear
• Wedding party attire, include shoes and jewelry, tuxes, etc.
• Wedding rings
• Flowers or other decor
• Photographs and/or video
• Number of guests
• Food - consider rehearsal and/or reception
• Drinks
• Wedding cake, if any
• Serving items (glasses, plates, napkins, cutlery, tablecloths)
• Transportation
• Party favors, if any
• Wedding gifts
• Thank you notes
• Honeymoon

Now, take a deep breath and save the list. You'll be happy its on your computer where it won't get lost in all the excitement. Send a copy to your cell phone and then its always with you!

Before you can get married, you need to have a location! This also means deciding whether you'll have a separate wedding ceremony and reception.

Starting the celebration in a house of worship and then moving to a different location to party afterwards is usually a more energy-intensive option. Transportation between the two locales, heating/cooling costs, flowers and other decorations, and even the time and human factor are increased.

Certainly you can still have a green wedding, followed by a green reception. But combining the two will likely save both energy and money.

Once you decide whether or not to combine the ceremony and reception, you need to pick where to celebrate. Popular potentially green options include:

• Home or backyard of a friend or relative
• Local park or beach
• At a worship hall, with reception in an adjoining room or building
• Town hall
• Local museum, if it is permitted

Considerations include minimization of travel (a reason that destination weddings are not a very green choice), elements needed for setup, decorations and flowers (think backyard garden or park rather than floral shop), and consolidation of functions (again, the all-in-one approach to ceremony and reception)

Of course, you could just elope and have a small gathering to celebrate afterwards with a few close family members or friends!

Let's face it - paper is expensive and not too green. If you want to send out "save the date" announcements for your wedding, then why not send a mass email? Sure, it may not be quite as cute as a photo mailing, but you can still include a cute image of the two of you! The same advice goes for any wedding showers you may be attending.

Wedding invitations themselves are usually traditional. That means mailing a number of envelopes to the people you'll be inviting. If you are part of an especially "green" crowd, you may be able to get away with email invites (think Evite or similar services). Or maybe you could even divide up your guest list into those that need paper invitations and those that would be happy to receive a digital version instead.... One way you CAN save trees, even if you are sending out paper invitations is to include an email address to which people can send their RSVPs. Forgo those little SASE response cards! Also, look for paper-free invitations and eco-friendly dye for the ink!

Finally, we come to the thank-you notes. Once again, etiquette dictates that you should hand-write appreciative letters to the people that bring gifts. If you have a circle of friends that are environmentally-conscious, you may ask if they would be receptive of an email thank you note. Otherwise, be safe rather than sorry and send a written letter.

The clothes you and your future spouse choose to wear may have an environmental impact, as well. The bride in particular, can choose eco-friendly fabrics, shoes, stockings and jewelry. The groom may wish to save money and green by renting a tux that someone else can use again.

Of course, the fewer attendants you have, you can cut down on the need to purchase new dresses or rent (or buy) tuxes. While you may dream of 4-6 bridesmaids and groomsmen.. and perhaps a flower girl and ring bearer as well... the more people you involve in the ceremony, the greater the economic and environmental cost.

Particular focus is required for the biggest potential impact on the environment when it comes to wedding attire: the bridal gown. There are green wedding dresses available in a range of styles, colors and more... including beautiful and white! If you select a dress that is made with organic cotton, hemp and/or wild peace silk, you can both look beautiful and glow with the pleasure of minimizing the environmental impact of your celebration. Some sites that are especially popular include: Threadheadcreations, Offbeatbride, and BestWeddingDays.

Once you have your date, you can minimize the carbon footprint of your wedding ceremony in a number of ways. Some are very easy and others require a bit more planning.

Here's a summary overview:

• Rehearsal dinner - don't have one, or plan an informal affair with a backyard potluck
• Guests - limit the number to those people that you really know and love
• Transportation - forgo a gas-hogging limo and hitch a ride with others in the wedding party. Even more romantic.... why not go for a bicycle built for two?
• Rings - there are a number of eco-friendly options out there for your wedding jewelry!
  
• Photography/videos - have a trusted friend take photos and/or video. Upload all the images to a photo sharing site
• Music - pick a friend to sing or play a musical instrument. You'll cut down on the number of people attending the celebration
• Food - choose an organic caterer or go potluck once again!
• Drink - believe it or not, but boxed wine is much greener and significantly more inexpensive than bottles. Get some champagne for the toast, as well, and call it good!
  

Any green celebration usually demands a minimization of cost as well as resources. If you can cut corners, you'll usually end up with a more eco-friendly celebration. Reduce the number of guests, flowers and attendants to start - if possible. Look to friends and family to help with photographs, video, decor and transportation.

Food and drink need not be elaborate, just tasty! If you know someone who is a really great baker, why not ask him or her to create a one-of-a-kind wedding cake? Your neighbor with the beautiful garden may be willing to work on the wedding flowers. You'll never know unless you ask!

When it comes to attire, its best to borrow! Rented tuxes, gowns and/or shoes are a great bet. If you are interested in owning your wedding dress to pass down as an heirloom, then consider organic cotton or other eco-friendly textiles instead. Be sure to consider whether beads and sequins are sewn by properly paid employees - not child labor or non-fair trade organizations.

Above all else, relax and enjoy your special day! At the end, you and your betrothed will be married. Minimize upset, money spent and impact on the environment by cutting down on details.

That is truly the green - and sane - way to go!