Eco-friendly is one of the newest trends for weddings – recycled, sustainable, organic – treating our Earth with some tender loving care. It’s not just a lifestyle trend any longer, it’s also spilling over into the wedding industry. More companies are discovering that many brides are searching for these Earth-friendly options instead of the traditional ones that may be thrown away and will never biodegrade in a landfill.
If you are starting the wedding planning process and are interested in creating a green eco-friendly wedding from start to finish, here are a few tips and guidelines you will want to follow, to leave your green thumb-print on the world:
Catering – While potentially being quite costly, an organic and eco-friendly menu can be an excellent way to represent to your guests your dedication to health, Earth-sustainability and quality flavor. Choose organic seasonal fruits and vegetables that have not been grown in a green house or been exposed to pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Organic meats such as grain-fed, free-range, hormone free beef, pork, poultry and wild (not farmed) fish are great – and extremely flavorful – options for your menu. Your caterer should also be able to provide breads, pastas and grains made of organic ingredients, and organic hormone free eggs and milk products to suit your guests’ palettes. Additionally, purchasing locally grown food supports local farmers and local small businesses.
Venue – More builders are starting to go green with the construction of new buildings, to achieve LEED certifications and acknowledgements. Check for new buildings in your area that have been built green. This could include being made with recycled material – rubber tire carpet, recycled cement, sustainable or recycled wood, low-flow plumbing fixtures, high efficiency lighting, biodegradable paper materials, or even a green roof to catch the rain and prevent storm water run off. Another option for a green venue would be a natural outdoor wedding – check out parks, mountains/hilltops, farms and gardens.
Invitations/Stationery – From 10% to 100% recycled paper, to vegetable-based low VOC inks, there are many options available which save trees and produce less harmful emissions into the air.
Flowers & Decorations – Potted flowers and plants are the best eco-friendly option to use flowers as decorations in your wedding. Afterward, you can give them as gifts to those who help you at the wedding, or plant them in your own garden as a special memory of your wedding day. Many cut flowers typically used in wedding decorations are sprayed with pesticides to keep the leaves and petals from being eaten by insects during growth. If you decide to use cut flowers, check to make sure that they are VeriFlora-certified, which means that they are not grown under harsh working conditions or covered in chemical pesticides and artificial fertilizers.
by Heather
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