Weddings traditionally have been all about splendor and extravagance, indulgence and luxury, not necessarily sustainability. But all of that is changing; couples are turning their marital celebrations into earth-conscious affairs. “Even small changes can make a huge difference,” says Emily Anderson, author of Eco-Chic Weddings (Hatherleigh Press), which provides simple, sustainable suggestions for everything from selecting a location to deciding on a ring.
Here are some ideas to make your wedding a sustainable event:
1. Choose an eco-conscious venue. Contact organic restaurants and catering halls in your community and ask about their food suppliers and preparation methods.
2. Serve an organic dinner menu. Serve free-range, organically raised beef and chicken, as well as seafood that is not commercially raised or high in mercury.
3. Choose organic desserts. Ask your caterer to substitute organic ingredients for your sugar, flour, butter and eggs, or choose a baker who specializes in organic cakes. Also, offer “fair trade” coffee and chocolate; “fair trade” means that farmers were paid a fair price for the beans and, in most cases they were grown in an ecologically sustainable way.
4. Choose locally made wines, or peruse organic markets in your area for available organic brands.
5. Buy organic flowers (pesticide-free) for table centerpieces, or use in-season flowers to reduce the environmental cost of shipping in non-local flowers. After your event, donate them to a local hospital or senior citizen center.
6. Go flower-less! Have your bridal party go flower-free, replacing ladies’ bouquets with fans or silk purses and men’s boutonnieres with meaningful pins or emblems.
7. Buy conflict-free diamond rings and recycled gold wedding bands. Or transform cherished vintage pieces – perhaps your grandmother’s broach – into something new and spectacular.
8. Use recycled paper for wedding invitations.
9. Have guests RSVP online, saving you paper as well as mailing costs.
10. Create a virtual wedding album. Using digital photography saves film, chemicals and paper, and you can create your own wedding website so that friends and family have access.
11. In lieu of a cake-topper, use edible flowers or fruit.
12. Offer a “to-go” menu. Eliminate leftovers by having guests take home food when they leave. Then donate the rest.
13. Use candlelight, besides reducing electricity usage, soy candles, in particular, are made from a renewable resource, and they burn longer and cleaner than regular candles. What’s more, they make a great parting gift.
14. Choose a wedding dress made of 100 percent silk and cottons. Or wear your mom’s wedding gown or buy a previous worn vintage gown – preferably one you will wear again.
