Steps to a Green Wedding

Every engaged couple wants their wedding day to be a special celebration that reflects who they are and what they care about. Going green is a great way to make the festivities unique and meaningful, and show friends and family just how fun, beautiful, and delicious a sustainable lifestyle can be.

Article By Elsje Designs, www.elsje.co.za

Here's how to start planning your green wedding:

1. With this ring...

A green wedding begins where any engagement does: with a ring. The beautiful alternatives to "blood diamonds" (those that are mined in war zones and fund conflicts) include:

• vintage rings, whether a family heirloom or an antique find
• diamonds certified as "conflict-free" under the Kimberley Process, an ongoing effort to
   reform diamond mining in Africa
• one-of-a-kind wooden bands

2. Location, location, location

Your choice of venue sets the tone for your wedding day--and accounts for a big chunk of the money you'll be laying out. Spend it wisely! Consider:

• having the ceremony and the reception at the same place
• picking a unique local spot like an art gallery, nonprofit space, organic restaurant or farm,
   green hotel or a botanical garden that supports a cause you believe in
• an outdoor setting that will infuse the whole event with a natural sensibility (and require less decorating too!)

3. Please join us...

Your invitation is the first impression guests will get of your green wedding. Look for:

• recycled, handmade, or plantable papers processed chlorine-free and printed with vegetable- or soy-based inks.
   Elsje Designs are very proud to use a vegetable ink printer.
• tree-free paper made out of hemp, banana stalks, bamboo, or organic cotton
• papers that aren't metallic or plastic-coated, characteristics that make them hard to recycle
• opportunities to reduce paper use, like sending a postcard (instead of multi-enveloped notes)
   for your save-the-date, or using online invitations and a wedding blog to let people know about
   the bachelor/ette parties, rehearsal dinner, and gift registry

And don't forget to pick up some extra green paper products for your guest book, place cards, and thank-you notes. (You will be writing thank-you’s, won't you?)

4. Here comes the bride...

...in a gorgeous hemp-silk gown. When it comes to outfitting the bridal party, green options abound. You can:

• go vintage (and update your look as necessary with tailoring and modern shoes and accessories)
• pick clothes made from hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton or silk, or find a dressmaker who will
   make a one-of-a-kind item out of these sustainable fabrics (men's suits and shirts come in organic
   cotton or wool too)
• borrow an elegant gown from a stylish friend
• buy something you'll wear again (and let your bridesmaids do the same)
• accessorize with a unique recycled purse and/or jewelry
• use vegetable dyes on your shoes (or go barefoot for a beach wedding)
• accentuate natural beauty with all-natural makeup
• donate the dresses to charity after the event.

5. Set the stage

Add beauty and style to your wedding décor, naturally:

Here's how:

• Find a florist who's diligent about recycling packaging and will source locally raised flowers.
• Have bridesmaids carry matching purses or silk bouquets instead of cut flowers
• Decorate with branches, dried grass, grains, greens, berries, or live plants
   (potted or dried arrangements can double as favors)
• Choose beeswax or soy-based candles over those made with paraffin - a petroleum byproduct
• Arrange to have decorations moved from the ceremony to the reception
• Use leaves or other natural objects as place cards
• Donate the flowers to a hospital or rest home at the end of the day

6. Eat, drink, and be merry:

Showcase green gustatory pleasures (and spoil your guests) by basing your menu around local, organic, and seasonal foods. Don’t forget the organic wine, beer, and spirits, and the free-trade, shade-grown coffee and tea!

Some tips:

• Ask the venue's preferred caterers and bakers if they can do your event organically.
• Find a local organic restaurant that does off-site catering.
• If your wedding won't be complete without a specific type of food, get married when it's in season.
• Find a caterer you trust to pick the best seasonal selections (since you may not be able to
  taste those exact items ahead of time).
• Consider vegetarian selections and seek out cruelty-free meats and wild, rather than farmed fish.
• Make sure the venue offers comprehensive recycling facilities, and ideally composting too.
• Have your cake decorated with organically grown flowers or other natural materials instead of plastic toppers.
• Rent real glassware, dishware, and linens instead of using disposables.
• Go for a chic eclectic look by mixing and matching thrift-store plates and dishes
   (and donating them back when you're done).
• Use biodegradable utensils and dishes made out of cornstarch, potatoes, wheat, or sugar cane
   --if your venue can compost them.
• Make arrangements to donate leftover food to a local food bank or homeless shelter.

It’s better to give...

OK, OK, giving and receiving are both great!  For your favors, give something your guests will really use and enjoy, not disposable plastic souvenirs.

Some ideas:

• Indigenous saplings – small yellow wood or olive trees for guests to plant at home
• A beautiful poem printed onto plantable seeded paper
• Gourmet organic chocolates or another organic or local food item
• Attractive bags of fresh or dried organic herbs
• Seeds in a commemorative container
• Reusable cloth tote bags
• Natural soaps
• Soy or beeswax candles
• A downloadable playlist of your favorite songs
• A small charitable donation in each guest's name

Elsje Designs are in love with our new award-winning eco-friendly printer! This special little machine prints with solid vegetable ink blocks - they are non-toxic, and with 90% less wastage compared to most other cartridges, no-one can object their green credibility.

The inks are even packaged in recycled boxes and branded with soy-based ink. With this fabulous find, the Elsje Designs team can create green stationery for any business or special event - invitations, menus, brochures, business cards and more - all printed onto recycled paper, with solid ink, and no sacrifice on style!

Steps to a Green Wedding | Wedding Articles