Being eco-friendly or ‘green’ is fast becoming a key factor in many people’s lives and weddings it seems are no different. There has been a rising trend for ‘green’ weddings in recent years and wedding favors are one of the easiest parts of your wedding to make eco-friendly.

Typical green wedding favors revolve around plants and seeds but there are a number of other favors which would fit with the green ethos too.

If you are choosing edible favors then look for products which are made with organic ingredients and preferably locally grown/produced so they haven’t clocked up lots of food miles. Choose products which are from fair-trade producers as well, such as tea, coffee and chocolate – all of which are widely available now and can be bought fairly cheaply in most major supermarkets.

If you do choose plants or seeds then you need to consider a few factors before choosing your varieties. Introducing foreign species into local habitats has been a contributing factor to the loss of environment and many natural varieties. Bluebells for instance brought over from Spain have thrived so well that they threaten native varieties of the bluebell. Japanese knotweed was introduced by the Victorians as ornamental filler in landscaped gardens but this plant is a vigorous grower and is difficult to eradicate. It can populate huge areas and grows so densely it kills off any smaller plants trying to grow beneath it.

Choose local varieties of plants and native species, particularly for plants which will re-grow each year, spread seed by airborne means and in particular, be sensible with varieties of tree as tree saplings have become a popular wedding favor for green weddings.

Consider your packaging also. Choose boxes and bags which are made from recycled materials and which are biodegradable. Another option is to choose packaging which could be used for something else long after the favor itself has been removed: aluminum tins are a good example of this. Depending on your favor you could dispense with the packaging altogether and simply present your favors with a little ribbon and a thank you tag.

If you choose candles as wedding favors then look for ones made from natural wax or bees wax. Paraffin wax candles emit harmful pollutants when lit, defined by the black smoke they give off when lit. There are many natural candle companies out there and they needn’t cost much more than those produced from paraffin.

Finally, give favors which have some useful purpose and which your guests are likely to utilize. Decorative objects such as mini photograph frames or novelty items are often shoved away in a drawer somewhere or simply thrown in the bin. Giving a favor such as coasters, bottle stoppers or measuring spoons means they are more likely to be utilized than thrown away.

Anyone by any chance know where to get nice, elegant lime green/grass green shoes for a wedding? Searched lots of websites with no luck
Preferably UK websites/shops!
By lime green I meant colour like this

http://www.bonappetit.com/images/tips_tools_ingredients/ingredients/ttar_lime_v.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Z8Ta81_ajTA/SmsCw7QkTxI/AAAAAAAAAYg/6O_noGJIcj0/s400/green_wedding_shoes.jpg

Janine, many thanks!! You got my idea

In today’s world going green has become very important, and now going green is even applicable to weddings. More and more couples are working hard to make their weddings more eco-friendly. Believe it or not, there are a variety of excellent things that you can do to make your wedding a green one, and you’ll still have an amazingly beautiful wedding. Not sure where to begin? Well, here are a few great tips that will help you pull off a green wedding.

 

Tip #1 – Use Recycled Paper Whenever Possible – One of the main things that you can do to make sure that you have an eco friendly wedding is to use recycled paper whenever you can. You can get wedding invitations that are made out of recycled paper, place cards made with recycled paper, and even wedding programs that have been made of paper that is recycled. This is a great way that you can help to save the environment while still having a great wedding.

 

Tip #2 – Go Organic with the Food and Drink Choices – Going organic with the food and drink choices that you have is another way that you can have a green wedding. Consider going with foods that are organic and grown in your area. Also, wines and coffees that are organic are a great way to make sure your food choices don’t harm the environment. Choosing hor d’oeuvres that are meatless and offering seafood that isn’t endangered is another great choice as well.

 

Tip #3 – Go with Green Transportation Too – You can even choose to have green transportation at your wedding as well. Instead of using a traditional car to take you to the wedding and transport you to the reception hall, choose an alternate form of transportation. Consider a great hybrid vehicle for transportation, or if you really want a romantic option that is great for the environment, consider a horse drawn sleigh or carriage, depending on the season.

 

Tip #4 – Find an Alternative to Confetti – Traditional confetti can be a bad choice if you want to make your wedding eco friendly. Foil confetti can end up being harmful to the environment, so you need to come up with a great alternative. One excellent idea is to have well wishers throw flower seeds at you, which will either disintegrate or end up sprouting up. Another beautiful idea for an alternative to confetti is to have bubbles blown instead of using the confetti. The bubbles are friendly to the environment and they will look so beautiful at your wedding. Just think of the pictures of you and your spouse bustling away in a cloud of bubbles. 

 

Tip #5 – Plant a Tree for Wedding Favors – Wedding favors can be pricey, and many of them are really needless little trinkets, so you may want to consider something a bit different for your green wedding. For a green wedding, planting a tree for all of your guests is a great idea. It’s a wonderful way to help save the environment and no doubt your guests will be thrilled with the idea as well.

 

Tip #6 – Digital Photography – One option you may not have thought about that will make your wedding more eco friendly is to go with digital photography. All the traditional developing of film and even the manufacturing of it is not great for the environment, so find a good photographer that will shoot the photos for your wedding using digital photography.

 

As you can see, going green for your wedding is probably actually easier than you thought. With these simple tips you can easily have a wedding that is eco friendly, while still being beautiful and exciting. You’ll be starting a new life with your new spouse and helping to preserve life on the planet as well.

where does the superstion that green objects are unlucky come from?
eg: green cars, green wedding dresses

How to buy a conflict free engagement and wedding ring

We’ve all heard of conflict diamonds and the devastation they have caused in certain areas of Africa. Ask your jeweller for a Kimberley certification to ensure that the diamonds are conflict and child labour free. Its not a full proof system but definitely a step in the right direction. Or think about a different semi-precious stone – diamonds are not the only stone and you can choose one that symbolises your birthday.

Try looking for a vintage ring or get a stone from a vintage ring or even a ring from your mother or another family member made into a new ring for you by a local jeweller – I love the idea of a ring with some history of its own.

Gold mining is one of the most destructive industries in the world. It pollutes water and land and endangers the health of people and ecosystems. The production of a single wedding ring can generate 20 tons of mine waste. (source: nodirtygold.org) so try and find a jeweller who uses recycled gold or gold from an eco-sustainability programme (for example no cyanide or mercury is used), which is fairly traded.

Also I know we all love an excuse to buy jewellery but think do you really need an engagement and wedding ring? Think about your own style and what you will wear.

How to buy an eco wedding dress

Buying a pre-loved (second hand) dress is a great money-saver and many charities have wedding dress sales shops, which not only have second hand dresses but shop samples too.

There are lots of websites where brides are selling on their dresses and you may find one that is just for you .

Vintage boutiques and fairs are another place to look and the dress can easily be made to fit by a local seamstress. I personally love vintage clothing is just more unusual – you’ll never find anyone else wearing the same dress as you. Vintage dresses just ooze attention to detail! But I know its not everyone’s style. Or what about your mother’s dress, if it fits and suits you it’s a great way of giving special meaning to the day.  And remember don’t trash the dress, sell it on again or donate it to a local charity and make it a more eco option.

Bridesmaids dresses, have they already got the perfect dress? Remember to try and get something that they will wear again such as an evening or cocktail dress and make it a sustainable choice.

How to transport you and your guests in eco-style.

The best eco option for you would be a horse and carriage and it’s really romantic choice. If possible choose a venue that you can get married in and have the reception at the same place or a venue near the church so that guests can walk between the two. If that’s not possible then organise a coach/bus to take your guests, this will really cut down on the car emissions and can be a really stylish choice, especially as you can now hire vintage buses decorated with your wedding colours. Or you can encourage people to car share  – it’s also a great way to get your guests to mingle!

How to encourage your venue to be greener

Here are a few questions you might want to ask your venue – Does it serve fair-trade tea or coffee? Does it use local suppliers? Is the food organic, especially the meat?  Can they supply organic wines? Do they recycle? Do they have an environmental policy? Remember if you ask and the next couple asks then maybe we can get some venues to change theri own policies.

The average meal travels 22,000 miles to reach your plate (source: the live earth) with each ingredient; meat, fish, vegetables, spices, eggs, milk, fruit, grains all being driven or flown from where its grown to where its cooked, burning up fuel on the way. So using local produce can really bring down the carbon footprint of your wedding and supports local businesses.

How to have a more eco-friendly bouquet

80% of the cut flowers in the UK are air freighted from abroad in refrigerated aircrafts, which is unfortunately not very eco-friendly. If you are flexible with what flowers you have then you can opt for more seasonal local English flowers. If you must have lilies and roses see if your florist can find fair trade or organic flowers.

If you want flowers on your table think about having potted plants instead of cut flowers, which can always be given to bridesmaids or parents as a gift afterwards and will be a lasting memory of the day.

How to look eco-chic on your wedding day

Make your wedding day a great excuse to get fitter, try cycling to work, join the gym or do some yoga classes – it will make you feel more energised. Don’t crash diet just try and eat healthier and drink more water. Try to choose hair and make-up products that are made from natural products, avoiding harmful chemicals and are not tested on animals – they are lots of ranges out there that can suit every budget. And remember your wedding is not a time to try and become that movie star size 8 or try and live up to some contrived ideal of beauty. Pamper yourself, yes but be yourself – after all that’s is exactly who your partner fell in love with!

How to have greener Wedding Photographs

Conventional photography uses many chemicals, paper and plastic film, whereas digital photography is a great eco alternative, with no photos being thrown away – unwanted images are just deleted. So try and choose a photographer who uses on-line proofing.

Also there is a trend at the moment to have Wedding Albums shipped in from New Zealand – which gives them a huge carbon footprint. So ask about the source of your albums as there are some great ones that are made in this country.  And digital coffee table books as opposed to traditional photo albums are a better eco alternative as printed photographs use a lot more chemicals.

How to make your Wedding Stationery more eco-chic

The invitations are the first taste that your guests will get of your wedding and really set the tone, so they are a great opportunity to be eco-friendly right from the start. Use recycled paper but remember not all recycled papers are equal. Choose a recycled paper with at least 30% post-consumer waste in it (that’s paper from our recycled bins) And ensure it has A FSC certification which shows that the forests are managed in an environmentally appropriate way – better than sustainable which only replants trees for each one removed. Remember 100% recycled isn’t always best as it cannot be recycled and therefore isn’t a sustainable choice.

Try to avoid embellishments such as diamante, wires and ribbons that will make the cards unrecycable and avoid pearlised or metallic cards and print for the same reasons.

Ensure that your stationery is printed made in the UK and not being shipped from China, where unethical practises may be used and where the carbon footprint is larger. Using a UK supplier means supporting local businesses and jobs.

And look into tree-free alternatives – it is only recently that we started making paper from trees infact you can make paper from anything from cotton to beermats.

How to give eco chic wedding favours.

Its nice to show a little gratitude to your guests with wedding favours, but so many get left over at weddings unused and thrown away.  So try to have favours that people really want such as seeds they can grow, or potted flowers they can take away.  Try to buy fair trade or organic gifts, or just donate some money to a charity of your choice.

How to have an eco-honeymoon.

Try to get away without flying, we often forget that there are loads of romantic places to visit in the UK, from full on boutique glamour, to rustic eco-lodges. Or get the train to Europe, on most journeys you can book your own compartment and make the journey as much part of the honeymoon as the destination.

If you really want to go somewhere exotic make the flight worthwhile by going away for as long as possible and offset the carbon with one of the many plant a tree schemes. And you can always spend some of your time away volunteering, it will make your time away feel more rewarding.

And remember your wedding is your day. It’s a time to appreciate what is important to you and express your personality, style and ideals. But don’t let the extra pressure of being green interfere with organising what is meant to be a happy occasion, at some point you will have a conflict of interests so just do what you can. Even if you just do one thing to have a greener wedding it’s a step in the right direction.

And remember you are the consumer you have the power. Ask every supplier if they have green alternatives or a green policy. They may not but if you ask and the next couples asks and the next, hopefully we can start getting other suppliers to be greener.

And with over 300,000 wedding a year happening in the UK alone, just think if we all did even one small greener thing what a huge change for the better we could make together.