Scott Miscall asked:
Having a wedding? Join the band of celebrities like Alicia Silverstone and Ashlee Simpson to recreate the perfect wedding, eco-friendly style! Here are some ways you can go green on your wedding day.
Eco-friendly invites: You can use recycled paper to print out invites. Make sure the paper hasn’t been through any bleaching process. Try using cotton or even hemp to create a unique invite. Soy based inks are good choices for printing purposes.
Your wedding dress: You could get a wedding gown made of organic silk, cotton, hemp etc. Try to avoid using materials manufactured out of acetate or polyester. These send out static electricity, consume a lot of energy and cause out-gassing as well.
Wedding ring material: Most people prefer gold as the metal of choice in their wedding ring. However, silver represents a better choice. A lot of unethical practices happen in gold mining. By not buying such rings you are showing your solidarity against such practices. Try to avoid using diamonds and use some other gemstone instead. However, if a diamond is a must make sure it is certified to ensure there are no blood-diamonds involved. You could also use a vintage, heirloom ring as you will be reusing it.
The wedding menu: Try using organic produce as much as possible when deciding the menu for your wedding day. Make sure no artificial flavors or sweeteners are being added. Use fair trade coffee varieties and use glassware which has been recycled. If you are having the wedding ceremony in a countryside setting getting organic produce can be tedious. So try getting produce from the local farms to have an au-naturale wedding!
Decorations: Avoid using floral foam. It is composed of phenol and formaldehyde which are poisonous to the environment. Use fresh flowers which are organically produced. Try not to use paraffin wax candles. Instead use beeswax or soy varieties as they are more eco-friendly. If these are too expensive for you then try opting for candles which are free of fragrances.
Wedding cake: You could try contacting an organic baker who specializes in creating organic wedding cakes. If you are the do-it-yourself type you could bake your own cake in the oven! Make sure you use only ingredients procured through fair trade means.
Wedding spot: The place chosen for your wedding can also make a difference to the environment. Try and encourage native suppliers to provide for your wedding. You could have a carpooling system to save on emissions. An antique and vintage touch could be added by traveling to the venue in a horse drawn carriage. Plus it saves on carbon dioxide emissions!
Your honeymoon: Try to select an eco-friendly spa or resort as your honeymoon venue. If you are on a tight budget then you could even travel to a locale near your house!
SAMIA
