Green Living
Green Work
Green Weddings
You won't be able to stop global warming on your wedding day, but your choices can lessen the carbon footprint of your event.
For example, if your guests are traveling long distances, offset the carbon emissions from their trips with a donation to renewable-energy projects.
Alternative weddings in this context are those that use sustainable materials, recycled paper, organic produce and minimise travel. They can save you money too!
The sustainable-wedding website Portovert, in partnership with NativeEnergy, a renewable energy company, offers a wedding carbon calculator where couples can enter the number of guests and approximate miles traveled, to calculate the carbon impact of their wedding-related travel.
Tie the Knot Locally
Wherever you celebrate, you can reduce your CO2 impact and often save money by giving your wedding a local touch.
- Buy your alcohol from local vineyard, brewery and cider-makers.
- Get your wedding cake from a local bakery.
- Use seasonal flowers, not imports. "Sprayed with chemicals, then flown over by plane, only to be dead a few days later" Surely not for you!
- Why rent a gas-guzzling limousine when you could take a hybrid rental or horse & carriage - or bus!?
Anything you do to make your Big Day a little more modest: from wearing a borrowed wedding dress to choosing recycled paper or a website for your invitations—will lower its contribution to carbon emissions. Consider it your wedding gift to the planet.
Green Honeymoons
Traditional honeymoons were not only expensive but also eco-nightmares: aeroplanes, big cars, boats, posh hotels and dinners. You can still choose a unforgettable honeymoon while having less impact on the environment.
For some thought-provoking ideas on your choice of honeymoon click here.
If you still want to travel abroad, then go for a green hotel such as those here.
Green Wedding Links
What? The above links are not enough?! Well I hope something here will fit the bill.
What better site than GreenWeddings.org for independent UK info.
Ethical Weddings is a meeting place for likeminded brides and grooms, a directory of ethically motivated wedding suppliers, and offers interesting, informative articles and discussion of the issues. Check out an Ethical Weddings Blog, or Forum.
From cakes to carriages, the following link has a community of carefully screened partners will offer everything you need for a unique, contemporary and meaningful wedding that reflects your values without compromising on gorgeousness. For a comprehensive and up-to-date online resource showcasing stylish fair trade, green, organic, local and low impact alternatives to the mainstream, click here.
For green, organic, wedding cakes find a local baker.
Charity wedding lists: on-line ethical shopping for your guests here.
For exquisite and unique hand-crafted wedding stationery (based in Canterbury, UK), click here.