More and more couples are becoming aware of the environmental impact of weddings and so are going eco-friendly. However going green doesn’t mean that you have to settle for less on your wedding day. It just means that you are planning a more environmentally conscientious day. There are several ways of going about a green wedding.

The first thing when considering a green wedding is the number of guests. Only invite those who are closest and mean the most to you. The more guests you invite, the more that will travel, consume food and waste materials. Inviting only those who mean the most to you minimizes the guest list and the hole in your wallet. It can also add more to the day when it’s only the most meaningful people there. Taking into account the guest list, you may want to choose a venue that is closest to as many of your guest as possible to reduce the traveling and thus your wedding’s impact on the environment. If your guests have some traveling to do you may want to keep in mind the transportation they may use. You can share your appreciation and suggest to your guests that they use a more environmentally friendly way of arriving to your wedding. You can suggest they travel by train, bus, bike, or at least carpool and include any information in the invitations. Perhaps you can provide a shuttle bus for your guests, both minimizing traveling impact on the environment and providing a safer way of traveling for those who may drink at the reception.

Another good idea is to try sourcing locally. Try to find local brewery’s and food producers to save the traveling cost and wasted fuel resources. This is also a good idea to show your support for small local businesses. Keep in mind that everything on your wedding day has an impact on the environment. Perhaps look for food caterers that offer organic produce. You may even consider what your dress or suit is made out of. You can get what you need and want for your special day without owning it. Rentals offer a great way of getting the most use out of minimal resources. You can rent your suit instead of buying that hemp made suit that you will never wear again. Most wedding reception locations offer rentals on linens, and glasses. You can also look into thrift stores and consignment shops that sell second hand wedding dresses. Pre-owned dresses can give you a vintage classic look and can also save you some of that green in your pocket. Local thrift shops are also a good place to look for vases or items such as ball jars that can be made into vases. When considering decorations such as centerpieces, place card holders, and wedding confetti there are many options for a green wedding. There are several ways of creating the perfect green centerpiece that fits your budget and goes with your wedding theme. You can try arranging edible centerpieces using fresh organic fruit, vegetable, or even bread. You can use that great vintage bowl that has been laying around the house or buy small unique bowls from your local flea market. These will surely be a hit and a great conversation piece for your guests. There are many choices of environmentally friendly place card holders for weddings and even parties. There are many cute organic food options for place card holders. Try using fruits such as apples, pears, or even cherries and place the names on the stems or use toothpicks. You could also think about using natural bird’s nest. These natural bird’s nest are made from naturally dried grass and add a certain classy chic feel to a wedding. You can place small candies such as Jordan almonds and a ribbon with the guests’ name in the natural bird’s nest for an elegant place card holder. Natural bird’s nest can be used for ring bearer’s, just add some filler and an optional dove. Very chic! Another fun and unique idea is to use chalkboards. Chalkboards can replace those paper place cards, table number settings, and even menus. You can stain the chalkboards or leave them as they are. You could also use smaller chalkboards and wood dowel rods to create a stake to place in flower settings. The chalkboards can be re-used over and over again. The chalkboards would also provide entertainment for children at the wedding. For wedding rice you can try specially designed 100% eco-friendly heart shaped rice, or birdseed. The eco-friendly heart shaped rice is safe for birds and completely biodegradable. An alternative to eco-friendly heart shaped rice is throwing all natural dried lavender buds. The natural dried lavender buds are completely biodegradable, safe for birds and the environment. An advantage to throwing natural dried lavender buds as opposed to rice or birdseed is when the buds are crushed as guest are leaving, the delicate fragrance is released again and again.

Finally, you should communicate whatever changes you may be doing in your wedding to be environmentally friendly. You should inform your guest of your concerns and take this opportunity to educate them on the environment. Be sure that you are not too pushy or overwhelming with your beliefs. Being green and sharing your beliefs on your special day will leave an impact on your guest.