Committing to Love and the Earth: a Guide to Green Weddings

Over the next twelve months, roughly 2.4 million Americans will spend 70 billion dollars (US) getting married. Green and socially responsible weddings can have a huge impact for the better on local economies and ecologies. Here are ten ways to express your commitment to the interconnectedness of life on earth during your wedding day.

1. Eco Engagement Rings and Eco Wedding Rings

It can take up to twenty tons of rock to produce a single wedding ring, yet there is more than enough gold available now for the entire jewelry industry. Some jewelers offer rings that are made from recycled gold. The ethical jeweler who has committed to using recycled gold will more than likely have a selection of conflict free diamonds or other gemstones that are responsibly sourced. Start your search locally, but realize that ethical wedding rings have not reached the mainstream yet and may be difficult to find.

Here are several online ethical jewelers, arranged by price range, for your consideration:

low-mid price range
high price range

Here is a guide to buying green wedding rings.
http://www.articles-collections.com/culture-and-society/consumer/ten-tips-to-purchasing-green-ethically-sourced-wedding-rings-online.html

2. Greening Your Guests

Consider reducing the numbers of people who have to travel for your wedding. This is NOT easy, but then again neither is a commitment to the earth, much less to your spouse-to-be. If you decide to have a larger wedding with many guests coming in from out of town, consider donating some money to an organization that offsets the carbon imprint of the travel.

Here is a wedding carbon dioxide offset calculator:
http://www.terrapass.com/wedding/index.html

Here are some US companies that offset carbon emissions:

TerraPass
http://www.terrapass.com/

Native Energy
http://www.nativeenergy.com/

MyClimate
http://www.myclimate.org/index.php?lang=en

3. Greening Your Invitations

Another reason that reducing your number of guests is significant is that you will also reduce the amount of paper required for printing. There are often save the date announcements, actual invitations, wedding handouts for each guest and then all the thank you letters. Be sure you're using recycled paper or - if you can - use email as much as possible.

Here are some great sources for recycled paper:

Twisted Limb Paper - 100% Recycled Invitations
http://www.twistedlimbpaper.com/

Invite Site - Eco Invites
http://www.invitesite.com/

Green Field Paper - non-tree paper, 100% recycled paper
http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/

4. Your Green Venue

The marriage should take place somewhere that is beautiful, inspirational and resonant with your green values. Look locally for meeting houses, farms, retreat centers, community gardens, parks or a building that supports a cause you believe in. Further, make the location central to the majority of your guests. If possible, consider having two ceremonies if you have large groups of guests at opposite ends of the country.

If you choose an indoor location, talk with the building managers about the energy efficiency of their facilities. If they are working to meet LEED standards for high-efficency buildings then you're in good shape. Ideally the place will have outdoor and indoor space, allowing for different weather contingencies. Try to choose your venue as far in advance as possible; the best places book up quickly.

Wilderness Weddings (location suggestions from the Sierra Club)
http://www.sierraclub.org/e-files/weddings.asp

Learn more about LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
http://www.usgbc.org/

5. Your Food and Drink

A wedding is - for the majority of the attendants - a great big party. Buy organic food that is, if possible, locally grown. There are now excellent organic, and often locally produced, wines and beers. Food can be one of the most expensive parts of a wedding, but this is part of your gifting to the community that witnesses your vows. If you can't afford an entirely organic menu, then consider going with organic meat, or choose a vegetarian option. Another idea is to ask friends to help prepare the feast.

Local Harvest: Find Organic Food Near You
http://www.localharvest.org/

Green Restaurant Association: search for green restaurants for catering
http://www.dinegreen.com/restaurant_guide.asp?page=search

6. Green Wedding Clothing

To purchase dress that will only be worn on one occasion for the wedding ceremony does not make a lot of sense. Purchase clothing that you will enjoy wearing on special occasions after the wedding. Organic fabrics are still limited, but you can choose to purchase clothing that is not made in a sweat shop. You can also rent your outfit or buy something that was worn by someone else once or twice.

Get Conscious: Hemp Wedding Gowns
http://www.getconscious.com/

Faernyn 's Grove: Green Bridal
http://mycorset.com/bridal.htm

Rawganique: Hemp, Organic Cotton Clothing
http://www.rawganique.com/organic-hemp-wedding-clothes.htm

7. Gifting And Being Gifted

The experience of gifting and being gifted is an integral part of any wedding ceremony. You can decide to make your party favors environmentally responsible products. Look for locally made regional products that visitors from out of town might appreciate. People want to gift the bride and groom. Everyone wants their gift to be appreciated. So it is best to open a Green Gift Registry. Those who feel as if they have everything they need may want to ask that, instead of gifts, money be donated to a particular environmental organization.

I Do Foundation: Charity Registry
http://www.idofoundation.org/

Vivaterra
http://www.vivaterra.com/

Branch: Sustainable Design
http://branchhome.com/

GAIAM
http://www.gaiam.com/

Send Us Off: request donations towards your green honeymoon
http://www.sendusoff.com/ecofriendly.htm

8. Dishes, Recycling and Redistributing

It is more environmentally sound to rent your dishes and glasses instead of simply using disposable paper products. Ask your caterer to use earth friendly soaps when cleaning up. Also, make sure that you have bins for recycling all aluminum and glass products. Look in advance for a food depot or soup kitchen that can take the left over food and distribute it.

Nat-Ur Store: Biodegradable Cups, Cutlery, Garbage Bags
http://w5inter2.hivelocity.net/biocorp/cart/showall.asp

Recycline: Green Table Ware
http://www.recycline.com

Second Harvest: Donate Perishable/Preparred Food
http://www.secondharvest.org/how_to_help/donate_food/perishable_food.html

9. Support Your Local Economy

Purchase locally from small businesses whenever possible. Buy local and organic flowers, which reduces transportation and pesticide impact on the environment. Or consider growing your own! Hire a local band or DJ who does not have to travel far to your venue.

10. Your Green Vows

This is the most important part of your wedding ceremony and it needs to be deeply considered. Spend some months and meditate on what is in your heart and what you can commit to. Write it out. Talk to friends who have been married a while. Include life affirming commitment to living in balance with the ecology. I was married by an Apache Medicine Woman, and she had us publicly state what my wife and I brought to the marriage-our good qualities and our flaws. For my wife and I, this exercise in front of our friends and family was a powerful expression of our humanity. Your vows are also your opportunity to spread the idea of eco-friendly values to your guests.

11. A Green Honeymoon

You will want to go to a place in nature that can restore and inspire you. Many people are familiar with ecotourism, yet know nothing about geotourism. The Geotourists has opportunities to improve the places that they visit and have meaningful experiences of local culture.

Here are some links to sites that offer green honeymoon opportunities:

National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations
www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable

The International Ecotourism Society
www.ecotourism.org

Responsible Travel
www.responsibletravel.com

Travel By Train
http://www.seat61.com/

Green Hotels:

GreenSeal Approved Green Lodging
http://www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/index.cfm#lodging

Green Hotels Members
http://www.greenhotels.com/members.htm

More Green Wedding Resources:

Eco-Friendly Wedding Planning Magazine
http://www.portovert.com/

Ethical Weddings: Forums, Blog
http://www.ethicalweddings.com/

Green Wedding Planner
http://www.greeneleganceweddings.com/index.html

Co-op America: Green Businesses
http://www.coopamerica.org/

Green Confetti
http://www.ecoparti.com/toec.html

Organic Flowers Online
http://www.organicbouquet.com/

In CA: California Organic Flowers
http://www.californiaorganicflowers.com/

Conscious Living Tips
http://www.newdream.org/

Other Green Wedding Guides:

A Green Wedding
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/96/wedding

How To Green Your Wedding
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/how-to-green-your-wedding.php

10 Steps to a Green Wedding
http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/2007/03/10_steps_to_a_g.html

Guide to a Growing Trend: The "Green" or Ecological Wedding
http://www.americanbridal.com/gutogrtrgore.html

Wedding Industry Stats (2002)
http://www.theknot.com/au_industrystats.shtml

About the Author

Marc Choyt is President of Reflective Images, an award winning jewelry company, www.celticjewelry.com that sells wedding rings sourced by artisan designers online at www.artisanweddingrings.com. His company produces fair, eco-sourced, fairly trade jewelry. Marc also authors www.fairjewelry.org supporting green, fair trade, socially responsible jewelry practices.

Article Source: Content for Reprint

Wedding Ring Store
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Green Weddings

The traditional wedding is expensive, extravagant, and elegant expense to the bride and groom. The bride and groom will pay a large amount to create an elegant, romantic, and fairytale wedding. Now, the green weddings are entering the multi-million dollar wedding industry.

Green weddings show the awareness and responsibility to take care of our environment. Green is also known as environment friendly, or eco friendly wedding. Green wedding theme inspires the guests, relatives, and friends to their part on the environment.

Use recycled gold wedding band. The fair trade stores may sell recycled gold for wedding bands. Antique shows, auctions, and shops may also carry some lovely wedding bands.

Arrive in style with smart car convertible. The smart cars use a fraction of fuel against the conventional cars. Organize car pools for the guests. The car pool takes several cars away from the road and pollutants away from air. Set the wedding ceremony and wedding reception at close proximity. Hence, the guests have to travel less for the next itinerary.

Ask for the print shop to use recycled paper for wedding invitation. The recycle of paper and plastic campaign are very successful. The environment conscious society is recycling more than ever. The recycled papers and stationary are now widely available. For a paperless wedding invitation, the bride and groom may consider online wedding website.

Rent, or borrow the wedding dress to friends, and relatives. Rent or borrow the wedding dress allows the wedding dress to be reused or recycled. Sometimes, the eBay sells wedding dress in good condition.

The digital photography gets as great as the real camera. The wedding photographers can get the same results with digital camera. The advancement in digital photography allows the bride and groom to screen unwanted pictures. The bride and groom digitally check the pictures to be print for copy.

Reuse the wedding flowers on wedding. The wedding flowers from church may be used at the wedding reception as well. The wedding flowers that are available locally and seasonally reduce the fuel costs to be burn to travel the wedding flowers. Try to use organic wedding flowers to reduce the use of pesticides.

Serve dishes on a reusable and washable plates, spoons, and glasses. Thereby, we reduce the amount of natural resources to go to waste. If it is impossible to use reusable and washable plates, spoons, and glasses, the easily biodegradable plates, spoons, and glasses are excellent alternative.

There are caterers who specialize in organic dishes. Using only organic ingredients, the chef or cook creates the appetizing dishes for the wedding reception to enjoy. The organic wines, spirits, champagne, beer, soft drinks, and juices will quench the thirst of the guests.

Toss only biodegradable wedding toss such as paper, nuts, wheat, and rice. The nuts, wheat, and rice will feed the birds, and squirrels. Go on ecotourism for honeymoon. The ecotourism is also known as ecological tourism. Experience the adventure local culture, wilderness, flora, and fauna. Ecotourism promotes recycle of biodegradable materials, efficient use of energy, and conservation of water supply, rebuild of forest, evaluation of local culture, reduction of waste, education of ecosystem, reproduction of endanger species, and reversal of global warming.

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About the Author: Dennis Estrada owns wedding advice, destination wedding traditions, and destination wedding etiquette website.

Green Weddings: Couples Say “I Do” To Conflict-Free Wedding Jewelry and Earth-Friendly Nuptials

In the world of engagements and wedding planning, green is the new white. From conflict-free wedding jewelry, to an environmentally-conscientious reception, with an eco-friendly honeymoon to round out the nuptials, couples are throwing out the era of Bridezilla and ushering in the age of green weddings. And it all starts with that oh-so-special wedding jewelry.

Choosing a diamond engagement ring and wedding bands are incredibly personal decisions that are also becoming ethical decisions. Socially aware couples now want to ensure that their wedding jewelry selections are not linked to human rights abuses or have not negatively impacted the environment.

Conflict-free Diamonds
Until recent years, newly engaged couples were blissfully unaware that an untold number of corrupt organizations in African countries were illegally mining diamonds that are directly linked to human rights abuses.

The good news is that more than 40 nations worldwide, including the United States, now voluntarily participate in the Kimberly Process, a system that imposes stringent requirements on imports to certify that diamonds are free from conflict. 99.8% of the global production of rough diamonds is now accounted for through the Kimberly Process.

Reputable engagement and wedding jewelry retailers readily confirm the origin of any stone. Online retailers are particularly sensitive to consumer concerns regarding the genesis of their diamonds. Leading online retailers, such as Danforth Diamond, My Solitaire, and Brilliant Earth actively educate consumers by providing helpful information on their websites to ensure that accurate information is easily accessible.

Green Gold?
For those who truly want guilt-free glitter, there are a number of retailers who offer recycled gold for wedding bands and the like. Concerned about a lackluster green ring? Worry not. Recycled gold, which is melted and re-refined, is the same quality as newly-mined gold.

NoDirtyGold.org publishes an ever-growing and impressive list of retailers who support the responsible production of gold.

Vintage jewelry is also enjoying a resurgence in popularity as brides and grooms opt to purchase estate jewelry or wear wedding rings that have been passed down from a family member.

Eco-friendly weddings aren’t just for the granola crunching crowd nowadays — and conflict-free diamond engagement rings and recycled gold wedding jewelry are just the beginning. As green weddings become more mainstream, the options and price ranges are increasingly abundant.

Earth-friendly Invitations
Wedding invitations printed with soy- or vegetable-based inks on recycled paper are a mainstay for green couples. If that’s not green enough for you, perhaps paperless invitations are the way to go; simply extend electronic invitations for guests who can be contacted via email. Emailed RSVPs offer an added bonus: guests are more likely to respond promptly, allowing you to accurately plan your headcount.

Location, Location, Location
A central wedding location that requires minimal travel for most guests will save on carbon emissions. Booking a venue that can host the wedding ceremony and reception will further reduce carbon emissions. Art galleries, botanical gardens, eco-friendly restaurants, hotels and parks are all excellent choices.

Here Comes the Bride
Something old, something new, something borrowed… something green? You betcha. Green brides can choose lovely, previously-worn gowns from vintage stores or gown consignment and rental shops. Brides can also turn to their family tree for a wonderfully sentimental heirloom gown. A number of designers have also embraced the eco-friendly trend and offer extravagant gowns made of hemp silk.

Wedding Favors as Decorations
Organic, locally grown flowers for bouquets and centerpieces offer a fresh, seasonal touch. Flower arrangements used at the wedding can perform double duty by being moved to the reception. Potted plants also make lovely arrangements and can be transplanted outdoors after the wedding or can serve as gifts that guests can take home.

The Gift that Keeps Giving
Portovert Magazine, the nation’s first and only online publication devoted exclusively to environmentally and socially responsible weddings, and NativeEnergy offer a carbon emissions calculator that can be used to evaluate wedding-related carbon sources, including travel, guest lodging and power used at the wedding venues, which can help in the planning of a carbon-neutral wedding. You can find it here: http://www.nativeenergy.com/Splash/Portovert/portovert_wedding_calc.html.

Couples can also offset the carbon emissions produced as a result of their nuptials by making contributions to an eco organization of their choice or requesting that guests do the same in lieu of a wedding gift.

Paying it Forward
Eco-friendly tours, green hotel resorts, simple outdoor adventures, volunteer work for a preservation project — green honeymoons run the gamut and cater to a variety of preferences and budgets. From relaxing and luxuriant to active and outdoorsy, newlyweds can take their dream green vacation that celebrates the beginning of their new life together and the future of our planet.

And to think that it all began with a diamond engagement ring. Green weddings provide couples the opportunity to make a lifelong commitment to each other and to their world. Every wedding anniversary, from the “small” ones to the milestones years is an opportunity to renew that commitment for now and for years to come.

Perhaps a future generation will honor that same commitment by choosing to wear your “heirloom” wedding jewelry.

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About the Author: Jill Renee is the president of Danforth Diamond, an online jewelry store offering engagement rings and other wedding jewelry in gold, white gold, palladium and platinum. View Danforth Diamond’s selection of engagement rings at: http://www.danforthdiamond.com/