It's a Nice Day for a GREEN Wedding
We've just celebrated another Earth Day, an event dedicated to raising public awareness about environmental issues, problems and solutions. It seems like an appropriate time to consider what the wedding industry is doing to become more "earth friendly".
There was a time when an "eco-friendly wedding" pretty much amounted to tossing birdseed, rather than rice. Today, it's one of the most talked-about wedding trends, with dozens of ways for engaged couples to incorporate their concern for the environment into their big day. Some of the possibilities are fairly obvious, while others are less common. Some are easy and relatively inexpensive while others require a bit more planning and additional costs. In fact, I've heard it estimated that couples who are seriously planning a green wedding should expect to pay one-third to one-half more.
If you're looking for some basic, cost-effective ideas, you can start with the locations of your ceremony and reception. You can reduce the amount of fuel required for your wedding simply by choosing the most central location possible, and holding both events at the 
same location,or at locations that are as close together as possible. In fact, the location itself can be chosen to make an environmental
statement--consider holding your wedding in an outdoor setting such as
a park, the beach or a garden location. Let your guests know the
environmental significance of the site with a special notation in your program, on
your Save the Date notice or even in your Thank You card.
If you're planning to marry and celebrate indoors, you can still show your concern for the environment by making arrangements to use the least amount of electricity possible. For example, you can have a daytime event, keeping light use at a minimum. Also, you shouldn't hesitate to check with each venue you're considering, to find out what they're doing to be environmentally responsible.
You can also consider your attire. Perhaps you could wear a recycled dress. Sure, it might not be as glamorous as a fresh-from-the-runway wedding gown, but wearing your mother's dress, or a rental, or one purchased from a consignment shop is more earth-friendly. There's also the option of the Brides Against Breast Cancer organization (bridesagainstbreastcancer.org), which allows you to purchase a "gently-used" dress and help a worthwhile cause at the same time. Even if you go ahead and decide to buy a gown, you can allow it to be recycled by someone else, by taking it to a consignment shop or donating it to a charity, after the wedding.
Flowers are another area where you can reasonably lessen your impact on the environment. Try minimizing the use of fresh flowers when possible. Dried and silk items are an option for bouquets
and floral arrangements. Your florist can offer ideas for using glass, stone, shells and other natural products, as substitutes. In the example at right, dried twigs and moss were used to construct interesting altar arrangements. Not only did this idea minimize the amount of waste at the ceremony site, but the arrangements were pretty enough for the newlyweds to "recycle" into their new home's decor! On the other hand, if you do decide on fresh flowers, think about donating your floral arrangements after the event. Designate one person to distribute them to nearby hospitals and nursing homes, where the blooms can be furthered enjoyed by others for days to come.
Probably the most obvious example of waste at a wedding is all of the uneaten food. Ask your wedding coordinator or caterer about arranging to donate some of it, after the reception is over. Unfortunately, not everything can be donated. Food that's already been served to the guests is generally off-limits to charities. But beyond that, each organization has its own guidelines for accepting reception donations and it's well-worth checking into. Another earth-friendly option that's gaining popularity at receptions is avoiding
bottled water and canned or bottled drinks, by asking the caterer to serve beverages
from pitchers instead. 
Other "green" solutions may not be so convenient or inexpensive, but are still worth considering. For example, many brides and grooms make a point to use as much recycled materials as possible, when ordering invitations, programs, wedding stationary and other paper products. Your coordinator and caterer may have other useful ideas about how
to incorporate recycled items. Even the wedding album you choose
can make a difference. For example, the White Glove company
(wgbooks.com) offers "Eco-Friendly Wedding Books" that use recycled
materials, as well as environmentallysafer inks, glues and production
methods.
Couples who favor an organic lifestyle are finding more opportunities to plan their weddings accordingly. Check with your caterer and cake maker for ideas. Also, wedding gowns are being
made available in styles that use organic fabrics and vegetable dyes. Even your florist can offer ideas for incorporating organics. You can also inquire about using locally-grown and in-season
items, to minimize the amount of transportation fuel required to provide flowers for your bouquets and arrangements.
Another popular idea is to make a charitable contribution as part of your wedding. One bride and groom I know took the fairly-large budget they'd set aside for favors and made a contribution to a well-known environmental charity, instead. A simple card at each place setting at the reception thanked their guests for sharing their special day and informed them of the donation that was made in honor of their attendance. Another couple showed their love of animals by making a contribution to a wildlife organization. Then, instead of ordering pricey favors, the bride and groom spent several Saturday afternoons before the wedding, making adorable little clay animal that acted as place markers and also informed each guest of their donation. They felt good about their contribution and about personalizing their special day!
While doing research for this blog, I discovered there are entire companies whose specialty is helping you minimize the environmental impact of you wedding. They'll come after the event to gather up anything and everything that is recyclable and distribute it accordingly. It certainly is a convenient choice! However, their services are not free of charge, so be prepared for the added expense. Still, it's possible the cost of much of what is reclaimed can be used as a tax write off, because it may be considered a charitable donation. Consult with your wedding coordinator and tax adviser for information on this option.
And finally, there are many, MANY green trends in the photography industry, to help you plan your wedding coverage and choose your portrait and/or album products. So many, in fact, that I'll reserve a future blog to share some of the
best examples.
Basically, if you keep the "Three R's" in mind: reduce, recycle and reuse, when looking for ways to incorporate eco-friendly ideas into your wedding, you'll not only have a positive impact on "Mother Earth" but you'll be making a statement and personalizing your wedding at the same time. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to let your photographer know the visual environmental touches you've incorporated into your day, so you'll always have the photographs to remind you about the difference you were able to make!
NEXT BLOG: No wedding would be complete without a toast. No wedding album would be complete without images of the special friends and family members who gave the toast. What could be easier than capturing that important tradition? It's not always as simple as it looks!
Visit http://www.dougforner.com for more beautiful images and wedding planning ideas.
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