A green wedding or a natural wedding is any wedding where the couple plans to minimize the natural impact of their special event in the world. Couples plan their weddings by incorporating other natural ways, such as natural invitations, flowers, dress, photography, and more.
How do we define Green Weddings?
A green wedding is a natural use and recognition of resources that could have been used in a traditional marriage. A green wedding is a new way of life. Compared with the extravagance and waste of traditional weddings modern green marriages are more economical and environmentally friendly. This may include recycling of garbage, choosing a more sustainable environment, and even neglecting to engage in traditional practices that may be considered unruly, such as buying rings from an unethical source. Many people who live sustainably believe it is necessary to continue the lifestyle by making sure their weddings are also sustainable. Some choose green weddings to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability in everyday activities and celebrations. The biggest factor contributing to the growing number of green weddings is the impact that wedding ceremonies can have on the environment. Many argue that without being conscious of practices and items used, the average wedding can generate a large amount of waste.
Basic Principles
One important idea of keeping the marriage in harmony with nature is to ensure that the items used will not quickly become wasted, especially disposable items such as hosiery, plates, cups, decorations, or wedding items. Many green weddings have instead opted for borrowed or recycled items. Another option is to rent the items needed for the wedding instead of buying all the new equipment / decorations to control the amount of waste that can be created. In planning a green wedding, the main foundation is to prevent or minimize all the harmful effects, directly or indirectly, on the environment. A traditional marriage produces an average of 400 lbs of garbage and 63 tons of CO2. Collectively, American weddings are equivalent to 8.3 million cars driving on the road year-round. These may include flowers, paper (invitations), textiles (clothing, suits), gas extraction (transportation), and all other possibilities for the wedding.
Solutions to a Green Wedding
Sustainable use of Flowers
Another important aspect of a green wedding is picking flowers. Flowers can have a profound effect on the environment due to the fertilizer used and the extraction of gas released to transport flowers. Many green wedding planners choose to have their flowers supplied by organic flower vendors or to grow their own. Another common practice is to think about what you should do with the flowers after the wedding. Some weddings have flowers that are replanted after the big day to reduce waste and allow the flowers to continue growing after that. Some people decorate wedding halls with pottery without picking flowers. If they give the plant as a gift to guests, they may plant flowers while contemplating the bride and groom.
Invitations
There is a large amount of paper used in weddings throughout the process. One of the main reasons using paper is because of the invitations. Green wedding planners are careful when choosing how to invite others because of the potential impact. Some of the most sustainable options
- Using recycled paper
- Using the Internet to send electronic invitations instead
- Using stainless steel paper
Food
Food is an important factor in the sustainability of a marriage. Some organizers prefer to obtain all of their own food provided by local / organic farmers to help eliminate the amount of chemicals that could be used to grow food or your transportation. Wedding cakes are usually made with all the organic ingredients as well as reducing the chemicals used in the production of the ingredients. Many of the sustainable practices that are practiced in green weddings include the remainder of the surplus or re-donation of donated food to charities.
Attire
One of the main contributors to the waste that can be produced by a wedding dress. Many argue that one of the best ways to maintain a stable marriage is to use the garment that can be worn or borrowed. This eliminates the violation of the one-time use rule. And choosing a wedding dress made of organic fiber ensures that the dress has little impact on the environment during its production. Many green brides choose to buy an old dress / second hand and replace it with a new one. Some brides choose to sell or donate their own clothes after the wedding or to reproduce them to create a new outfit.
Sustainable Venue
Those who prefer a green wedding also look for a sustainable venue to host their wedding. Many factors can minimize the waste produced by wedding venues, from environment friendly transportation to renewable energy options. Some prioritize reducing decoration waste by picking wedding venues surrounded by nature. The venue’s size also contributes to its sustainability, which is why some of those who choose to have green weddings pick small venues. As important as other aspects of a green wedding, being conscious of where their celebration occurs can reduce the amount of waste being produce.
