Do you compost your own kitchen waste? Take joy rides in your electric car? Collect aluminum cans from your friends and family? If you answered yes to any of these questions, odds are that your dream wedding is probably far more hippie chic than haute couture. You’re looking for a green wedding.
But, regardless of whether or not you’ve already gone green, throwing an eco-friendly fête may be the perfect way to celebrate finally tying the knot. After all, doing your part to save the earth now means making the world a better place for your future family.
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“I personally feel it is absolutely possible to have a stylish and elegant eco-friendly affair,” says Jenny Orsini, owner and creative director of Jenny Orsini Events Inc. in Randolph. “It’s just about doing a little research. You can absolutely have a fabulous wedding and still be good to the earth.”
Here, Orsini shares her top 5 tips to recycle, reuse and repurpose — without sacrificing an ounce of style for your green wedding:
The Favors
“Do something plantable that offers regrowth for our earth. Potted plants are very big. There’s also these really cool packets that come with gorgeous flowering seeds. The packages themselves are entirely recyclable so nothing goes to waste.”
The Invitations
“There are so many stationary companies out there that are eco-friendly. Instead of having a separate reception card and family card, everything is printed together. Instead of wasting an envelope on an RSVP, you do a postcard-style RSVP. And anything and everything is printed on recycled paper.”
The Menu
“The whole farm-to-table craze is very important, and it’s not just because of the lack of antibiotics and preservatives. When you serve local food, your food doesn’t have to be part of the transportation process. If you’re getting your grass-fed beef from California, there is a lot of waste. Instead, try to focus on using local fruit, vegetables and meat whenever possible.”
The Centerpieces
“You can do things like soy candles or recycled glass containers if you want to go all out and be super eco-friendly. Or you can just scale back on the amount of flowers. Do a few orchid plants down your table so guests get to take a potted plant at the end of the night. Just avoid anything imported.”
The Bouquets
“You can create beautiful bouquets from things that aren’t even floral. If you’re super eco-friendly, there’s ways to create bouquets from fabric, brooches or even ribbon. Or you can use natural wildflowers that are absolutely gorgeous!”
Hero (Top) Feature Image: © belchonock / Depositphotos, Inc.
