Photo Courtesy Of Charmaine L. TuSingle-cut flowers are replacing the traditional bulky bouquets for wedding attendants.

The idea of a green wedding might elicit initial thoughts of a brown-paper-bag wedding gown, a biodegradable fiance and a drought-resistant bouquet in hand. Accent those thoughts with blue recycle bins as centerpieces and you are probably hitting the brakes on the entire idea altogether.

On the contrary, planning a green wedding does not mean that you have to go bohemian. There are hundreds of creative ideas that can make your wedding greener with little compromise. Directing your wedding plans toward a greener forum simply means creating an event that will have less impact on the environment and yield a smaller carbon footprint.

So why go greener? The community is making a move toward being more environmentally friendly through education, water conservation and recycling programs. Unfortunately, for large events, including weddings, there is a sizable expenditure of resources and a high output of waste. Being green and being mindful of our carbon footprints often takes a backseat.

A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases produced by activities people individually or collectively engage in and the products they purchase and use. define our carbon footprint. For example, riding your bike to pick up a few items at the grocery store versus driving your car helps to decrease your carbon footprint.

So how do weddings affect one’s carbon footprint you might ask? Consider a typical wedding and the items that might impact one’s carbon footprint. For example: imported flowers, synthetic linens, aerosol hairsprays to preserve the bride’s hairdo, and wedding favors that unfortunately many guests toss in the garbage at home. With some careful thought, you can plan a green wedding that is not only stunning, but also environmentally friendly.

The following are a few useful guidelines to aid you:

Recycle and reuse. Planning ahead can help reduce waste later. Instead of purchasing a stack of fresh bridal magazines, start by asking friends and family for used bridal magazines. The local library shelves a wide array of wedding, entertaining and design books that can suggest a different vantage point. Search Internet Web sites such as www.theknot.com for ideas. If you and your sweetheart are exchanging rings, ask a goldsmith to create something unique using old jewelry items or recycled gold.

Size does matter. No doubt, the larger the guest list, the larger the carbon footprint. Speaking from experience, invitation lists can explode very quickly. Before beginning the list, define boundaries in terms of maximum numbers and how many out-of-town guests. Creating an A and a B list may help determine whether Aunt Lucy’s brother’s dentist will make the cut.

Location, location, location. Choosing a location that requires less travel will not only be appreciated by guests, but also by mother earth. Green your transportation by encouraging carpooling and arranging shuttles for out-of-town guests staying at nearby hotels.

If weather permits, choose an outdoor location. Local parks or even a backyard create a beautiful intimate setting, and the lush green backgrounds provide natural backdrops for photographs. Also, with a lush environment, there is less focus or need for huge decorative centerpieces. Most weddings typically take place in the afternoon followed by an evening reception. Why conform to the norm? Consider an earlier wedding and take advantage of the natural sunlight and decreased use of electricity.

Fresh is better. In choosing your menu, look for a local caterer who buys from local farmers’ markets, one who understands green weddings. Martin Gebert of Simply Perfect Catering stresses the importance of minimizing food waste and recycling.

“I’ve done hundreds of events through the years and have seen how much is wasted. It has inspired me to compost, keep trash to a minimum, not use Styrofoam and decrease use of plastics, yet striving to keep my food quality at a premium,” Gebert said.

He requests that his dishes and linens are washed with biodegradable soaps.

Choose organic food and materials over synthetic. Consider using organic linens. If you’re going really green, consider a wedding dress made of hemp. If your mother has a wedding dress, she would probably be thrilled if you wore it. The style might be dated, but having it altered to suit your style is a great way to recycle your mother’s dress. Another alternative is to sift through local thrift shops, consignment or Junior League shops where wedding gowns are begging to be recycled and worn.

Set the mood of your green wedding by sending an eco-friendly invitation. Color Story Studio of Mountain View designs elegant and casual custom invitations using a variety of earth-friendly, recycled and green seal certified papers and green printing methods. Handmade eco-friendly papers with embedded seeds and flowers are becoming incredibly popular. Another alternative is to scrap the use of paper and send an electronic invitation through Web sites such as Evite. Consider the cost savings and decreased environmental impact of an average of 150 envelopes, invitations, reply cards and stamps alone.

Think outside of the box when it comes to decor. Create clean elegant lines by having arrangements done in a Japanese Ikebana style. Many brides are choosing minimalist single-cut flowers in streamlined vases over bold, bulky bouquets. Instead of importing flowers, select flowers that are in season and that your florist can locate locally. Encourage cleanup crews to compost after the event. Better yet, bring flower arrangements to a local hospital or retirement home for others to enjoy. Other alternatives are potted plants or decorative bowls filled with local fruit or veggies that guests can take home. Glass vases filled with water and floating soy candles can create a romantic ambiance as the sun sets. Soy candles tend to burn longer and cooler than conventional wax candles.

Give useful wedding favors. When was the last time you went to a wedding where the party favors were actually useful and good for the environment? A few suggestions for green wedding favors include plantable bulbs, a local basket of fruit, tea and soy wax candles. Package favors in recycled paper products or tie together with twine or straw. In lieu of wedding favors, donate the money you would spend on favors to a local charity.

Receive green gifts. Register for green products through online stores such as Viva Terra, Gaiam or The Ultimate Green Store.

As a gentle reminder, each item purchased and used for your wedding will have some type of environmental impact. In an ideal world, how wonderful would it be to create a zero-waste wedding? With some careful planning, making greener choices can help preserve our beautiful earth and save your wallet. Keep your planning process fun and enjoy the big day. If in fact you decide to have a brown-paper-bag wedding gown, please send a picture to the Town Crier.

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