Go digital with your invitations! Send evite ones instead.

Use handmade paper invitations or tree free invitation/note cards

If you are snail mailing invitations, do it earlier than originally planned so you don’t have to send a “save the date” card in addition to the invitation.

Additionally if you snail mail invitations, include a “please recycle me” note on your invitations so guests will recycle and not trash your invitation.

Don’t invite everyone in the world to your wedding. Make a guest list and invite only those select people.

Find an alternative to diamond rings. Diamond miners are often times working in cramped, unsafe conditions and there’s also the problem of child labor in the mines too.

On average, the production of a single gold ring generates 20 tons of mine waste. That’s crazy!
But if you insist on a gold/diamond ring buy American, buy local, request a Certificate of Origin or better yet try to find a vintage or antique ring.

Green Karat offers eco jewelry, recycled gold jewelry.

Wooden Rings offers handcrafted wooden rings with silver or gold accent.

Leber Jeweler offers conflict free diamonds and ethically produced jewelry.

Brilliant Earth is another jeweler. They offer Canadian conflict free diamond rings and more.

Edible Centerpiece:
Use locally grown fruits in a bowl on each table.
Make a fruit arrangement by cutting fruits into various shapes, flower shapes, etc.
Place organic mini cupcakes at each table, top them with edible flowers.

Floral Centerpiece:
Cut down on the amount of flowers used by simply putting a few blossoms floating in water.

Candles:
Use candles instead of flowers.
Use an soy based candle, preferably unscented.

Balloons:
Don’t use them!
There’s nothing at all green about them and they can be dangerous to animals, birds.
There’s actually a law in several states that it’s illegal to mass release balloons. (FL, CT, TN, CA, VA have already enacted that and MA, MD and NY are in the process).

It functions like any other online gift registry except that you don’t have to encourage people to buy new stuff.

Get started here

Can couples on a tight budget have an eco-friendly wedding? It’s a question that many couples face during these tough economic times.
The answer? A big fat resounding yes. In fact, eco-friendly weddings are often more economical than their less earth friendly alternatives. Why? Green weddings are conscious weddings. Couples who go this route are often acutely aware of what they consume and generally, less is more. Eco-friendly weddings are not usually over-the-top, extravagant events - but that doesn’t mean they can’t be hugely creative and downright wonderful.
Here are 10 ways you can have an earth-friendly wedding on a budget:
1. Go Small. The fewer guests you have, the less fossil fuels that will be used. You’ll also consume less, and create less garbage. Having a small guest list will also give you more choice of wedding venues. Why not have your small wedding at a designated green bed and breakfast or have a restaurant reception at a restaurant that serves local food? Besides, less people, less money.
2. Buy or Make Consumable Favors. Consumable favors are fun, fabulous and earth-friendly. Some suggestions include DIY favors such as homemade jam, chocolate, cookies, candy, free-trade coffee, beeswax candles, handmade soap or lotion. If you still want to take the non-consumable route, what about cloth shopping bags, reusable produce bags, or other products that will help your guests pursue an eco-friendly lifestyle? Don’t forget to include information about local shops that carry eco-friendly products along with your favors.
3. Don’t buy any favors. Another wonderful option for favors is to donate money to a charity in the names of each guest. The guest receives a card that informs him or her that instead of a favour, money was donated to a specific charity. Read more about favor donations.
4. Be a ‘Locavore’. Choose a caterer or restaurant that sources ingredients locally. Buying local ingredients supports your area farmers, as well as decreases your carbon imprint. Even better, choose locally sourced organic foods, and offer vegetarian choices for your meat-free guests. If you are on a tight budget, consider having a cocktail or brunch reception highlighting local foods.
5. Have your Ceremony and Reception in the Same Location. This will mean less travel for you and your guests. Many inns and bed and breakfasts can accommodate both the ceremony and the reception. This will save you money in transportation costs, as well as decoration expenses.
6. Use Potted Plants instead of Cut Flowers for Centerpieces. I admit, I’m crazy about fresh flowers, but I also love the idea of being able to enjoy my centerpieces long after the wedding. Potted flowers are lovely - so are potted herbs and saplings. Once again, this is a more economical alternative.
7. Buy a Second Hand Wedding Dress and Bridesmaid Dresses. Have you seen some of the gorgeous vintage gowns at www.vintageous.com? Not only are they lovely, they are less expensive than new gowns.
8. Ditch the Disposables. Don’t even think about having disposable cameras at your wedding. Chances are your guests will bring their own digital camera. You can even remind them in your invitation that you’d love for them to capture their wedding with their own camera and send you the images. And don’t forget the DIY wedding photo download station.
9. Don’t use Throwaway Dishes or Flatware. Use china dishes, flatware, cloth napkins and glasses instead of plastic cups. Not only will this save a ton of waste, it will look more elegant.
10. Scrap the Balloons and Confetti. Do you really need confetti? If you feel it’s a must, then use flower petals. Avoid balloons when decorating, as well as any other landfill bound decorations.

GreenSage.com which offers gifts that are energy efficient, non toxic, recycled, reclaimed….

The Global Exchange Fair Trade Store is your Online Source for Socially Conscious Gifts

Green Living for earth friendly and fair trade items

These are just a few, but this way you’ll enable your guests to purchase the eco items you desire.

And so, in an effort to ensure that no bride need be frustrated again by the lack of environmentally friendly wedding advice available to her, The Green Bride - a resource for green wedding tips, information on trailblazing local companies, designers and wedding service providers that are committed to reducing waste - was born.

For gorgeous cakes with no waste try ‘Edible Flowers’:

Before you run out to pick those flowers however, please be aware of the following:

1. When using edible flowers, use only flowers that have been organically grown, un-sprayed and not grown by a roadside.
2. If you can’t pick the flowers the day of the wedding, store them (except for chicory) on plates in your fridge with a bit of water.
3. Be sure to research any allergens or risks associated with using any edible plant as well as which parts of the plant are edible before using in any dish.

Read the full article here

According to Conde’ Nast Bridal Group American Wedding Study 2006, the total amount spent on weddings in the US consisted of:

Honeymoons $8 billion
Diamond Engagement Rings: $7 billion
Wedding Registries: $19 billion

In 2005, there were 295 million wedding guests attending the 2.1 million weddings in that year.

As you can tell from the figures, weddings have a big impact on the economy as well as the environment.

This blog will help cover ways to recycle, reuse, and reduce.
You’ll find out out how you can pick items that can be reused after the wedding, ways to recycle items you se at the wedding, eco friendly favors, green wedding supplies and services.

Consider joining our RSS feed to the right so you can stay up to date on new posts here.
We’ll be covering an array of green wedding information to help you enjoy your day and have a smaller impact on the environment.

There are also some excellent books that you can read to assist you with your green wedding:
Green Wedding: Planning Your Eco-Friendly Celebration

as well as
Eco-Chic Weddings: Simple Tips to Plan an Earth-Friendly, Socially Responsible, Affordable Green Wedding