Go Green with Eco-friendly Wedding Announcements

If you are planning a green wedding, you must begin your preparations with eco-friendly wedding invitations and end with eco-friendly wedding announcements. Wedding announcements are sent right after the wedding to friends and family who did not make it to the wedding and to uninvited acquaintances.

Eco-friendly wedding announcements are easy to design. Use green materials for all the required materials - the paper, decorative artwork like threads or tassels, adhesive and printing dye.

Look for eco-friendly paper. Paper does not have to come from trees. Recycled old rags and cloth can produce paper. Many natural renewable resources like corn, sugarcane, hemp, jute, leaves, grass fibers, coconut and even elephant dung can be used to make paper. Paper from these products carries distinct attributes of its composition. Each sheet from a single source can have a unique look.

Look for handmade eco-friendly paper if you want to support small industries. This type of paper carries a unique finish and usually shows shards and shreds of the fibers used in manufacturing it.

A major source of eco-friendly paper is post-consumer recycled paper which is reclaimed from products dumped after their life-cycle through residential and commercial recycling programs. Instead of landing in a landfill, these products are recycled to make paper. This is a truly good way to reuse waste material and save the trees.

Eco-friendly paper is usually dyed using vegetable dyes. When you shop around, expect to find a wide range of durable eco-friendly paper for all your wedding announcement needs. You can get the right size and thickness for each component of your announcement - the envelope, the insert, the card, paper decorations, etc.

Ask for vegetable ink printing when you print your cards. This type of ink is derived from vegetable oil and is bio-degradable. Use silk or organic cotton threads and tassels for decoration. Use eco-friendly adhesive made without toxic chemicals to glue your decorations and envelope.

Use your computer to design the card - select appropriate wording, fonts and colors. You can also add pictures from your wedding to your announcement. Use bright colors contrasting with the color of your card or go with an old-fashioned black and white finish. Use professional printing services for superior finish. Supplies cost about $3-$4 per announcement and printing costs range between $1 and $3 depending on the number of cards you need.

Stores like Invite Site , Bag Lady Designs, Dragon Fly Card Designs and Earthly Affair offer great ideas for a green wedding. You can even find the supplies and printing services for your eco-friendly wedding announcement with them.

Use your eco-friendly wedding announcement to not only announce your marriage, but also to spread the 'go green' message - add a recycle logo on the backside of you card or a few words on how to be eco-friendly.