How to Green Your Wedding Reception

Years ago at my wedding, no one had ever heard of the phrase 'green. ' Who would have thought years later we would be discussing ways to green a wedding reception.. My future daughter in law and myself have been discussing ways to make sure she and my son have a green wedding, one that won't leave a permanent mark on the earth. This also includes how to green their wedding reception.

1) Probably the number one culprit in wedding receptions are Styrofoam and paper plates. Although paper plates are more bio degradable than Styrofoam, using glass or china plates is still preferred. If you are going to use paper plates, make sure they are biodegradable or are recycled paper plates.

2) Decorations, such as flowers, are a huge part of any wedding reception. A good way to green a wedding reception is to use only potted plants or flowers. With a bit of creative thought, potted plants and flowers can look lovely at a wedding. Another option after the wedding, is to allow wedding party members to take a plant home with them as a gift or token. By using potted plants, there are no wasted paper clipping in the trash.

3) Washing dishes. So much water is waste after a wedding, trying to clean up and wash dishes. The bride and groom are long gone by this point, but the bride can leave instructions with the clean up party on how to save water and not waste. Some suggestions include not using the dishwasher until it is fully loaded, not leaving the water running when doing dishes, and not re rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. These three tips save gallons of water.

4) One of the simplest ways to green a wedding reception is to use soy candles. They may cost a bit more, but they are ecologically friendly. They are made of natural substances, and in addition burn cleaner. Many stores now carry soy candles.

5) Use only bubbles for the going away send off. The common send off custom in years past was to throw rice, but then it was discovered that rice was dangerous to birds stomach. Then people began to use bird seed, but the bird seed was wasted and left everywhere to clean up afterward. Most people are now using bubbles. They come in different pretty containers, and you can even add your own ribbons. In addition, they do not harm the environment or leave anything to clean up. You can even buy bubbles in bio degradable or recycled plastic containers. This would be the best choice for a green wedding reception.

http://www.wfaa.com/projectgreen/tips-home/stories/green080609_jb_greenwedding.16b320bc.html
http://www.greenerchoices.org/products.cfm?product=50ways&pcat=homegarden
http://wedding.theknot.com/real-weddings/green-weddings/articles/organic-and-earth-friendly-wedding-reception-ideas.aspx