Plan Your Wedding with the Environment in Mind, Go Green

Going green with your wedding planning is fast becoming the new tradition. Even if you don't want to go all-the-way green with your wedding plans, there are still several things that you can do during the celebration with the environment in mind.

According to Millie Martini Bratten, the editor in chief of Bride's magazine, you do not have to sacrifice style or taste to go green with your wedding plans.

A daytime outdoor wedding and reception eliminates the need of electricity for lighting. Having both the wedding ceremony and reception in the same location eliminates the need for driving from one location to another and saves fuel.

Decorations and table center pieces for your wedding can be chosen from whatever is locally grown. Locally grown flowers and fruits will be fresher, save on the fuel needed for importing them from elsewhere and will benefit your local economy. Go green by providing guests with an alternative to throw away wedding favors and gifts. The wedding and reception table arrangements of glass bowls filled with fresh fruits or flowers can serve the environment twice by providing colorful wedding decor and as becoming wedding favors for your guests. Donations to charity in lieu of wedding favors is the new green trend.

Wedding invitations printed on recycled paper is a way to help save the trees. Setting up a website for your wedding on a website like MyWedding.com is another non-paper way to keep in touch with wedding invitees.

Vintage wedding dresses are very much sought after and a way to go green with your wedding plans. Gently used wedding dresses or Mother's wedding dress are ways to recycle and go green. Wedding dresses made from environmentally friendly fabric like hemp, silk, organic cotton and bamboo fabric are not only fashionable and trendy, but another way to keep the environment in mind. The grooms have long been ahead of the brides in going green in the wedding day attire by renting a tux.

The last tip for planning a green wedding is for the honeymoon. Eco-travel agencies will help you book the honeymoon in hotels and resorts that keep the environment in mind by recycling, supporting local businesses and reducing energy consumption.

Going green by planning your wedding with the environment in mind does not mean that you have to sacrifice anything, and the more green things you do at your wedding, the less the environment will have to sacrifice.