Planning an Eco-Friendly Wedding: Using Recycled Goods in Your Ceremony

You are getting married soon and have decided to do something to help save the planet. There are so many ideas, but you want a combination of the old mixed with the next of this century. You don't want junk, but you like style with a bit of nostalgia. You want a beautiful recycled wedding for your theme.

But where do you begin? The dress? Maybe you should consider if the wedding decorations will be recycled along with a few new items. You can't recycle food so how do you work it into the theme?

There are many ways to recycle on a small scale in life as well as on a large scale of the life cycle. So let's start with the first item you are most concerned with.

The dress. This is an easy one. To stay with the recycled theme look for a wedding dress already purchased before hand. A pre owned, used or unused dress that never made it to a wedding. Pass the word among family and friends what you are looking for. You can begin with the old tradition of your mothers wedding gown if she still has it. If she has been married more than once then you can have a choice! Ask about wedding gowns belonging to grandmothers and aunts for a generational and family bond of continuance.

Next check for used gowns online, in resale shops and thrift stores. This is the true heart of recycling a well made gown for a low price. Make sure it fits well and can be cleaned. If it is close to what you would like you can have alterations done by a professional to bring it up to par for the occasion. Even if you pick a couple of nice gowns and have them combined into one from the best of both for elegance to pass on to your own daughter someday.

The location. If you are going for a summer wedding then choose an outdoor area. A park with trees for shade, the beach for the breeze and the sound of the waves or your families back yard for convenience and price. Once you have decided on a location you will need to decide how you would like the wedding area to look. For beach or park weddings the landscape is enough for a beautiful background.

If you choose a back yard then make sure it is in good condition and check the level of the ground. Does it have nice grass or is it covered in plants you will have to make your way through to the alter? Where will the alter be and what will it be? Make sure that the lawn is mowed, edged and trimmed at least two days before the wedding. You don't want fresh mowed grass because of allergies among guest.

Use potted plants for decorations and a fountain for the site of the alter. Once the wedding has passed the potted plants can be placed in the yard, given to guest or donated to a hospital. If you choose to use fresh cut flower then grow your own or ask for donations from yards needing to make room for new growth. This will help to promote growth and friendship in more than one way.

For invitations and other paper goods on recycled paper products go to twistedlimbpaper.com. All their goods are 100% recycled and they have a beautiful selection. You can find streamers, thank you cards and other paper goods to make your wedding dreams come true.

The rings. Yes, even your rings can work into the theme of recycle. Check about family heirloom rings. So many times there are beautiful rings hidden among the treasures of the past. Pawn shops are loaded with low priced, well made wedding rings of every type, but if you want a new rings never before worn then check in to greenkarat.com. This site provides rings with diamonds from environmentally responsible countries.

The food! Have your cake made by a local business with only the best ingredients. Supporting your community is one of the best ways to save it and insure it's continued care. Use fruits grown locally as snacks and make main dishes from vegetables you have grown yourself. Offer fresh juice instead of processed punch and have a selection of herbal teas.

The Gifts! There is one great site called uncommongoods.com. This is one of the best sites I have found for recycled gifts and goods. You can find beautiful bowls made from by gone LP records to stunning wine glasses reclaimed from wine bottles. They have everything for the new home from tables to pillows to blankets and all of it is recycled. For another site try recycledglasswork.com. They specialize in making dishes and bowls from recycled glass with beautiful results.

Now you are ready to start planning you Recycled Wedding. You will help to promote saving the planet and saving a lot of money you are going to need in the future! As time goes on you'll find a lot of other ways to recycle even when looking for your first home. When you think about recycling and your future plans all you have to remember is it's really a matter of not wasting something with a lot of