Ten Tips for Planning a Green Fall Wedding

Planning any type of wedding can be a big ordeal. Many things must be ordered and organized, and much waste can be produced along the way. Some people are planning green weddings nowadays, so that less damage is done to the environment as a result of having a wedding. If you are interested in having an eco-friendly wedding this fall, here are some tips for you.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #1 - Reduce Waste Produced
A simple way to be more eco-friendly is to reduce the amount of waste that is produced in the planning of your green wedding and at the ceremony and reception. Steps to further this goal include having appropriate amounts of food, mailing recyclable invitations, reducing the number of mailings that you do, buying a suit or dress that can be used again after the wedding or donated, and using real silverware. Consider the ultimate fate of each item that you have at your wedding, and if its final resting place will be a landfill, consider eliminating use of the item entirely.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #2 - Buy Locally
If at all possible, buy organic, locally grown fruits and vegetable for your wedding. This will reduce the oil used to transport food for your wedding, and fewer pesticides will have been introduced into the environment as a result of the organic foods and dishes that you provide. In times like these, local organic or green businesses could use your financial support.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #3 - Have an Outdoor Wedding and Reception
Having your wedding and reception outdoors reduces the consumption of electricity during the ceremony and afterwards. Fall weather should be mild enough for this to be possible, and what could be more green than a day spent enjoying the outdoors while celebrating a new relationship with family and friends?

Green Fall Wedding Tip #4 - Have a Smaller Wedding
You may wish to celebrate your special day in grand style, but this does not mean that you must invite people with whom you have not spoken for years. Cutting down the number of guests to your wedding by even ten or twenty people reduces the amount of waste produced, the amount of energy needed to make food, the amount of oil used for transport to your wedding, and more. You may find that a smaller wedding is more intimate as well, beyond being more green.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #5 - Use the Internet to Transmit Information
Rather than have guests mail you an RSVP, set up an e-mail account dedicated entirely to the wedding and have your guests RSVP there. You may also use a blog to post information about the wedding as it develops. All of this saves paper compared to sending out mailing after mailing regarding the wedding.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #6 - Ask For Charitable Contributions Instead of Gifts
If you and your future spouse already have basic household items and do not need money, ask that your guests make charitable contributions to a green organization rather than giving wedding gifts. If there are specific items that you need, ask for them and ask that anyone not giving you those gifts make charitable green contributions of a specific amount, such as $25 or $50. This may be easier on wedding guests financially than purchasing a physical item would be.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #7 - Use Real Plates and Utensils
When it is time for dinner, avoid using disposable silverware, plates, and napkins. Instead, check with the catering company and see if it is possible for them to bring real silverware, china, and linens. The green effect of this will increase with the number of wedding guests.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #8 - Use Group Transportation
If many or most of your guests are staying at the same hotel, see if it would be possible to hire vans or buses as a form of transportation. While vans and buses are not as fuel-efficient as most cars are, this is an ultimately green measure for a single day, due to the fact that a single bus might replace twenty cars on the road. If this is not possible for monetary or logistical reasons, encourage carpooling.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #9 - Have Recycling Bins Available
During the reception, make sure that recycling bins are available for empty cans and bottles. If you intend to have a green wedding, you may be using china and real silverware as mentioned above. However, if you are using paper or plastic products at all, make sure that there are recycling bins for those as well.

Green Fall Wedding Tip #10 - Start Planning Early
Much more planning must go into a green wedding than into a non-green wedding. This is due to the fact that most weddings are non-green, and it may take some searching and a number of phone calls before finding people and businesses that offer the green services that you want. Likewise, you may need to double-check green specifications that you make several times before the wedding, as signals can get crossed. Starting to plan your green fall wedding early can reduce stress on you and make it less likely that you will give up and resort to non-green measures.

Green weddings are becoming more and more popular. If you are planning a fall wedding, why not follow just a few of the above tips? Your wedding will be easier on the environment and you will be able to feel even better on your special day. If you have any other suggestions on how a person could have a green fall wedding, or have had a green fall wedding yourself, feel free to leave your thoughts and suggestions as a comment below. Thank you for reading!