There was a lot of talk on the blogs and boards this week about making weddings a green affair. This isn't the easiest task. Linda at Silly Little Mischief wrote about wedding carbon footprint (she also has a regular feature about green wedding ideas!). Tara at In this Instance blogged about paperless invitations as a way to cut down costs and waste. And of course on weddingbee there were several posts, including this one from Mrs Violet about her re-usable centerpiece containers.
A lot of things we can't control about our wedding. Like we WANT our out of town guests to come and be at the wedding. That means emissions from flying(or driving) and hotel stays. But ALL of my familyis from out of state. I'd like them to be here. And we can encourage local guests to car pool, but its Tucson, it ain't going to happen.
We are being conscience of food and liquor. We are going to serve locally brewed beer which cuts down on our footprint a bit, but we will also be serving imported beers and other liquor. So I guess we are a wash there.
Our caterer is local and we have spoken lots about using locally grown foods in our menu.
Our ceremony and reception will be outdoors which I've been told makes it greener. They are also one in the same, so guests will only have to drive to one lacation and back again.
All of our vendors are local.
Our photographer uses digital, we will only print the photos we want to.
We aren't having flower centerpieces which is a double bonus of cost and waste saver.
Our centerpeices will most likely double as escort cards (one less thing) and triple as favors (two less things!).
Here are a few things we probably aren't doing due to cost or convenience:
Printing our invites on recycled paper or using organic inks. The quotes I have gotten increase the price as much a $3/invitation to make them "greener".
I bought my dress and it is silk. I could have gotten an organic cotton or purchased a vintage or used dress. But I didn't. I fell in love with my made in China silk dress. (I don't feel the least bit guilty about this one)
We registered for gifts. That means wrapping paper, boxes, filler, Styrofoam, shipping emissions, factory emissions, etc.
We are taking a honeymoon. A big, somewhere far away, 40 hour plane ride kind of honeymoon.
I struggle with a few decisions, but at the end of the day I am aware of how my wedding may impact the environment. Maybe, as GI Joe says, knowing is half the battle?
Please no critism, I'll accept ideas, but please don't try to make me feel guilty about getting married!
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3 comments:
Thanks for the plug! I have one more green wedding post coming!
I think you can do what you can. We all leave something behind. I try not leave too much but it's hard. I'm also trying to cut down on all that paper-no programs!
Yeah for using local resources!
This is great! I never really thought about green weddings (other than the color, hehe), it's nice that you're making an effort, which is more than a lot of people (maybe including myself?) would consider. But I agree that when cost and convenience factor in, you did what you could, and now it's a matter of making it happen. Good for you!
Hi this is Candace, couldn't figure out how to PM you on the Weddingbee blog regarding South African Honeymoon. Would love to chat about SA. Please email me at gclknot@gmail.com. Thanks.
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