[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/green-guide-to-an-eco-friendly-wedding\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/green-guide-to-an-eco-friendly-wedding\/","headline":"Green Guide to an Eco-Friendly Wedding","name":"Green Guide to an Eco-Friendly Wedding","description":"Green is gorgeous for weddings, and no, we\u2019re not talking color palettes. Infusing eco-friendly elements into your wedding day is a way to give back...","datePublished":"2014-04-22","dateModified":"2023-04-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/brittnydrye\/#Person","name":"staff","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/brittnydrye\/","identifier":2409,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2f30a1541362bacd41cd05805156e625592dd4982e15a47acfa34d0f7c5b0801?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2f30a1541362bacd41cd05805156e625592dd4982e15a47acfa34d0f7c5b0801?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/cottage-core-wedding-ideas-with-poetry-tarot-cards-and-pagan-altar-julia-luckett-photography-equally-wed-16.jpg","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/cottage-core-wedding-ideas-with-poetry-tarot-cards-and-pagan-altar-julia-luckett-photography-equally-wed-16.jpg","height":1335,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/green-guide-to-an-eco-friendly-wedding\/","about":["DIY","Planning"],"wordCount":1293,"keywords":[" cake","catering","DIY","Earth Day","eco-friendly","farms","flowers","food ","green","local","organic","sustainable","vegan"],"articleBody":"Green is gorgeous for weddings, and no, we\u2019re not talking color palettes. Infusing eco-friendly elements into your wedding day is a way to give back to Mother Earth and cut down your carbon footprint as you walk down the aisle, not to mention, gays love going green (a recent poll shows 55 percent of LGBTQ adults were eco-aware). We asked the experts at Locally Grown Weddings, a San Francisco-based dream team dedicated to the earth embracing movement, for unique advice on making your wedding eco-certified chic.Your venue doesn\u2019t have to run on solar energy in order to be eco-friendly. Just by choosing a spot where you can host both your ceremony and reception is a way to go green. \u201cThis will cut down on your CO2 emissions and budget expenses, with the added benefit of making sure your guests don’t get lost between venues, which can eat into precious cocktail reception time!\u201d explains Sadie Waddington, eco event planner extraordinaire. Bonus points if you choose a venue with onsite accommodations where you can entertain guests. Whether it’s a bocce ball tournament or a gourmet barbecue in the evenings, keeping your guests onsite will allow them to unwind, relax and enjoy a weekend getaway in an earth-friendly manner.COMMUNICATIONCommunication is key when planning an eco-friendly wedding. Talk to your vendors and let them know being eco-friendly is a priority. \u201cThis will ensure that they are not just using \u2018green\u2019 for a marketing tactic but truly believe in an environmentally-conscious business and lifestyle,\u201d says Waddington.Hire a planner or coordinator who specializes in eco-friendly weddings. \u201cA good planner will save you time and money by directing you to the best eco-friendly vendors. Take advantage of his\/her \u2018little green book\u2019 and streamline your efforts.\u201dCATERINGChef Stephanie, Locally Grown Wedding\u2019s culinary queen, warns against using venues that have set catering services. \u201cChoose a venue where you can select your own caterer,\u201d she explains. \u201cSome venues provide catering or require you to hire a caterer from a list. This limits your choices and if local and seasonal food is a priority for you, it may not be with your caterer.\u201dPackaging is a major unwanted agent in landfills, but a few simple steps on your wedding day can make a big difference. Instead of individual sodas and juices, create a handcrafted signature beverage that can be made in large quantities, eliminating the individual glass and plastic bottles that may or may not be recycled at the end of the night. If you are having a more casual event, be sure to use compostable items instead of disposable. \u201cCompostable plates, forks, etc., are plant-based and can be composted,\u201d says Chef Stephanie. \u201cThis diverts that waste from the landfill to a more useful purpose.\u201dFor those who favor fish, she recommends checking out Monterey Bay Aquarium\u2019s Seafood Watch, at which scientists thoroughly research sustainability criteria to put together an extensive list of seafood recommendations for the six regions in the United States, helping maintain a healthy ocean ecosystem.At the end of the night, don\u2019t let that leftover fish (or chicken, beef or pasta) go to waste. Chef Stephanie suggests talking to your caterer about leftover food ahead of time and donating it to a local food bank. \u201cThere are some services that will even pick up the leftovers at the end of the night.\u201dCAKE + DESSERTSThe secret ingredient to making your wedding cake even tastier? Going green! Along with opting for organic or vegan, you can add a touch of green and sentimentality with your cake topper. \u201cConsider looking in your own home for ideas rather than purchasing something new from the store,\u201d says Pei-Yee Woo, who provides a full range of sweet endings for Locally Grown Weddings\u2019 events. \u201cIt’s a great way to utilize a memento that holds significance for the two of you to share your story with your guests. And it saves you the extra step of having to go and shop around for a cake topper!\u201dShe also suggests forgoing the fondant, unless you\u2019re really tied to the smooth and polished look. \u201cMore often than not, this is the piece of the wedding cake that is left on the plate at the end of the night, so you can reduce the amount of waste heading to the landfill by omitting this detail.\u201dNot having a wedding cake? Opt for decadent desserts that come with minimal packaging: hand-crafted ice creams (served on edible cones, of course!) or a variety of seasonal fruits served with freshly whipped cream.FLOWERSWhen creating your floral design, it\u2019s important to select locally grown blooms, but take it one step further and find out exactly how the flowers are grown. \u201cThere are local farms that use greenhouses and there are those that grow their flowers outside and some that are organic-certified. Flowers that are grown outside not only consume less energy, but they also last longer and are stronger than those grown in a greenhouse,\u201d explains floral guru Madeline Trait.She suggests checking out your local CSA to see if they grow flowers (seasonal herbs, vegetables and fruits also make stunning and unique d\u00e9cor). Also, be weary of the season. Out-of-season blooms are most likely coming from South America, Africa or Europe (check out our flower guide\u00a0to find out which seasons your favorite florals bloom).At the end of the night, don\u2019t let the flowers wilt in the venue\u2019s trash. Donate them to a local hospice or hospital, or let guests take them home as a parting gift. \u201cEither way they will be enjoyed by someone rather than being tossed out immediately,\u201d says Trait.DECORATIONSThere\u2019s no shortage of eco-friendly d\u00e9cor so go the extra green mile and select d\u00e9cor that can be reused by yourself or donated. \u201cAs an event designer when I am sourcing decor I always think of what happens to the item after the event. Can the vases be reused by my guests, the florist or recycled?\u201d says Trait.Connect with local artisans and use locally made products such as vases, signage, linens, etc. \u201cNot only will you have unique products, you will be supporting local artists, artisans and your community,\u201d she says.DIY is always an earth-friendly option, provided that you have the time. \u201cThere are a lot of eco fabrics out there if you want to invest in making your own linens. Keep them as keepsakes when you are done with the wedding or donate them to a local charity or school.\u201dPHOTOGRAPHYWhen shopping for your photographer, keep an eye out for certifications. \u201cThey can be certified through Greener Photography, their local green business office or have a Green Mission Statement. If you are working with a green wedding planner, they can also often refer you to the right professionals,\u201d says Locally Grown Weddings\u2019 eco-photographer, Aurora Meneghello. Before booking, ask if their lab is local and green. \u201cSome photographers have their wedding albums printed far away, with no regards to the environment,\u201d explains Meneghello. \u201cChoose a photographer who uses a green-certified green lab, which prints albums using materials that are animal-friendly and nontoxic.\u201dOnce you and your spouse have settled into newlywed life, review your images online and refrain from ordering each and every one, purchasing only those that you\u2019ll want to display. \u201cReceiving hundreds of prints just to look through the images can result in unnecessary waste.\u201d When it\u2019s time to print the selects, ask your photographer if they offer fine art prints printed on cotton rag museum quality paper, or other paper that has been manufactured with as little possible impact on trees and forests. Photo: Aurora Meneghello  "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Green Guide to an Eco-Friendly Wedding","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/green-guide-to-an-eco-friendly-wedding\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]