Do you take the extra effort to recycle your bottles, walk instead of drive, reuse materials, and basically anything to help reduce your carbon footprint? There are plenty of changes you can make to your wedding that will have a major impact on saving the environment. You even might be able to spark some of these habits into your guests’ lives. So why not save a little money while saving the Earth? Here are a few tips on how to keep your wedding eco-friendly…
Choose a 2 in 1 venue.
Many brides have their wedding ceremony in one location and their reception in another. This causes their guests to travel the additional miles adding that much more carbon dioxide emissions into the Earth’s atmosphere. Choosing a venue that can host both your ceremony and your reception saves your guests from making the extra trip. Not only is it more convenient for everyone involved but it also might save you money. There will also be less to worry about and as a bride, that should be your number one goal: less stress.
Hire local vendors.
Not only does supporting local vendors add a more personal touch to your wedding, but it’s also great for the economy and an eco-friendly practice. Local food doesn’t create large carbon footprints through overseas plane travel or long truck trips. This cuts down on fuel consumption and air pollution. By supporting local businesses, you are in turn supporting your local economy; more money stays in a community when purchases are made at locally owned – rather than nationally owned – businesses.
Think of it this way: instead of having that one food chain that’s in every city provide the food at your wedding, you’re just a box on their to-do list, but when you hire local, that business will be happy to serve you because you’re helping them as well. It’s a good idea to choose local over national in your everyday habits.
Choose compostable or recyclable dinnerware.
Your other option may be to rent dinnerware from somewhere – one more thing to worry about. When you do it this way, you have to make sure someone picks it up before the events begin and drops it off at the end of the night. It’s one more variable that can go wrong. When you buy compostable materials, which may cost the same to rent regular glassware, it gets recycled at the end of the night. All done! Nothing to worry about and you’re helping make a difference.
Go shopping at thrift stores.
Instead of contributing to “fast-shopping,” find decorations, clothes, and other nifty things at your local thrift stores and antique shops. You’ll be the only one that has the one-of-a-kind items that people wish they could get their hands on but can’t. You might even be able to find some bridesmaids dresses there. You could make it a fun event with your gals: go around to all the nearby thrift stores to see what you can find!
Making these little changes to your wedding will make lasting changes in the Earth’s atmosphere. You may not be able to see the difference that you’re making but you’ll know that you are making a difference.