Planning your wedding can be a lot of fun. It can also be a great big giant headache. There are so many things to consider, feelings to protect, and your own happiness to pursue. What do you do first? How do you prioritize?First of all, relax. Take a deep breath...and release. There. Much better.So you want to have an environmentally friendly wedding - an Eco Wedding, if you will. But how do you go about planning one? Is it possible to have the wedding of your dreams without doing so much damage to the environment that there won't be anything left for your children's wedding?The answer is a resounding YES!And the best part of having a Green wedding? You save money! What could be better than having a dream wedding while saving the Earth and fattening your wallet? Maybe eating a whole lot of chocolate without breaking out or gaining weight - but that's a whole different issue.Back to the topic: Stress-free eco wedding planning. Right.If you are planning a more intimate wedding - family and close friends only - why not have a short ceremony and the reception at the same place?Some friends of mine actually went to a justice of the peace accompanied by immediate family only, then invited 20 of their closest friends to their favorite restaurant for a wonderful and beautiful organic feast. Transportation was provided to limit CO2 emissions.If you want a larger wedding, consider having the wedding and reception at the same venue. Ask what furniture is accessible on-site and how much of it is available for your specific date. If the venue provides tables, chairs, linens, utensils and such, you save money and stress from coordinating furniture rental.Ask about the site's recycling policy. Do they recycle?Does the venue provide a caterer, or can you hire your own? Some places may not let you hire an outside caterer. If this is so, ask the caterer if they use seasonal fare and support local farmers (the shorter distance food needs to travel, the less CO2 emissions produced from transporting it).Find out about the chef's vegetarian menu. Is it more than just steamed vegetables over rice or pasta? Request that the wedding cake be made of organic and natural ingredients - no artificial sweeteners.Opt for a vintage gown or a second-hand dress. After all, it's traditionally a very bulky dress that you're going to wear only once. After the wedding, sell it to a consignment store so another bride can use it. Another option is to donate the dress to a charity that will either use the dress or use the material to make another dress.Wedding flowers can cost a lot of money. A less eco-minded girlfriend spent over $10,000 just on cut flowers alone! Yikes! Instead of replicating this extravagance and waste, why not ask your bridesmaids to feature their organic bouquets from local suppliers as centerpieces for the tables? Or display a potted plant that someone can take home and plant in their garden. You can also use the flowers from the wedding ceremony to decorate the reception area. Most florists will accommodate this eco-minded request.Now for the wedding favors. Some examples of eco-friendly favors are seed packets - tastefully decorated, of course. You can make your own and slip them into recycled organic envelopes, or you can purchase them online. Organic and fair trade chocolate is another option. Try to give something consumable and biodegradable - stay away from plastic trinkets that end up in the landfill.And finally, give yourself a break. Hire an experienced and reputable wedding planner. It may seem like an indulgence, but it's really more of a necessity. Hiring a wedding planner can actually result in saving you a lot of money (and your sanity!).How?Wedding planners know all the intricacies involved in planning a wedding. Your wedding won't be the first one they have planned. They are very well-connected and know who the reputable providers are in the business.Wedding planners are also very experienced in the negotiating process. Because they work with vendors on a regular basis, they can get you a discount on a lot of things that you may not be able to negotiate yourself. They have your best interest in mind and can help guide you into making informed decisions.By : Phie
