Sierra Clubs Guide to a Green Wedding

This article was emailed to me by the Sierra Club last week and I thought it was perferct for all you green brides out there searching for some green wedding ideas or green wedding inspiration.

Sierra Club's 10 Steps to a Green Wedding

Going green is a great way to make your wedding unique and meaningful. Plus, you get to show friends and family just how fun, beautiful, and delicious a sustainable lifestyle can be.

1. With this ring...

• Vintage rings, whether a family heirloom or an antique find
• Lab-created diamonds 
• Diamonds mined in peaceful areas
• Diamonds certified as "conflict-free" 

2. Location, location, location

• Choosing a setting that's convenient to the majority of the guests to minimize travel impacts
• Having the ceremony and the reception at the same place
• Picking a unique local spot-that supports a cause you believe in.
• An outdoor setting 
• Offsetting your guests' travel 

3. Please join us...

• Recycled, handmade, or plantable papers 
• Tree-free paper 
• A printer that uses paper with a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content.
• Papers that aren't metallic or plastic-coated 

4. The final fling

• Stay local.
• Offset your trip if you choose a "destination" party.
• Indulge in organic wine- or beer-tasting or an organic spa treatment.

5. Here comes the bride...

• Go vintage 
• Pick clothes made from hemp, bamboo, or organic cotton or silk 
• Borrow an elegant gown from a stylish friend
• Buy something you'll wear again and let your bridesmaids do the same
• Beautify with all-natural makeup
• Donate attire to charity after the event

6. Set the stage

• Opt for organic flowers.
• Decorate with branches, dried grasses, grains, greens, berries, or live plants (potted or dried arrangements can double as favors).
• Choose beeswax or soy candles 
• Move decorations from the ceremony to the reception

7. Eat, drink, and be merry

• Ask the venue's preferred caterers and bakers if they can work organically
• Consider vegetarian selections and seek out cruelty-free meats
• Make sure the venue offers comprehensive recycling facilities.
• Have your cake decorated with organically grown flowers or other natural materials instead of plastic toppers
• Rent real glassware, dishware, and linens instead of using disposables
• Donate leftover food to a local food bank or homeless shelter

8. Lasting memories

Whether you prefer film or digital photographs, hire a photographer who will do digital proofs to save paper and chemicals. 

9. 'Tis better to give...

• Asking for gifts to charity instead of material things
• Registering with the I Do Foundation or another site that gives a percentage of gift purchases to your chosen cause
• Registering with stores that offer local, fair-trade, handmade, organic, or other ecofriendly products like Branch, Gaiam, Greenfeet, GreenSage, Ten Thousand Villages, UncommonGoods, or VivaTerra

10. Happily ever after...

• Engaging in ecotourism
• Rent bikes or taking public transportation at your destination 
• Stay in a family-run B&B or inn, a luxury teepee or yurt, or a green hotel that works to save resources and reduce waste.
• Offsetting your trip's carbon emissions