The Other Woman

How does the saying go … You can choose your friends, but not your family? That’s what you usually tell your bff when she’s having issues with her mom, sister, or mother in law. Weddings come with plenty of opinions and emotions, and it’s important to make the day about you and your betrothed, but without causing any damage to the family bonds.

There is one mother that many forget to take into consideration – Mother Nature! April is Earth Month and we want to bring awareness to all of our Coquettishly eco-friendly readers. Weddings take up a lot of resources and can even result in being wasteful. We aren’t asking you to give up all the pretty things, but to simply think about how you might be able to make some greener choices. Adjusting even one element of your celebration to be more Earth-conscious makes a larger impact than you think.

There are over 2 million couples that get married in the US each year with an average budget of $30,000. That’s a lot of money being spent on paper, food, energy and more. A typical wedding gives off between 50-60 tons of carbon {more than some people emit in an entire year} and approximately 400 pounds of waste. These websites can help you calculate your wedding’s carbon footprint: Terra Pass runs a calculation based on your guest count, modes of transportation, and hotel stays and Wedding Museum takes a more detailed approach by including paper resources and honeymoon travel.

It’s easy to say, Oh what difference will my little wedding make? If every couple made even one “green” choice during their wedding planning, that’s more than 2 million eco-friendly efforts.  Some are skeptical about going green because it conjures up ideas that it will cost more or compromise the style and integrity of the event.

Here are some of our tips on how you can go green and have the wedding of your dreams.  And really, being green is very of the moment and so Coquette!

Reconsider your paper products. Yes, we know that your stationary is the first interaction your guests will have with your wedding. But why not consider minor adjustments like printing on 100% recycled paper, utilizing double sided printing to use less resources or invite guests to RSVP online. Or try a complete guest management website like Cocodot that gives going paperless a Coquettishly new meaning. Ecoluxe Paper Goods offers stock and custom designed stationary, using recycled materials and double sided printing.

Think about where your food and flowers are from. Locally grown and organic foods and flowers are not only fresher, but also help conserve energy.  Try to use seasonal flowers so you don’t have to import peonies from New Zealand.  Also consider using potted plants as your floral arrangements so your guests can take them home to enjoy for longer.

{Photo from Laura Normandin’s wedding and Martha Stewart Weddings}

Reduce and recycle! Think about areas where you can eliminate things. Does every guest need to have their own menu? Maybe go with every other person or print the menu on one side and thank you’s on the back.

*Have your ceremony and reception at the same venue to reduce transportation energy & pollution.  (It will also save you the cost of renting an extra space!)

*Make a donation in honor of your guests versus distributing party favors.  Websites like www.idofoundation.org is a great place to start.  If you prefer something more tangible, try seeds for planting or edible items instead of knick-knacks that may end up being wasteful.

*Find other brides to share items with. Buy used vases, votives, frames, etc. we do this all the time.  It ends up saving money and might even help you find more unique items.  Try www.weddingbee.com or www.projectwedding.com for great networks of friendly brides willing to share decor items.

*Rent china, glassware, and silverware to conserve resources and it looks classier than disposable paper products.

*Consider recycled and non-conflict stones and gold for your wedding bands from Ash Hilton’s Ethical Metal or Green Karat.

*Outfit your wedding party with clothes they can actually wear again – check out great selections from J.Crew, Anthropologie, Lela Rose, and Cynthia Rowley as we’ve mentioned in previous posts.  As an alternative, you can also donate bridesmaid dresses to The Princess Project or sell your wedding dress at www.preownedweddingdresses.com.  Look how happy these young ladies are at past events with The Princess Project!

*Or better yet, do what we did and buy wedding shoes that YOU can actually re-wear.  What better way to justify splurging on that pair of Jimmys or Manolos!  Can we heart  these divine glitter Jimmy Choo’s anymore???

The options are endless when it comes to “green-ing” your wedding.  We would love to hear about you made a difference with your wedding or just helpful everyday tips on being kinder to Mother Nature.  Check back for more Coquettish tips on being green.

Tags: "carbon footprint" "eco-friendly wedding", "recycled paper", advice, green, Weddings