It is extremely clear that ‘unconventional’ weddings are on the increase and this is fronted but a number of un-traditional celebrity weddings. As Global warming becomes a pressing issue I have found that a lot more people are considering how to make their wedding more ‘green’. Now obviously I don’t mean the bride is going to wear a bright green dress, I mean how they can decrease their carbon footprint and only use sustainable products. If you are interested in maybe making your wedding slightly more eco-friendly, here are a few tips to think about.
The Dress: I know many brides long for the £10,000 perfect designer dress but I found this quote from designer Joanne Mackin, 39, who specialises in made-to-measure environmentally friendly wedding dresses, “Most wedding dresses are made in factories in the Far East, where there are huge problems with labour exploitation and poor working conditions.” This is quite shocking in its self but she then goes on to say “Then add in the air miles and CO2 emissions resulting from transporting the dresses back to the UK and you can begin to see the problem.” So how do you make you dress more eco-friendly? Joanne Mackin uses natural organic and fair trade fabrics as well as “Peace Silk” to make dresses from her front room. Other options can include buying dresses second hand or from vintage shops.
The Rings: Mining for gold and gems is unsustainable, destructive and releases poisonous chemicals that leach out into groundwater. Conditions for workers are often bad, the industry is used to finance civil war and it also appeals to money launderers. To take a stand, visit greenkarat for rings made from synthetic diamonds and recycled gold.
Invitations: The obvious option is to use re-cycled paper to send out your own invitations. However in this day and age there really isn’t a need. It is just as easy if not less work to send out invitations by email! These can still be decorative, frilly and pretty and now-a-days even grandma and granddad have an email address!
Confetti: While foil won’t biodegrade and can choke birds, paper confetti contains bleach and artificial colours that leach into the ground. A website I found which is ideal for having environmental confetti is confetti direct. This website delivers bio degradable flower petals which are ideal for any wedding.
Wedding presents: This is where you can get really creative. Traditionally people receive toasters, champagne glasses and other commercial goods. Why not give your guest charitable options to chooses from. For example donate a tree to be planted, A goat for an African village, books for schools in developing areas or toys for underprivileged children. Oxfam offer these gifts especially for weddings on Oxfam unwrapped.
These are just a few little tips you can think about to make your wedding more eco-friendly. Remember you don’t have to go all out green, just a few changes can make a lot of difference, I will end in the wise words of Tesco saying ‘Every Little Helps!’
