The new trend in wedding planning is the eco-friendly or “green” wedding.  The concern over global warming and the general state of our environment has led us at Madeline’s Weddings & Events to push for more environmentally friendly practices in the planning of your wedding.

Here are only a few ways our brides and grooms can help make a difference on the big day.

Consider heirloom jewelry, or estate jewelry for your engagement and wedding rings. Gold mining has a tremendous environmental impact and the term “blood diamonds” has made its way into the popular lexicon for good reasons. A couple who is truly committed to the “green” wedding concept, should consider silver for their rings because the environmental impact is much less severe with silver mining, and maybe consider a birthstone or other precious gem rather than the traditional diamond.

Taffeta and polyester are the most popular fabrics for wedding dresses, but not very eco friendly. Today, there are other options for the wedding dress. Consider a natural fiber dress like cotton or a dress made from a hemp silk blend. If either of these options doesn’t appeal to you, consider a vintage wedding dress. Altering a vintage dress is certainly more eco-friendly than purchasing a new taffeta gown.

Your wedding announcements and invitations can set the tone for your concern over the environment. Be sure to use eco-friendly tree free papers or 100% recycled paper for your announcements, invitations, place cards, and any printed materials you may use for the wedding.  Most vendors these days are offering such choices for the brides to be.

Other suggestions to help with the “green” theme of the wedding include: choosing a central location for the wedding to limit the travel distance for the guests, using organically grown flowers or wildflowers for the reception and bouquets, and using organic and locally grown food for the reception.  Finally, don’t register for gifts you don’t need. Consider providing guests the option to make a charitable donation to an environmentally friendly charity in lieu of gifts to demonstrate your commitment to the eco-friendly concept.

Thankfully today, more and more vendors of wedding related merchandise have adopted “green” choices into their offerings so brides do not have to look outside the industry to show their commitment to the eco-friendly concept.

Please note that these are just suggestions and you needn’t follow all of these practices, but choosing one or two will help the environmental impact of your wedding and demonstrate your commitment for the world in which we live.