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Planning a wedding can be both an exciting and expensive ordeal, and it’s also something that many people look forward to all of their lives. Seeing as weddings are a big event, if they could be done in a green way, it could benefit the environment in unimaginable ways. This could explain why green weddings are becoming increasingly popular, but where do you start when planning one?
If you’re worried about how much a green wedding would cost you, rest assured that it may not be as expensive as you think. The average cost of getting married in the U.S. is said to be $38,700, but you could end up spending far less. This could especially be the case as you wouldn’t need to spend money on a venue which can be one of the largest expenses.
There are, however, other ways to make your wedding environmentally friendly aside from doing it outdoors. Keep reading to discover ways that you can save money when planning an eco-friendly wedding.
Use Alternative Energy
A wedding typically uses energy for a range of activities. It could be to power the sound system being used on the day or as a means of keeping the venue cool. If you’ll be having your wedding outside, why not consider using alternative sources of energy?
Solar energy happens to be a popular alternative that uses solar infrastructure to power your home, and therefore, your backyard by extension. If you aren’t familiar with solar energy, it’s a form of renewable energy that harnesses energy from the sun and converts it into usable electricity. If you’re in charge of the food for your wedding, consider using a solar oven to cook it. Keep in mind that a solar-powered home is a long-term investment, so the upfront cost may not be the cheapest. With that being said, If you do implement some of sustainable housing option available to you, then you could have your wedding in a more conventional way.
Alternatively, after having your ceremony in the backyard, look for eco-friendly venues that you could use for your reception. Blue Hills at Stone Barn in New York is a good option as they use resilient farming practices for much of the food they offer. Also. try using a resource like The Green Building Information Gateway to find a venue with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications and energy star ratings. If you’d rather save costs and do it at home from start to finish, consider a power-free wedding. A way to do it would be to hire a live band that plays instruments that don’t require electricity like drums, violin, flute, trumpet, or guitars. Also, by choosing to hold your ceremony during the day and choosing a pleasant time of the year such as spring or summer, you won’t have much of a need for electric heating or cooling for your guests.
Explore Green Lighting Options
Outdoor lighting is an attractive trend that you may be considering for your big day. If you’re having your event in an outdoor area like a garden or patio, you may want to add a full-color spectrum of lights so that your space stands out. An event planner or decorator would typically be in charge of such details, but why not consider doing it yourself? It could help you cut costs and also help the environment in the process.
When looking for lighting options, select eco-lighting with LEDs. They are both efficient and durable forms of lighting. They’re also beneficial seeing as they have high levels of brightness which could be useful if your wedding is going to extend into the evening.
Solar garden lights are another alternative which is an eco-lighting system that uses LEDs powered by photovoltaic cells. The lights are usually fitted with rechargeable batteries that are powered by sunlight.
Consider Unconventional Invites
Thanks to the technological age, traditional paper invites are gradually being replaced by digital ones. Not only does this result in one less cost for the celebrants, but it also means one less tree that needs to be cut down to produce paper. Consider sending e-invites when inviting people to your wedding as they can be sent via instant message, email, and social media. The good thing about such invites is that you can make them for free using platforms like Canva.
If you’re old fashioned and insist on physical invites, then use recycled materials or seed paper to create them. Cutting down on the amount of paper used could also mean using an email address for attendees to RSVP to instead of creating individual RSVP cards. Seeing as the Green Bride Guide has found the average wedding produces 400 lbs of garbage, it wouldn’t hurt for you to reduce your carbon print by opting for eco-friendly invites.
DIY Your Decor
Having an eco-friendly wedding gives you a chance to get creative, especially when it comes to decorations. By thinking outside of the box, you could make most items you use from recyclable and environmentally friendly materials. An easy example would be to pick flowers or plants from your garden to use as centerpieces on your tables.
There is also biodegradable flower confetti as well as linens made from natural fibers that can be used on the tables. In as much as you can, avoid using plastics and paper at your wedding and swap them out for natural or reusable items instead. This could mean opting for real china wear instead of paper plates or buying compostable napkins.
Planning an eco-friendly wedding can be an eye-opening experience. You get the chance to learn about a range of innovations that have been created to help make the world around you more sustainable. The most rewarding part of it all may be that you can mark one of the most significant days of your life and help preserve the environment at the same time.
