For a growing number of couples preparing to walk down the aisle, commitment is taking on a deeper meaning. Many couples are embracing the growing trend to reduce their wedding’s impact on the environment. To assist them in reducing their special day’s carbon footprint—you guessed it—the green wedding planner. Corina Beczner graduated with an MBA in sustainability and went on to found her wedding-planning firm, Vibrant Events, in San Francisco. She has a passion for waste reduction and helps couples plan eco-friendly weddings.
Here are some of her green wedding tips:
The Rings
Vintage rings (family heirlooms or antiques) or rings made out of recycled metal are the green way to go. Also, starting with the engagement ring, avoid buying “blood diamonds.” These are diamonds that are mined in war zones and help fund conflicts. Go to Amnesty International’s Buyer’s Guide to help you through the process of finding what’s known as a conflict-free diamond.
The Invitations
Use high recycled-content paper, 100 percent recycled cotton paper, tree-free paper such as paper made out of bamboo or plantable paper that contains seeds that can be put in soil, watered and grown. Work with a local green printer who will use less toxic printing methods such as printing with soy-based inks. Corina says green printing is a growing business and, these days, not hard to find, especially if you live in a metropolitan area. If you’re really willing to break with tradition and be alternative, you can even go paperless with E-vites.
The Setting
A beautiful outdoor setting helps to reduce one’s decorating needs—good for your wallet and the environment! Choose a location that’s in close proximity to most of your guests to minimize travel and/or buy carbon offsets through organizations such as LiveNeutral. Another company, Native Energy, even has a special link that helps couples figure out how much they should buy to offset the environmental impact of their wedding and honeymoon. If you want a hotel wedding, look for one that is Green Seal certified.
