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Turn Your White Wedding Green

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It’s unlikely that chic and stylish are the adjectives you imagine when thinking of a “green” wedding. But thankfully for the environment, beauty, sophistication and creativity are all the rage in the modern-day eco-savvy wedding. So, now classy do-gooders who want to express their environmental sensitivity have a real option to do so.

One such couple is planning their 2009 commitment ceremony with the help of Sharon Cole, a professional wedding consultant with A Dream Wedding by Sharon Cole. The event’s venue will be the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College. “[It] has a lot of natural beauty, so we don’t have to bring in a lot of greenery,” says Cole. And the couple will use a subtle vintage theme throughout the event—the elegant way to recycle. Their rings are from a vintage shop; vintage postcards will be used as save-the-dates; and the wedding-wear and tablecloths will be vintage.

But the eco-conscious details don’t stop there. They will use 100 percent recycled seal-and-send invitations, which cut down on paper. Each bride will carry an organic bouquet with seasonal flowers from a local farm, centerpieces will be take-home potted plants and beeswax will replace traditional petroleum-derived candles. Best of all? “It will still look very elegant,” Cole says.

Most couples, of course, won’t take the green elements of their wedding to this level. Thankfully, says Sharon Mintz of San Diego’s Organic Elements, “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.” By incorporating some environmentally conscious elements into the celebration, you are doing what you can to help the environment while still having exactly the event that you want.

Eco-Friendly Venues

Wedding planning usually starts with the ceremony and reception location. The green-conscious bride and groom may take into consideration whether the venue recycles and conserves water, or whether the locale supports local suppliers and uses renewable energy.

One easy San Diego choice is Hotel Solamar in the Gaslamp Quarter, which has won awards for its environmental standards, such as cleaning with environmentally friendly cleaning products and retrofitting lighting to ensure energy-efficient bulbs are in place.

Perfect for those brides who really want to put their green foot forward, the hotel is even offering a green-wedding package, available by the end of summer 2008. As always, brides will enjoy a pool deck ceremony space that overlooks downtown, as well as a reception in the elegant ballroom. Filling out the package will be an array of environmentally conscious vendors.

Paper: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Once the wedding site is set, it’s time to invite the guests. For the eco-conscious couple, that may mean using recycled paper and nontoxic inks for save-the-dates and invites.

Mariella Designs in San Diego offers customized wedding invitations that cover all such green bases: The cards are manufactured on recycled paper using soy-based, earth-friendly inks. Don’t worry, there’s no giving up elegance and beauty here. With a balance of vibrant hues and classic aesthetics, these invites will charm both the sender and recipient.

And, to make invitations even more eco-friendly, “Forgo the double envelope and protective tissue for the invitation,” says Amy Branch, founder of Mariella Designs. “Instead, use sturdier recycled cardstock envelopes,” which protect the invitation in the mail. Branch also recommends using a self-mailing postcard for RSVPs. After all, it saves a return envelope (and a tree).

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