This couple are big green-goers and had decided their wedding on entirely green decisions. They used organic foods locally grown/ sustainably harvested fish to homemade tablecloths that were later used as dinner napkins.
After reading about their story I researched more into green weddings. Apparently, this was a growing industry! There is everything available. There are hybrid limousines by OZOcar; Organic Vintners wines, Houston-based Green Hotel Association (hotels that are committed to saving water, energy, and reducing solid waste); solar powered reception halls; caterers that offered pesticide-free menus, china and linen that were useable and even websites that set up donations to environmental charities instead of guests giving heavily paper wrapped presents.
This industry was all about the zero waste factor. It seems that most green products were targeting towards this goal. Using all these organic services will enable less fuel consumption and less air pollution. It will create a healthier menu for you and your guest, use renewable resources, reuse and recycle products, all while saving the environment.
Green Karat mission statement :
Our mission is to provide an ecologically and socially responsible jewelry alternative to those who seek change. We want to help you, in some small way, become part of the permanent solution. Together we can make a difference.
Green Karat realizes the dangers in gold and gem mining. Large scale mechanized mining is destructive to the land and near by aquatic ecosystem. The after effects of the mining could be catestrophic. Not only are large scale mechanized mining harmful, manual miners use harmful techniques are well.
2. Start the process of recovering damaged land,
3. Help miners learn to operate with ecological awareness, and
4. Transition to the miners to sustainable livelihoods.
Green Karat conscious about arsenal miners in poor countries. Although they realize not all mining could be stopped, they try to help as much as they can. They take action in retraining these people to have non-mining livelihoods. This will stop them from mining and interacting with harmful chemicals that destroy their health and the environment.
What do you do if precious metals and gems aren’t being mined? They are being recycled! GreenKarat offers recycled gold, platinum, as well as other precious metals and gems. They also believe in synthetics that will meet the demands of industrial needs.
They offer wedding bands and commitment rings. As well as a variety of other recycled jewelry.
To read more:
I also came across one of the most important factors of a wedding-- the wedding dress! There are alternatives a bride can choose for her dress. There are dresses that remade from the old (recycling old clothes); a dress that can be used for the wedding and the reception; or organic dresses. Organic dresses are made from hemp silk. Many are 100% Sustainable Biodegradable Product certified. After using your old garments (dresses), why not recycle them! Just like recycling gold, reuse the fabrics to make new garments and new wedding gowns! Many designers now are also taking old fabrics and recycling them into new fashions. Not only are designers recycling, but the everyday person can go to a seemstress and alter their old clothes.
— Limit guest travel. Have the wedding in the town where most guests live; help arrange car pools.
— Have a daytime wedding, outdoors when possible.
— Choose recycled paper for invitations and place cards.
— Serve organic, locally grown food.
— Decorate with organic, locally grown flowers, fruits and veggies. Create smaller centerpieces. Choose potted plants rather than cut flowers.
— Seek out caterers who recycle materials and use linen and china instead of disposables.
— Wear vintage clothes and jewelry, or choose “green” fibers like silk or organic cotton.
— Use candles.
— Go acoustic.
— Hire a hybrid limo, or a horse and buggy.
— Pick digital over film.
— Check out businesses that claim to provide green services and see if they really do; many new companies have entered the rapidly growing market.
— Find out how much greenhouse gas your wedding will create at TerraPass.com, which offers to then “offset” the event by inviting you to invest in energy saving technologies.
— Pass it on: Show guests that an elegant event can also be light on the environment.
Sources: Maria McBride, Brides magazine; Nik Kaestner, environmental consultant, San Francisco; Eric Fenster, Back to Earth Inc., Berkeley, Calif.; Latha Poonmallee, Case Western Reserve University; www.WedAlert.com; Debi Lilly, A Perfect Event, Chicago.