Green weddings

With environmental and climate concerns on the rise, more couples are taking an eco-friendly approach.

That may mean using fewer disposable products, cutting down on fossil fuel or emissions associated with the big day or focusing on sustainable practices.

Taken together, these small changes can have a big impact on the world around you.

ECO-FRIENDLY VENDORS

Start by looking for wedding-day vendors that share your focus on protecting the planet and creating a healthier environment. Whether it’s a reliance on sustainably created invitations or fun new creations like paper flower bouquets, they can do a lot for our environment simply by using materials that rely on recycled paper or alternative fibers. Other earth-focused companies pledge to plant a new tree with every order. Look for other environmentally sound practices on company websites and handout materials.

GET CREATIVE WITH REUSE

Borrow as many details as possible from the world around you. In this way, leaves can become placards. Vines and wildflowers are transformed into place settings at the reception. Upcycle glass jars, wine bottles or tin cans for creative decorative elements. Use chalkboards or acrylic pieces that can be customized with erasable markers, rather than printing hundreds of programs, menus and name cards. Look for second-hand wedding items at local thrift shops, online marketplaces or garage sales.

STAY LOCAL

Destination weddings have been a growing trend, but staying closer to home reduces pollution and greenhouse gases. It may feel like a small step, but consider how much more stress those long plane trips and taxi rides are putting on the world around us. A couple of hundred invited guests means 50 or more ride-share fares, each way — and that’s leaving aside the flight to your faraway exotic locale. Stay local, and encourage carpooling. Consider hiring a shuttle to bring large groups of people.

POST-WEDDING RECYCLING

Place someone in the wedding party in charge of recycling everything that can used again after your big day. Consider composting flowers so that these materials can fortify gardens or other beddings. Private companies can also be hired to take care of certain eco-friendly chores. They’ll collect flowers, for instance, and repurpose them as gifts at area nursing homes, hospitals or shelters. In this way, the joy of your wedding spreads even further into the community.