Have an eco-chic wedding

Published: 27 Dec 2009
Simone Sant-Ghuran

A couple years ago, I saw an alarming documentary on Global Warming called The Inconvenient Truth. In it, former US Vice-President Al Gore spoke passionately about the grave danger the earth is in. He also said that we may just have only ten years to save our planet from catastrophes involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves; the likes of which would surpass anything we have ever experienced. It may seem odd that I’m writing this in a wedding column but if we can have weddings that will impact less on the environment and on the pollution levels of our country and by extension, our planet, it will certainly be a step in the right direction. Here are just a few simple ways we can be more “eco-friendly” with weddings:

1. Go natural with your announcements and invitations by foregoing wood-generated paper and by using paper made from recycled materials, hemp, papyrus or bamboo. 2. Ask guests to RSVP by phone or email to reduce paper waste 3. Encourage guests to carpool to your wedding, to save on gas and reduce vehicle emissions. 4. Choose wedding attire in natural fibre options such as silk or cotton. 5. Use potted plants or herb topiaries as centrepieces or use seashells, pinecones and rocks as centrepiece elements 6. Encourage your decorator to use décor items that they already have in storage or in the warehouse, so that there is no need to go out and purchase new items. 7. Decorate your hall with rented plants and soy or honeycomb-based candles instead of balloons, paper or ribbon decorations. 8. Incorporate natural linens in your tablescape such as linen and burlap. 9. Use eco-friendly birdseed or bio-degradable paper confetti for throwing onto the bride and groom instead of plastic confetti. 10. Give members of your bridal party gifts that are all-natural, such as beeswax candles, soy candles, hand-made soaps, silk scarves or ties, papier mache jewel boxes, aromatherapy oils, nature CDs, massage gift certificates and recycled paper stationery sets. 11. Give eco-friendly favours such as packages of flower seeds, miniature potted herbs, recycled glass items, pottery, a tree-planting kit, bottles of honey, rose water, edible favours or home-made condiments 12. In lieu of traditional favours, make a donation in your guests’ names to a conservation organisation or a non-profit organisation that benefits the environment 13. If you’re having your wedding at home, try using recyclable garbage bags and washable hand towels instead of paper towels. 14. Incorporate organically-grown produce in your wedding menu or in your centrepieces. 15. To save on paper, ask your bridal registry store not to gift wrap items but just tag them off instead. 16. Use linen napkins instead of paper napkins. 17. Do two printed dinner menus per table instead of one per person. Source: http://guardian.co.tt/features/life/2009/12/27/have-eco-chic-wedding