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A fresh take on the modern wedding: incorporating ecofriendly
elements that celebrate your love for each other as well
as your love for the earth.
“Sharing your special day with your closest friends and family
can become even more memorable if your plans incorporate
consideration of the environment,” observes Cicely
Rocha-Miller
of Life Design Event Planning in Phoenix.
Rocha-Miller suggests including vendors who also share your
concern for the environment, noting that your wedding consultant
should be able to direct you to caterers, stationers and design
professionals that can add a touch of green to your celebration.
An event can include environmentally sound choices without
sacrificing style or sophistication. “Green” does not necessarily
equal “lean”—Even the most luxe events can have eco-friendly
elements. Today, you can easily locate stunning invitation papers
that are made of recycled materials and have your choice of
extraordinary organic ingredients for your wedding meal.
Particularly in Arizona, outdoor locations have always been
popular choices for celebrating a wedding. A beautiful setting
such as Sedona is a natural choice, as is the lush environment of
Hidden Meadow Ranch in southern Arizona. Celebrating the
outdoors is a way of life here in the Southwest. If you do choose
an outdoor setting for your wedding,
do so in a way that is considerate of the
impact of your celebration. For example,
hosting the wedding and reception in the
same venue will minimize the need for
transportation (read: pollution).
Avoid erecting structures in natural
settings where you might cause a negative
impact on wildlife or native plants,
and don’t have your guests wear a path
through a lovely meadow to get to that
“ideal” spot you’ve chosen to exchange
your vows. Anytime you can reduce your
event’s footprint, you’re contributing to
the well-being of the environment.
Keep it simple and fresh, yet innovative.
Rocha-Miller points out the
economy of this alternative: “By choosing
a location that maintains an integral
natural beauty, the cost of flowers and
décor can be minimized.” Phoenix event
planner Amy Mancuso recommends the
use of native plants and flowers that can be planted in your garden after the celebration as a way to bring
nature indoors and minimize waste. Candles are also a lovely
option—and who doesn’t look great in candlelight?
Invitations have always been one of the easiest ways to bring
in a love of nature to your wedding. Beautiful recycled papers
are available in many styles, colors and designs. For a more
overt environmental look, some couples are choosing invitation
papers that include dried flower petals, ferns and leaves. To take
it a step further, consider “plantable” invitation papers, which
are imbedded with wildflower seeds. Guests can then recycle
the invitations into a pretty flower patch after your wedding.
Recycled paper doesn’t have to look “used.” The vast majority
of paper products available today don’t call to mind the “twigs
and cardboard” appearance of previous recycled materials. An
experienced stationer will direct you to alternatives that fit the
tone of your celebration without looking out of place.
Mancuso suggests that couples select table linens that can
be hand washed rather than dry cleaned, to reduce the use of
potentially harmful chemicals.
Perhaps the ultimate in “recycling” is the use of that “something
borrowed.” Beyond using your mother’s wedding dress
or searching for a gown made of hemp, today’s brides can make
fantastic use of borrowed elements for a sophisticated wedding.
Consider using family heirlooms such as serving platters, opt for
rental glassware and dishes, and items which can be reused later.
“You may very well be surprised by both the excitement this
can generate among various family members and the resulting
items, not to mention a greater level of closeness among the
families. Plus, you’ve included the family elders in the planning
process,” explains Rocha-Miller.
One-time-use items should be an exception, rather than the
rule. Balloons, streamers, and other wedding-specific décor
should be kept to a minimum.
Don’t forget to share the wealth. Even if you do opt for cut
flowers and an extravagant meal, make a decision to share
what’s left when your celebration has reached an end. Senior
centers are appreciative of floral arrangements and some reception
leftovers may be suitable for donation to soup kitchens. In
these cases, a little advance planning can go a long way.
In-season ingredients for the reception meal, including as many locally produced products as possible,
reducing air pollution caused by long-haul transportation. (Imagine what it takes to get those pineapples to you in December!)
Likewise, utilize in-season plant and fl oral products
whenever possible.
Amy Mancuso suggests having the catering team
serve water as requested rather than pre-setting
filled glasses at each place setting. This will reduce
consumption and waste considerably.
It’s easy to “go green” with your wedding favors.
Consider seedlings (www.treeinabox.com), fl ower
seeds or bulbs, even heart-shaped fl ower “pods”
that yield wildfl owers (www.favorideas.com). Organic teas from www.weddingthings.com are packaged
in their own infusers—in a variety of flavors and
colors to coordinate with your theme.
Photography courtesy of:
(top) Keith Pitts Photography
(others) Rhonda Lewis Photography
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