A glam and gorgeous green wedding

Written by Jen Marsden
Tuesday, 08 July 2008 00:00

Culture - Europe

Summer has arrived and love is in the air – and that means wedding invitations will be coming through your door. But what about if you are planning a wedding? It’s easier than ever before to have a greener wedding without losing the decadence and style. Jen Marsden, author of new book The Green Guide for Weddings explains.

On average 250,000 Brits get married every year – which does add up to an awful lot of confetti, potential food waste and a big carbon footprint for everyone travelling to the wedding.

The simplest thing to do is to pick a venue that can host both the ceremony and reception which is closest to where the majority of your guests live. You can do this the DIY way by hiring a church hall if you are having a traditional church wedding. Taking matters into your own hands will also ensure you keep the budget low, important when the average wedding spend these days is £17,000. Or you could choose a venue that puts conservation in its forefront by having a wedding at a Historic Scotland or National Trust site.

Why not get a green wedding planner to help you? You can find plenty of top websites such as Ethical Weddings and GreenUnion. By hiring someone to do the green organisation you are also likely to benefit from discounts of up to 20% from suppliers.

What about the perfect dress – does is need to be brand spanking new? Charity bridal departments from Oxfam and Save the Children can offer a wide range of top designer new dresses that would otherwise be thrown out and contribute to the two million tonnes of clothing and textile wastage in the UK. You could always get an eco dressmaker to make you something you can wear again, using eco fabrics such as hemp and silk mixes, organic cotton or peace silk – the vegan-friendly option.

Even your wedding lingerie can be luxuriously green from the company Green Knickers. Consider natural beauty products that make you glow, not blush in a chemical-ridden way. It’s a great opportunity to review your cosmetics cabinet.

Avoid conflict diamonds and promote fair mining of gold by choosing a green jewellery company, such as Fifi Bijoux, Cred Jewellery or Canadian diamonds from Nenoir. If you don’t want diamond bling, how about a sea glass ring? Natural adornments come with just as much unique charm.

Buy native, seasonal flowers for your wedding day such as Scented Narcissi or from The Organic Flower Company. Alternatively, have a bash at growing your own wildflowers such as romantic and whimsical marigolds or sweet peas. If you must have roses, buy them with the FAIRTRADE Mark to ensure producers get a decent wage.

Try not to have one great big banquet that starves your guests until the end of the day but allow regular servings of local, organic food. Make friends with your nearby farm for fresh, good-value produce, or get a caterer that can offer the full green cuisine service. Serving vegetarian food can bring your costs down substantially too. Serve up some organic and Fairtrade fizz, making sure there is plenty of tap water on hand to keep guests hydrated and happy.

Ask friends to help you make the cake and the dreamy details such as wedding favours. Collect leaves or use nuts and seeds as confetti and give the birds a treat too. 

The first place to look for inspiration on green and local honeymoons is ecoescape. The good news is that honeymooners don’t have to stay in a tipi (unless you’d like to of course!) as the ideas in the books and on the website cover lots of budgets including luxury eco-chic getaways in the UK and Ireland.

Importantly, remember that this is your special day - it’s not a competition and you don’t need green guilt, but little changes will reduce your environmental impact.

This feature is an extract from the book The Green Guide for Weddings by Jen Marsden is out at the end of June, price £8.99 (ISBN 978-1-905731-49-7) and available from book shops and at www.greenguide.co.uk .