Green wedding guide

Getting married is one of the biggest commitments you'll ever make. Why not use it to honor your commitment to the environment -- and inspire your guests to go greener in the process?

Here's how to throw your own sustainable celebration, from food to flowers:  

Rings

• Give each other family rings instead of buying new ones. A jeweler can melt down an old ring and/or reset old jewels to make a new ring in whatever style you want.

• For a new ring made of recycled materials, shop Green Karat.

• If you have your heart set on a diamond, do your research, since the profits from mining some diamonds end up funding civil wars in Africa. For questions to ask retailers, see Amnesty International's buyer's guide.

Location

• Get married close to home so you and your guests don't need to expend a lot of energy getting to the wedding.

• Consider a pretty outdoor location, such as an arboretum or community garden, run by a nonprofit that will benefit from the cost of your wedding. 

Invitations

• Instead of paper invitations, send electronic ones. Evite offers dozens of wedding-themed invitations to choose from.

• If you prefer the traditional mailed invite, go with recycled paper. Some invitations even contain flower seeds that guests can plant. 

Clothes

• Instead of buying a new gown that you'll only wear once, get a vintage one. You can alter your mom's dress to suit you, or look for one you like at vintage and thrift stores. Some bridal shops will even rent gowns - ask around.

• There's no rule that says the groom has to get married in a tux. Why not pull a suit out of the closet?  

Food & drink

• Choose a caterer who cooks with organic, locally raised food. Not sure where to look? Try Local Harvest's list of organic restaurants in your area. Even better, make your meal vegetarian or even vegan to reduce the resources needed to produce your food.

• Select organic wines. For suggestions, check out TreeHugger's organic champagne and sparkling wine guide.

• Rent plates, glasses, cutlery, napkins, and everything else you'll need to serve guests, rather than relying on plastic or other disposables.

Flowers

• Choose flowers that are ecologically grown, like those from Organic Style.

• After the wedding, donate the flowers to a local nursing home or charity.

• Choose plants for decorations and centerpieces instead of cut flowers. After the reception, have guests take them home.

Gifts & favors

• Check out the I Do Foundation registry. Here you can register for your favorite charities (including the National Wildlife Federation and the Sierra Club) and retailers (including Gaiam) who will donate a percentage of each gift's cost to the charities of your choice.

• Give flower seeds or tree seeds as favors. 

Transportation

• Instead of renting a limo, try a horse and carriage or a hybrid.

• Provide guests with information on public transportation and/or encourage them to carpool.

• Consider renting buses to transport guests. It's not only easier on the environment but also safer, since you don't have to worry about anyone driving drunk.

Honeymoon

• Instead of flying, which has a relatively high environmental impact, travel by train to your destination.

• Be an ecotourist. Before you plan your trip, find out how to travel more responsibly by visiting the International Ecotourism Society site.

Sources:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/how-to-green-your-wedding.php

http://www.wikihow.com/Have-a-Green-Wedding

http://ecofabulous.blogs.com/ecofabulous/valentines-day-gift-guide.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2093558_rent-wedding-dress.html

http://www.theknot.com/keywords/in_701.shtml