If you really want to prove your eco-centricity, go paperless. You don't need any of the fancy paper products wedding companies showcase. No, not even the invitations, not in today's electronic age.

Etiquette gurus may faint from the horror of it all, but you are a product of the green generation. The time-honored tradition of sending out printed invitations started before e-mail and the Internet even existed and before we knew of the long-term damage we were causing the environment. Today's bride and groom have electronic advantages that past generations couldn't even dream of. Someone on the other side of the world is just a click away; as soon as you hit “send,” your invitation can be there, no postage or paper required.

You can cut down on paper invitations by e-mailing your save-the-date cards, or you can cut out paper entirely and send all the invitations themselves via the web. Several sites such as Evite (www.evite.com) and Sendomatic (www.sendomatic.com) help you create and send save-the-date cards and invitations online. You can also send out custom e-mails through wedding sites such as The Knot (www.theknot.com) and WeddingChannel (www.weddingchannel.com).

Evite and Sendomatic allow you to create invitations and announcements quickly and easily online, customize designs with your personal information, and even upload photos to include in your announcements or invitations. The sites also have many wonderful features that help you keep track of your address book, RSVPs, and much more.

The Knot and several other wedding planning sites also allow you to create a custom wedding website for free. Send everyone a link to your web page, and your guests can see all the information for themselves. Your page can include everything about your green wedding and all the information about when and where your wedding and reception will be. Many companies offer premium website design and hosting services for a price, but The Knot, WeddingChannel, mywedding.com (www.mywedding.com), and eWedding (www.ewedding.com) let you upload photos and lots of information completely free. Some sites allow you to keep the location and time password-protected so you don't get any unwanted crashers showing up at your intimate occasion.

Even in today's electronic environment, Grandma and Grandpa and some of your other guests may not have computers and e-mail. Don't let this obstacle derail your paperless dreams. You can call everyone whom you can't reach electronically. This is a personal way to invite your guests.

If you can't keep it completely paperless and must send out some paper invitations, be as simple and green as possible. You can always send a postcard on recycled or recyclable paper and request a phone or e-mail RSVP. Seal-N-Send (www.seal-n-send.com) offers all-in-one unique wedding invitations with removable response cards so there are no envelopes and no excess paper waste. Send a few of those to the guests who require old-fashioned paper invitations.