Remember to Reuse and Recycle
Let all of your décor fall into the reuse and recycle categories and you'll be right on the green track. Reuse vintage items, creatively use previously used items, buy recycled and recyclable stuff, and recycle whatever cannot be reused.
Many caterers and wedding rental shops have good selections of rentable wedding décor both large and small — arches, trellises, cake table accessories, card box rentals, large candelabra, and many centerpiece selections. This is a great green option; there is less hassle and probably less expense for you.
If you don't want cookie-cutter wedding stuff, go ahead and think outside the box. Natural Spaces (www.naturalspaces.com) has some unique stuff made from reused and recycled materials. Fire & Light (www.fireandlight.com) and the Green Glass Company (www.greenglass.com) both sell very cool glassware made from reused and recycled glass. Some of their vases, bowls, and bottles would make very elegant additions as table centerpieces. If you are having a music theme wedding, check out Eco-Artware.com (www.eco-artware.com). It has taken old LP records and turned them into bowls.
Avoid disposable, wedding-themed, and one-time-use items such as disposable cameras and cake-shaped bottles of bubbles. Also stay away from plastic, Styrofoam, and other non-eco-friendly wares. These can't be recycled, and you don't want to think about them piling up in a landfill.
For some great do-it-yourself green ideas and tips, visit EcoArt Weddings (ecoartweddings.com). It is full of cute and trendy ideas for many DIY projects for your wedding.
If you want to be really green, think ahead to the home you'll have (or may already have) with your soon-to-be spouse. Are there any items you could use for your wedding that you could use again in your home? Do you need glasses, bowls, or vases? Buy some and then take them home after the wedding. Are you having a small reception? Perhaps you could buy several different tablecloths made from organic cotton or hemp that you would lovingly use again and again in your home. Maybe you are a gardener and you are having a garden theme wedding. Flower pots, buckets, pails, garden tools, even a big wheelbarrow (to put all your gifts in) are all things you'll reuse, so go ahead and splurge.
If you've chosen a theme for your big day, maybe you would like to continue that theme in your home. Use posters, photos, and unique collectibles for your green event, then reuse them in your home, perhaps in a room you also plan to decorate in that theme.
On the flip side, you may already have lots of stuff that can be used to decorate for your wedding. Chances are if you choose a theme it is something you both enjoy — say, old black and white Hollywood movies, classic literature, or classic rock. You probably already have a multitude of things that can be used at your eco-event. Just make sure you appoint someone to get all your treasures back to you afterward if you are not staying for the cleanup. Also appoint someone to make sure all recyclables go in their proper places and get taken to the recycling center.
