LOCATION

• Consider an outdoor event at a favorite natural spot to add to the beauty of your celebration naturally. 
• Plan the ceremony and reception at the same or near-by locations, to avoid having your guests drive between the two.

WEDDING DRESS & TUXEDO

• Consider buying a vintage dress or tuxedo from a resale clothing store.
• Purchase wedding apparel made from organic fibers and fabrics.   
• Reuse: Select a simple dress or suit that you can have tailored and wear again.
• Learn how you can donate your wedding dress for charity at www.idofoundation.org.

INVITATIONS & PRINTING

• Use your program to let your guests know how important the environment is to you, and all the ways you have considered the earth in planning your event. Collect programs at the end of the event to be recycled.
• Buy recycled invitations and encourage your guests to recycle their invitations after they receive them. 
• Purchase invitations with flower seeds embedded in the paper so that guests can plant the invitations and enjoy the flowers that grow from them.
• Use a reply postcard without envelope and forgo inner invitation envelopes-you'll save paper and money on postage. 
• Rather than printing detailed information for each guest, create a website with details about your wedding-directions, hotels, other weekend events, etc.  Consider printing this information only for family and friends without Internet access.

FOOD & DISHES

• Select a caterer who will provide vegetarian and organic entrees and works with locally grown produce.
• Instead of the use of disposable items, rent place settings that will be used again. 
• If hosting a casual outdoor event use biodegradable, compostable dishes and flatware made from cornstarch, sugar cane, or tropical leaves.

FLOWERS

• Utilize a florist that uses flowers from local and/or organic farms.
• Find a wildflower grower at your local farm market to create natural bouquets & table arrangements.
• Use potted plants in place of cut flowers for centerpieces. These can then be given as gifts to your guests or enjoyed in your home long after your event. 

GREEN GIFTS

• If you are going to be buying gifts for the people standing up in your wedding, consider non consumptive options like massage therapy gift certificates, useful gifts like wine, soap, fair trade coffee and your local health food coop gift certificates, or 100% recycled or tree free gifts.

FAVORS

• Instead of favors or gift bags at your event let your guests know that you have donated in their honor to a favorite non-profit organization.
• Counteract the carbon dioxide being released into the by your guests’ travel by giving each guest an 11-watt compact fluorescent lightbulb. (Each of your guests replacing a 50-watt incandescent bulb with their favor will save 685 pounds of carbon dioxide.)
• Give your guests a tree saplings from the National Arbor Day Foundation or an envelope of wildflower seeds native to your area. 

TRAVEL

Work with a travel agent to book a socially and environmentally sensitive trip, including everything from hotels that recycle to off the beaten path adventures and electric/hybrid car rentals.