Straight down to business today folks!
First on the agenda: Hold on to your seats, or uncomfortable office chairs, because we're about to dive head first into a world of zero waste wedding decor, including flowers, linens, centerpieces, escort cards, programs, and favors. Presented as a list for your easy perusing.
- Choose an outdoor venue (like in the first picture above), such as a botanical garden or park, so you can take advantage of beautiful, natural decor.
- Tell your florist you want to donate all your flowers to a hospital or send it home with family and friends. She or he can help make sure they are easily transportable and put in vases, which the recipients can then reuse.
- Think outside of the box. I read about one couple who created centerpieces out of used books, which guests were then invited to take home.
- This one is pretty simple: rent your linens and tableware.
- Providing programs? Try the handmade route. You can use Microsoft Word or graphic programs, such as Adobe Photoshop, to create stylish programs on 100% recycled paper. Just make sure to collect them or provide a recycling bin or box afterwards for guests to put them in.
- Rather than use single escort cards, create one big sheet that guests can use to reference where they are seated. You can then keep that sheet for your wedding scrapbook or recycle it with the programs.
- Some great ideas for zero waste favors are yummy cookies, wildflower seeds wrapped in biodegradable paper, or in one instance (2nd picture above) the bride and groom used 300 hand painted stones to line the aisle and then gave them away as favors!
And now...zero waste entertainment!:
Okay, so this is kind of tricky. The most waste created by your band, dj, or musician, is the kind you can't see. Energy is consumed every time they plug into an amp, use flashy lights, or hook up a barrage of sound equipment. So the best advice I can give here is to either, One, choose the kind of entertainment that requires the least amount of energy possible, such as an acoustic ensemble or maybe even an Ipod, or Two, hire a band or dj, which believes in preserving the environment. Lotushaus, who heads up Bamboo Beats with her husband, offers up a great list of ways they protect the planet, such as using digital media and vintage vinyl, buying green power, and driving around in a hybrid. Pretty COOL!
For Tomorrow: Food and Photography!
(pictures courtesy of theknot.com)
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