Great Green Tips For a Green Wedding

Dressed in white can have a green twist. There are a number of ways to make your perfect day as environmentally friendly as possible. Here are some important ideas to consider: Invitations - everyone knows that the right paper stock is one of the most important decisions you can make when it comes to pre wedding day planning. But instead of going for a heavy card stock with environmentally damaging gloss or matte, consider if you need to have paper invitations at all! Many wedding websites have sprung up to allow couples to plan their day and give guests all the information they need in paper saving electronic format. Couples can upload photos, tell their special story and direct guests to their registry on line. Many also have an RSVP feature so you can manage your list with a few clicks of the mouse. You and your mother can argue over background colours and menu patterns to your hearts 'content! Dress - The right dress makes the memories. That doesn't mean you need to spend a small fortune (not to mention create a heavy environmental cost) with a tailor made piece that will just sit in your wardrobe for years to come. Consider vintage pieces or family pieces, there is nothing more sentimental to your mother, than walking down the aisle in same dress she wore back in the day. (You can tailor and amend it to suit your own taste and fashion of course!) Meanwhile, some companies create beautiful custom made pieces from sustainable fabrics , such as hemp, bamboo or organic cotton. Some even "up cycle" older gowns. Gifts - Do you really want to face the possibility of ending up with two chip dippers or a variety of toasters that you'll have some trouble returning? You can use your special day to promote some well deserving charities and eco causes. Ask your guests to make a donation to your favourite in lieu of presents, then you can be sure you're getting the exact model of kettle you want! Flowers - Consider the season when picking your flower arrangements. Out of season arrangements are often shipped from overseas adding to miles and emissions. There are also a number of issues regarding the ethics of the cut flower industry, with many sources citing cheap labour and unfair work conditions. Australia is abundant with beautiful species of wattles and colourful kangaroo paws for a truly unique look. Better yet, go organic! Food - Organic caterers are all the rage. They provide some of the best food that you know is pesticide free and delightfully delicious. Look for a baker that uses organic eggs and flour and other sustainable ingredients. Venue and transport - Pick a venue that's easy to get to and encourage your guests to carpool, or better yet, provide some shuttle bus transport yourself. Having the reception in the same place as the ceremony also cuts down on travel and emissions.

Green Wedding Ideas - Recycled Glass Vases

With the emergence of all things green, some are left to wonder how to incorporate eco-consciousness into the fabric of their lives. For many, the decision to make eco-friendly choices is directly affected by the effort necessary to make a contribution. In a result oriented society, some find it difficult to make decisions which, by themselves, seem insignificant. Weddings and events offer the ideal opportunity make a contribution with minimal effort. In the special event / wedding design industry, this budding concept has been widely embraced. With nearly 2.3 million weddings projected nationwide in 2007, many small contributions can clearly make a significant impact. One popular choice being made by Chicago brides is the use of recycled glass vases. Recycled glass vases, often used for centerpieces and wedding reception décor, are widely available in hundreds of forms, shapes and colors to accommodate a wide range of style and budget needs. Recycled glass bowls, bottles or platters paired with seasonal organic, hand picked or locally grown floral can add the perfect finishing touch to any holiday table. Growers of organic and transitional organic flowers, once overshadowed by the more abundant organic produce growers, now make available an ever expanding selection of "green" botanicals to complete your eco-friendly design without compromising style. From Roses to Calla Lilies, rustic to formal, eco-friendly floral selections are more readily available than ever. Recycled glass vases can be recycled an infinite number of times without loss of quality, require considerably less energy to process and conserve natural resources. Recycling a single glass vase saves enough energy to operate a television for 90 minutes. To put this in perspective, if each 2007 wedding chooses to recycle just one vase, enough energy would be saved to operate a single television continuously for nearly 400 years.

Planning a Wedding - Get Organized!

Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking and many couples feel immediately overwhelmed. There are ways, however, to make this a fun process. Here are suggestions to take the stress out. 

1. Decide on How Much and Who is Covering What: All of your decisions will come from this first one--know how much you have to spend and who is financing the events. Once you have these figures, you can begin getting organized. 

 2. Develop Organizational Systems: Develop systems that help you keep track of the many details, estimates and bills you will be dealing with. I recommend a good wedding planner that is a 

3 ring binder and is divided into the categories that are included in most weddings. I also recommend you get a file drawer and files with tabs. In the wedding planner, keep your on going lists of things to do and information that is current. In your file drawer, keep your paid bills and also information on vendors and venues. Find a time each week that you and your fiancee can sit down and go over the details and decide what needs to be down and what has been done. 

4. Gather Information Before You Contract: Use your Wedding Planner to help you and your fiancee discuss your likes and dislikes and come to agreements on what you want from start to finish. For example, do you want your wedding in a place of worship, or outdoors, or in the back yard? What kind of food do you want served at your reception, a sit-down dinner, a casual buffet, only dessert? Once you know what you want, begin to gather information and estimates from various wedding venues and wedding vendors. Make sure you ask other couples for suggestions and be aware of "Too Good to be True" offers. Keep a running tab of figures so that you know how close you are to being on budget. 

5. Give Yourselves Plenty of Time and Take Breaks When You Need To: You may be surprised at how far in advance you need to plan. Some caterers and venues book up to 18 months in advance, so if you have your hearts set on a popular venue make sure you contact them way in advance. Also, planning a wedding can end up taking over your life. I always recommend that you plan non-wedding, relaxing dates or breaks regularly.

How to Set Up a Wedding Budget

Every wedding has a budget. And some necessary steps should be kept in mind while planning any wedding. All your preparations and arrangements should be covered in decided budget. The only way to keep your wedding expenses to go out of control, is to create a realistic budget for every element of your plans about the wedding. Sticking to a budget is not so easy, with a wedding, but you can take the sting out of controlling your expenditures by taking these smart first steps in setting up a budget that will work for you instead of against you. While planning any wedding you should thing as a professional wedding planner. You my start planning your wedding with the below given steps:- 

1. Make a final list of things you need most importantly. Think about that what is most important for you, such as the venue, decoration, catering or a designer wedding gown, the flowers, a great photographer. Those categories are going to be where you'll devote a greater part of your available budget, since they are vital parts of your dream wedding. 

 2. Make a list of what is not very important. Keep them in the list of less necessary things. If at last you save some money you can add to these less important things. 

3. Check out the cost of each and every thing. No need to rely on others. Try all the costs by yourself and from different places and then final the best based on quality and reasonable cost. 

 4. Divide all the items on your budget list according to who is taking on which portions of the plans, and then find ways to get the best product or service for less. You can share the information with family and friends. 

5. Venue decision is the main part of wedding planning. Venue should be easy to find, comfortable to enter with a wide entrance and a nice decoration as per your budget. A good parking space is necessary. Sitting arrangements should based on number of guests. Creating a smart and flexible wedding budget is a team effort, so work on it together with your family and friends. Just make all the arrangements with a confidence that you can arrange and manage everything within the desired budget. Do not take wedding planning with stress, instead you can enjoy it.