Empty glass and plastic bottles and aluminum cans can quickly pile up during larger receptions. Ask the hosting facility if they recycle, and if not, provide bins for empties that can be hauled away later. If your maid of honor or bridesmaids are also eco-conscious see if they will deliver the recyclable goods to a donation bin the day after your reception. For a recycling center near you or information on where to buy recycling bins for your venue to use visit  http://therecyclingcenter.info.

Happy Planning!-weddingonthebrain.com-Danielle Graven

   

 

    The new thing is to go green and save the environment, but why not take it a step further with your wedding invitations.  These invitations are not recycled paper but paper made out of a soy base embedded with seeds.  Every invitation can be planted and will naturally soil as your note begins to grow.  Now your guest have taken a step to save the environment and have  beautiful wild flowers to enjoy.  Each handmade invitation has directions on the back and can be found at www.greenfieldpaper.com.  Thank you notes, stationary, and other fun things can also be found here.

Happy Planting! ~ Rachel Nickens

 

Looking to plan a "green" wedding?  Wanting to know how you can reduce your global impacts on your wedding day?  Well take a look at this new site Native Energy.  This site will estimate the amount of energy consumed and the local and global impacts of your Big day.  When filling in the simple energy calculator, you will be asked to estimate your guest count, your travel distances, your venue size, etc.  Native Energy will let you know how you can offset your impacts before your big day.

Have fun!  -www.weddingonthebrain.com-  ~Kari Brooner

The World Wildlife Fund has a helpful ways to plan an Eco-Friendly Wedding and give guests the opportunity to support conservation in your honor.  You can read up on this organization and what they have to offer at WWF's Wedding site.  You can create a registry that allows guests to contribute to WWF in your honor, you can order favors and educate everyone you love about the issues important to you.

World Wildlife Fund also offers great ideas to achieve a "Green" wedding.  They offer wedding services that include creating your own webpage and registry online, honeymoon location ideas and favors.  This is just another unique way to give back and help conserve for your future and the future of your children.

Can't find the perfect DRESS?!?!  Look no further and shop for a "Recycled" wedding gown.  Every Bride wants to find the perfect dress, but ther perfect dress was someone else's dream dress too!  There are many ways to buy recycled wedding dresses and some of them haven't even been worn, they were just purchased and set aside.  Look at Sell Your Wedding Dress or other resale favorites like EBAY and Craigslist for dresses local to your area.  You might just find the PERFECT dress or that Vintage dress you have been looking all over town for!

If you are done with your dress why not turn the tables and post your dress on one of these sites for other Brides To Be shopping and make their dreams come true!

 

Happy Shopping!  -www.weddingonthebrain.com- Kari Brooner

 

 

Instead of spending $1-5 each for a wedding favor which might never be used, consider honoring your guests by donating to your favorite charity on their behalf. Inform your guests of the charitable donation by stating it on your invitations or the place cards at the guest’s seats. Try using a website like I Do Foundation in order to make a charitable favor possible. The website will even generate place cards for you!  I Do Foundation also offers a section called "Charity Registry" where you can register with your favorite nonprofit organization and guests can donate in lieu of presenting you with a gift on your wedding day!

Weddingonthebrain.com- Samantha Woods

Why Post-Consumer Gold Matters

greenKarat  

Ecologically Responsible Jewelry
A Marriage of Value!

As in other recycling, changing consumer ‘waste’ habits is important even in solving the gold problem. Gold is so valuable jewelers never discard it. So then why is it that vast amounts of gold sit unused in the form of old jewelry. The broken chain, the one remaining earring and the unused class ring all represent dormant gold. Individuals can’t easily get value for their retired jewelry, so it rests idle in jewelry boxes and dresser drawers.  

The myKarat program recycles the wasted metal and puts it to good use, by making simple yet beautiful new wedding rings and bands! Recycling any gold you may have is a very important way you can make a difference. Just think if we all chipped in that additional supply would diminish the incentive for mining.

The BLING that screams "GREEN," got to love it!

weddingonthebrain.com -Carrie Goff-

So you want to have your wedding guests throw something as you and your sweets walk down the aisle?  Ecoparti.com has just the thing...biodegradable and environmentally friendly confetti.

Ecofetti is the accepted eco-friendly wedding toss with no cleanup. Water-soluble and completely biodegradable confetti -The perfect alternative to rice or birdseed. Add lavender buds (a symbol of devotion) for a wonderful fragrance and a simple surprise for your guests!

weddingonthebrain.com -Carrie Goff- friendly

Even your cocktails can be "green"! In keeping with a "green" theme why not serve a signature drink with an organic wine or spirit? See where you can purchase organic spirts or try one of these great receipes like this "Perfect Pear" Pear-tini from http://www.squareonevodka.com/.

 

 

The Pear-tini

3 oz. Square One Organic Vodka

1 oz. Cinnamon Pear Maple Syrup

Vermouth

Brown Sugar

Barlett Pear

 

Start with a chilled martini glass. Give a light misting of vermouth in the glass and dip the rim of the glass in brown sugar. Shake Square One Organic Vodka and Cinnamon Pear Maple Syrup with ice, strain into chilled glass. Garnish with slice of Barlett Pear.

-weddingonthebrain.com- Danielle Graven

Green, Wildflowers, Organic, Famer's Market flowers...aren't words you usually use to describe a wedding bouquet, but they are the new trend in wedding flowers.

GO LOCAL: When deciding on flowers for your BIG day consider local growers in your area or check out a Farmer's Market in Orange County that could supply your flowers.

REUSE: Consider reusing flowers from your ceremony at your reception.  Display your bouquet or your bridesmaid bouqets at your reception in vases or on tables.  Send flowers home with guests so they don't go to waste.

ORGANIC: Choose organic flowers that improve farm working conditions, reduce the amount of pesticides used and improve air quality.  Check out Organic Bouquet or find a local flower farm that grows organic flowers.

CREATIVE: Get creative with your bouquet flowers and add in new elements that reduce wasted flowers and energy.  Try incorporating bamboo, plant leaves, wildflowers and grasses.  Use other design elements in place of flowers for centerpieces such as living plants or recycled glass containers with candles.

 

Go Green! -www.weddingonthebrain.com- Kari Brooner