The quest to plan an eco-friendly wedding is one that consumes many Canadian newlyweds-to-be who seek to reduce their environmental impact. The degree that you incorporate green principles into your nuptials is entirely up to you. Some opt to go green all the way, while others choose a few key areas of impact that they believe will make the most difference. No matter what your preferences are, some useful hints to reduce your special day’s carbon footprint may prove helpful as you make your own arrangements.
It All Starts With Your Eco Venue
Top wedding planning resource TheKnot recommends examining your choice of ceremony and reception site first in your endeavor to go green. Outdoor celebrations will use the least amount of energy, especially if you plan your affair to begin or end before sundown. Thankfully, most locations include modern essentials such as toilets and indoor plumbing, so you needn’t worry about “roughing it.” For added grandeur, consider booking a botanical garden, refurbished barn or beach to say “I do.” Keep in mind that depending on your chosen venue, you may need to rent basic amenities such as tables, chairs, canopies and other types of shelter. Also, be sure to have an alternative rain location as a backup.
Green Invitation Ideas
According to Green Living, most etiquette experts still favor the use of paper invitations. However, recycled versions may be just the thing for your nuptials. Choose a high-quality type of reconstructed paper for your invites, responses and thank-you cards. For everything else, there’s the internet: New York Times staff writer Mireya Navarro suggests setting up a wedding website to communicate with and disseminate information to your attendees.
Something Old or Something New?
If you’ve no reservations against donning re-worn attire, this can be another avenue to make your special day more ecologically friendly. You may have the option of wearing an heirloom gown or suit from another member of your family if you’re close to the same size as the available garments. Nevertheless, vintage stores or consignment shops might reveal other great finds. Tuxedo or suit wearers may have an advantage in this department, as tradition already supports the incorporation of rental formal apparel. Just be sure to visit your vendor of choice plenty of time in advance to have proper measurements taken and for your suit to be customized to your body’s shape and height.
A Real-Life Eco Canadian Wedding
If you’re still doubtful as to whether an eco-friendly wedding can be successfully staged, you may want to look to an Ontario couple featured in a 2016 Boho Weddings piece for inspiration. The happy couple, Katrina and Sean, selected a woodland-themed setting while custom tooling other details that were simultaneously lovely and environmentally sound. The Kortright Centre of Conservation in Woodbridge, famous for its environmental education and sustainability efforts, served as their ceremony and reception site. With this venue choice, they maximized their use of natural light while the location’s native beauty served as the perfect backdrop to proclaim their shared love before family and friends. The couple also adopted a unique approach to their wedding favors, offering a selection of their favorite used books to their attendees.
A Plethora of Ideas From Which to Choose
Of course, these aren’t the only aspects of your wedding in which you can make greener selections. Sourcing locally produced food for your reception dinner or selecting organically grown flowers are just a couple of other ways you can make your celebration more environmentally friendly. With tons of ideas online, you have many avenues in which to customize your nuptials to decrease your carbon footprint. With a little ingenuity, you’ll join the growing number of Canadians committing to greener living and greener celebrations.
