Many couples are using their wedding day to pledge their commitment, not just to one another, but to the environment. They are going “green” and choosing ecologically friendly products and services — from their invitations to the gifts they request to the venues they use. Planning any wedding is a challenge. But where do you start when you’re thinking green?

 

  “Start with a wedding planner who has done green weddings,” advises Karen Nudy Pecora, president of Karen Pecora Events. She recommends contacting the Society of Wedding Planners, a consortium of local wedding professionals. “They will direct you to an experienced wedding planner who will make sure that all the vendors and suppliers are educated in the process, including the florist, caterer and venue.”

 

  Green Invitations. Green weddings usually begin with the selection of recycled, 100% cotton paper for the invitation. Pecora says eco-conscious couples are also cutting back on their energy footprint by mailing Save-The-Date cards on mini hard drives (thumb-sized devices that plug into your computer’s USB port) instead of recycled paper.

 

  “That way, the bride and groom don’t have to sacrifice design, and they can include information on transportation, hotels, directions and local attractions without worrying about the amount of paper being used,” Pecora explains. Plus the mini hard drives can be recycled and used for other purposes.

 

  Greener Flowers. One of the major considerations at any wedding is flowers for the bride, table centerpieces and other decorations. “The cost of organic flowers is skyrocketing, and you defeat the purpose if they are flown in from a distance and use fossil fuel,” says Pecora. She recommends using seasonal flowers from local growers who don’t use pesticides or using a variety of ferns for the bouquet. Florists can do amazing things with ferns these days, combining feathery fronds, variegated varieties and ferns with dramatic tendrils. Naturally, it takes a special bride to say “no” to flowers. As for centerpieces, small, potted plants or seedlings make lovely favors that guests may take home.

 

  Larger potted plants may also be used for decoration and planted later (recycled) by the wedding couple, their families or guests as a living souvenir. And yes, you can even rent big plants! Rest assured that wedding planners know how to turn any venue into a “Palm Court.”

 

  For the ultimate in eco-friendly florals, consider life-like permanent botanicals. Artful, botanically correct silk sculptures (generations beyond old-style plastics) are available at select boutiques, such as Perennial Pleasures.

 

  Carbon Imprint. What’s the most potentially wasteful use of energy at an indoor wedding? “The thermostat,” says Pecora. “If a ballroom or other indoor venue was not used the previous day, the management will run the air conditioning or heat full blast.” Ask them to turn it down. It might take a bit longer for the room to reach optimum temperature, but you’ll be conserving a tremendous amount of energy.

 

  Lynda Barness, founder of I DO Wedding Consulting, has planned her share of green weddings. “I’ve worked with couples who made their own candles for centerpieces, wanted a venue owned by a nonprofit and brides who wore recycled gowns,” says Barness. The degree of green-ness depends on the couple’s commitment and their creativity. 

 

  Green Gown Options. Whether the gown is vintage, handed down through the family or found on eBay, it not only helps save the environment but it also saves the expense of a new gown, which may run well over $5,000. After the wedding, the bride can re-sell her gown or donate it to a charity such as Brides Against Cancer (makingmemories.org), which uses the proceeds for research. Fashion-minded brides with contemporary tastes will find a beguiling selection of swoon-worthy, couture gowns at Forever Formals. As long as they choose silk or cotton for their bridal party’s gowns, ecologists will beam.

 

  More Green Options.  Barness points out that using a DJ is better for the environment than hiring a band. “You’re recycling music and not using as much fuel to transport musicians.” Another way to cut fuel usage is to hire a bus to transport out-of-town guests from their hotel to the venue. “That’s 50 less cars on the road,” says Barness, who even sees a preference toward Nature in the design of cakes. One memorable groom’s cake was shaped like a log with mushrooms on it, which also salutes a key local crop.

 

  Or show your support for local growers by serving an award-winning Chaddsford wine at your wedding. Winners of the 2008 Pennsylvania Wine Excellence Award include Chaddsford 2005 Due Rossi, 2005 Merlot and 2005 Pinot Noir. With 90 wineries in the state, there are plenty of local choices.

 

  Green Gems. Is there such a thing as an environmentally correct diamond? Yes, says Barness, “Some brides care that their diamonds come from a conflict-free source, not using abusive labor practices.” Companies such as Brilliant Earth (brilliantearth.com) offering diamonds mined in Canada, rather than Africa, are an attractive option. A family heirloom diamond is always a good choice. For wedding rings, couples are choosing 100% reclaimed, recycled, ecologically responsible gold as another option.

 

  Green Venues. Environmentally concerned couples are also choosing natural settings for their weddings, including arboretums, beaches, farms or historic properties. Brides and grooms looking for romantic, outdoor settings have an abundance of options in County Lines country.

 

  “We are an arboretum and bird sanctuary with 24 acres of gardens and ponds,” says Laurie McGrath, executive director of Appleford Estate in Villanova. “Most of our weddings take place outside, facing a weeping willow or a waterfall,” says McGrath, who says that to protect the wildlife they don’t permit throwing rice (which could harm birds), but there are attractive alternatives. “Some couples release butterflies,” she says. Rose petals are perfect, too.

 

  An outdoor wedding on beautifully landscaped grounds eliminates the need for decorative flowers. McGrath cites another advantage, “Many couple have their ceremony and reception at Appleford because they want a homelike setting and the freedom to craft their own event. We give them free rein they would not find in a religious venue or hotel. We have had dogs as ring bearers, a bride arriving in a horse-drawn carriage, and a bride planning a tree in memory of her father prior to the wedding.”

 

  Appleford provides a selection of exclusive “A-List” caterers, which can provide kosher and vegetarian cuisine. To complete the fairy tale wedding for Princess Brides, Appleford will provide live swans to glide in the pond while you say your “I do’s.”

 

  You can’t get much greener than the Stone Barn in southern Chester County, a former dairy farm and orchard that has been a wedding venue for 40 years and in the same family for four generations. “The barn dates back to 1700 and uses reclaimed materials from local, historic buildings,” says Charlene Thomforde, granddaughter of the Stone Barn’s original owner. The property features an arbor, rose garden, water wheel and ponds. “We encourage natural decoration,” says Thomforde, who recalls brides using mason jars or family heirlooms as vases and recyclable glassware rather than disposables. “We encourage throwing bird feed instead of rice or confetti,” she adds.

 

  Greystone Hall in West Chester is a wonderful wedding site for couples wishing to blend elegance with ecology. The regal mansion, formal gardens, fountain terrace and statues call to mind the Palace of Versailles. The exclusive caterer Jeffrey Miller Catering Company and his wedding planner service are skilled in planning weddings that are not only green, but comply with every religious and cultural tradition, from Orthodox Jewish to Muslim to Korean ceremonies. Caterer Miller, who trained in the finest restaurants in Manhattan, London and France, says, “Everything is made from scratch, to order, from the freshest ingredients available.” So you can combine high style with your local greens.

 

  And finally, although honeymoons used to be almost synonymous with air travel or cruises to exotic locales, a big carbon cost is not required. Eco-conscious couples are sailing, kayaking and biking into the sunset. The environmental footprint they leave behind is a welcome mat, not just to Nature, but to generations to come.  -CL-