The Question

Keep it Green Long After Valentine’s Day

Keep the green traditions going through your entire engagement, wedding and marriage! For earth-inspired wedding ideas, there are many resources you and your fiancée can choose from to keep your carbon footprints light on your big day.

A few things you may want to consider:

• Hold the ceremony and reception in the same spot, or within walking distance of one another. This cuts down on excess transportation and air pollution.
• If you hire a wedding planner, make sure he or she shares your commitment to environmentally-sound practices.
• Make your own wedding cake. This allows you to design a cake that is dairy-free, or made with eggs from organically-fed, free-range chickens, organic dairy products, alternative sweeteners and whole wheat flour. Serve organic wines, which can be chosen for you by a knowledgeable wine merchant.
• Take a green honeymoon. Stay nearby or choose an ecologically-sound destination or method of travel. Seek out travel agencies which specialize in healthy or vegetarian travel, or eco-tourism.