Step 6-The Decor...

There are so many ways that you can be eco-friendly when you decorate:

~opt for organic flowers
Ask your florist about this one, and if they don't use them, ask if they know someone who does. Organic can get a little pricey, so you may want to look into complimenting smaller arrangements with reusable items other than flowers (Like candles, etc.)

~find a florist who's diligent about recycling packaging and will source locally raised flowers
This is really just about finding the right vendor for you. Be upfront about what you want, and if they are as passionate as you are about it, then BINGO! And do your research: Find out what flowers are in season locally, and use them! (Again...it will also save you some do-re-mi) And the same goes for your menu BTW!

~have bridesmaids carry matching purses or silk bouquets instead of cut flowers
This is an iteresting idea...I mean after all, those $100+ bouquets usually end up sitting on a table somewhere. And that is economically wasteful too. Talk to your maids about it, and see what they think. (They might like a nice new purse, PS. It can double as your bridesmaid gift. Gosh, sometimes I amaze even myself with these ideas.) There are a LOT of cool places for purses these days. Check out Freddy and Ma. They aren't cheap, but they are about the same as a bouquet, when you think of it. You can design them yourself, and they are so bright and funky that you won't even miss the flowers!

~decorate with branches, dried grasses, grains, greens, berries, or live plants (potted or dried arrangements can double as favors)
~use leaves or other natural objects as place cards
These are sort of the same, so I will address them together, and I am going to address them with two words: Martha Stewart. And I don't just mean Martha Stewart Weddings. The craft ideas on her website are off the hook, and can be searched by season. I am getting married in the fall, and MOST of my decor ideas have come from the last three years of Martha Stewart Living (Sept, Oct and Nov issues) Poke around over there...there are truely some Good Things. DIY does not have to be Crafty Grandma and her Patchwork Quilt...channel your inner Martha! She will not let you down.

~choose beeswax or soy-based candles over those made with paraffin, a petroleum byproduct
I am about to sound off, so get ready. I am taking this one step further, and saying: JUST DO SOY! Why? I heard that bees are endangered...um, yeah, did you guys know this? Bees are endangered. And here is something that you might not know about me, but should probably know: I really love honey. Not a little bit, either. I am like freakin' Winnie the Poo. I eat it every morning in my yogurt...yum yum yum. It makes me super happy, and I would be wicked bummed if it wasn't around anymore, so guys, do me a favor, and buy your honey from responsible local companies. It isn't that hard. FOR THE LOVE OF BEES, BUY YOUR HONEY LOCAL!!! and...this brings me to my former point......buy soy candles. Which I am doing for my wedding! I found this website called etsy.com. It is a website where artisans can sell their stuff. (Pretty cool by the way, and an awesome way to buy local handmade gifts and such.) So I went to "Brooklyn/Soy/Candles" and found this cool guy named Marty who has a shop called Dew On A Petal Home. (Hippy much?) But seriously he makes all kinds of soy candles. All sizes and colors and scents that you can think of. They are not more expensive than regular candles, and get this: he has a buy back policy! He will buy back any candles that I don't use. He will even buy back the soy "wax" from the candles that I DO use, and repurpose them into new candles! I love this guy! And because he is in Brooklyn, I get to pick them up! My carbon foot print is getting smaller even faster than my waistline! ahem...So as soon as I know what I am getting, I am calling him to set it up! You guys should check out his webstore as well, if you need to buy any candles...think of the bees...for me. For my honey.


~arrange to have decorations moved from the ceremony to the reception (if you opt for separate sites)
This is a nice idea, and it saves you money. If money isn't an issue, maybe you could just make sure that you purchase decor that will be used for a while at the ceremony site. (If it is a church, for example, they may be able to use them for a few weeks as the altar decor...)

~throw biodegradable confetti or organic rose petals instead of releasing butterflies
huh? Is releasing butterflies some kind of new trend? Who is releasing butterflies? I have never heard of or seen anything like this. Am I behind the times on this one? I will say, that at the last wedding that I was at, there was some kind of bird seed/confetti that smelled like sugar cookies that I really liked. (Of course the time between the ceremony and the reception was so long that I got hungry, and tried to eat a piece of...yeah, bad idea. It did not taste as good as it smelled. But I think that the birds liked it...)

~donate the flowers to a hospital or rest home at the end of the day

I love Love LOVE this one. Donating anything that is unused, and repurposing anything that can be repurposed is the whole point. So this is the first time of many that I am going to mention a website called: The Special E. They will recycle, and repurose just about anything. (See the link) I am seriously considering using them for my wedding (depending on budget), and I will DEFINITELY be letting you all know how it goes. According to the site, they do what we would all do if we had the time:

"Toward the end of your event, we'll send out our "Rescue Squad" to pick up all the excess items that are leftover. We have an extensive list of food banks, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, hospitals, nursing homes, and charities across the country. Prior to each program, we'll identify the recipient organizations that will be receiving the leftovers, and take the necessary steps to coordinate all the delivery arrangements."

Um, can you give me a break? HOW AWESOME IS THAT??? I can't wait to speak with them further, and will keep you all updated.