And awaaay we go!

Dear Readers,

So there you have it. The top 10 ways to have an eco friendly wedding. (Feel free to go back and read any that you missed. ;-) Now what? Well...now I plan my wedding of course! I am going to do my best to have the wedding of my dreams, within a reasonable budget, and to follow these tips so that it isn't a wasteful mess!

And I am taking you with me!

So join my blog, and get updates throughout the year to watch the Greenlicious Extravaganza unfold! See you at the church!

~Nancy

Step 10! Happily ever after...

So according to the Sierra Club, the 10th and final way to have a green wedding is to:

Begin your new life with a honeymoon that's light on the Earth. Consider:

~going somewhere local (you're going to be spending a lot of time in that hotel room anyway)
Ok, so...yeah, I am not going to do this one. I want to go somewhere that I would NEVER go unless I had a good excuse to take 2 weeks off from work. I am NOT going to the Poconos, people! And as for the "spending a lot of time in that hotel room..." sure, but let's face it, this isn't the 50's. We have been spending a lot of time in that room for the last three years together..I want to see the world with this man. We will be engaging in plenty of "post marital fun" for sure, but not so much that we won't notice that we are at Beautiful Mount Airy Lodge! So what is my next choice?

~engaging in ecotourism, which can be as rugged or luxurious as you want it to be (find listings that suit your style through Conservation International, National Geographic, Planeta.com, or ResponsibleTravel.com)
This I like...it seems like there might be a lot of interesting options. And as they say, it doesn't have to be in the mountains or something...you can go anywhere and be responsible. On ResponsibleTravel.com, they even have a section for Budget Ideas...check it out.

~taking a trip that benefits an environmental group; perhaps boating in Florida's Dry Tortugas, birding in Alaska, or walking the Italian Alps with Sierra Club Outings
This might be fun...I guess it depends on you as a couple, and what types of vacations seem fun to you...

~skipping the cruise and taking a relaxing, romantic train tripA CHOO CHOO HONEYMOON! This is so romantic and so old school! I love it! It reminds me of my parent's stories of Europe in the 60s. We were talking about this the other day, and are thinking very seriously about getting a Euro-Pass, and just tooling around in Spain or something. (I know that this will still include a trip on an air plane, but see below...)

~getting around at your destination by renting bikes or taking public transportation (the better to enjoy the sights instead of arguing about your spouse's driving habits)
Oh this is a definite! We are New Yorkers, so the public transportation is a no brainer for us. If you are not used to public transportation, I know that it might make you a bit nervous, but give it a chance. You don't know a country and it's people until you know the stink of their subways! (Believe me-I went to Italy in August one time...no air conditioning on those subways. Let's just say that I know Italy. ;-)

~staying in a family-run B&B or inn, a luxury teepee or yurt, or a green hotel that's working to save resources and reduce waste
I have been waiting ever since I first read this list to bust up laughing at this one. I love an Inn or a B & B-our families are staying in them in our hood for the wedding. I am all about a green hotel if you can find one. I am not really sure about the teepee idea-sounds like camping, and people...what in the name of all that is holy is a YURT!!?? ok...let's just figure it out together: according to freedictionary.com:

Noun

1.

yurt - a circular domed dwelling that is portable and self-supporting; originally used by nomadic Mongol and Turkic people of central Asia but now used as inexpensive alternative or temporary housing

oooooook. Now how might I be honeymooning in one of these, you ask? (and I ask?) Again, these are not for everyone, but for those of you who on the out doorsy side there are actually quite a few places where you can find a honeymoon yurt...check out this link for some ideas from the Travel Channel:

YURTS!

~offsetting your trip’s carbon dioxide emissions
This one is definite...as I have mentioned in earlier posts however, I have never done this before. When I do it, I will let you know how it goes...

Step 9-GIFTS!!!

When it comes to the whole gift thing. You will see below that there are a lot of ways to stay green-both by giving to charity, and by asking for environmentally conscious gifts. I feel that the most important thing here, however, is to not get carried away when you are registering. Really sit down with your fiance, and talk about what you want, and what you NEED. What you would buy for yourself if money wasn't an issue. Don't register for crap that you will never use just because someone else is footing the bill. Be realistic. If you don't use it, then it is wasteful...I don't care what it is! (For the record, they don't mention it here, but there is a new trend of asking people for money. I want to address it as an etiquette side note: I really want a house right now, and was seriously thinking of sending one of those poems asking for cash. I did some asking around of my guests-both relatives and friends, and found that not one person thought that it was a good idea. No one. The general thought is-this is a wedding, not a fundraiser. So Jimmy and have a created a small registry of things that we love, and are letting people know that we are saving for a house, so gifts of money are great as well. I am hoping that this is well received, and so far it seems to be going well...end of side note.) So here are some ideas from the sierra club:

~asking for gifts to charity instead of material goods

This is a good idea for those of you out there who have what you need. Perhaps this is your second marriage, or you are both very financially secure, and you don't feel the need to ask for gifts. (LUCKY YOU!) Find a charity that really speaks to who you are as a couple. There are so many wonderful charities out there; local, national, and international. Research your charity, and make sure that they really do what they say they do! Ultimately this is a wonderful idea, if you can afford to do it! (And I imagine that you rack up some pretty good karma points!)

~registering with the I Do Foundation or another site that gives a percentage of gift purchases to your chosen cause.

This is so cool! I have gone to the site, and looks like you need to register your wedding with them, like you would with any wedding site, and then you can set up for 6% of all of your registry purchases to go to charity...could it be that simple? Check it out yourself at: www.idofoundation.org I will too. Let's compare notes. Has anyone done it? I love to hear if it was a good experience! Do tell!

~registering with stores that offer local, fair-trade, handmade, organic, or other eco-friendly products like Branch, Gaiam, Greenfeet, GreenSage, Ten Thousand Villages, UncommonGoods, or VivaTerra.

Love it! Check! This is a great time to get that kitchen composter that you have been dying for!

~registering for outdoor gear or contributions to an eco-friendly honeymoon

Have so much fun with this one...I believe that we have discussed my feelings on camping in step 4. Enough said. (AKA-do not buy me a gift card to REI. It would be wasteful of you. ;-)

~creating a custom wish list of eco-friendly items like a fresh-produce subscription from a local farm, organic gardening supplies, organic linens, park and museum passes, gift certificates to organic restaurants, and subscriptions to green publications or memberships in green causes

This one requires a little more work and imagination on your part, but aren't we all here because we are creative and uniquely minded folks? There are sites all around (such as my registry.com) where you can create a list of items that you would like (as long as you can buy it online, then you can put it on your registry!) If there are items that can't be done that way, then create a special registry for your guests to receive via email, or on your wedding site. For those folks who like to buy gifts the old fashioned way, you can have your Maid of Honor send them a hard copy...just make sure that she does it on recycled paper! ;-)

~For your favors, give something your guests will really use and enjoy, not disposable plastic souvenirs.

Ok, so my mantra about this is as follows: Do your guests a favor, and skip the typical "favor." Because no one likes Jordan Almonds, or a small thing of bubbles, or a key ring with your name on it, and if they told you that they did...they were being nice. Jimmy and I are donating a tree to a local park. (This goes along with our unspoken theme of "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Now it will be quite literal.) I am soooooo excited about this idea, I can't tell you. Really you could donate to any charity on behalf of your guests, and make a little announcement, or put a note about it at the top of your menu/or program. Put an announcement on home made paper in a frame at the reception table letting everyone know that you have made a donation in their name. It can be for whatever amount you put aside for your favors. Every little bit counts! And let me tell you...your guests will truely thank you for a gift that they don't have to shove in their purse to be polite, and then leave in the hotel. (with love...this is what they will be doing.)

For arguments sake, let's just say that you really feel that you MUST give them SOMETHING that they can hold...here are a few ideas (Courtesy of the Sierra Club, that I think people will actually like. ;-)

~Gourmet organic chocolates or another organic or local food item. LOCAL FOOD! This is great for welcome bags for out of town guests as well!

~attractive bags of fresh or dried organic herbs

~seeds in a commemorative container

~reusable cloth tote bags

can you ever have enough of these? I am using them to hold my attendants gifts as well! LOVE IT!

~a small plant

These can also go on the dinner tables as lovely decor. Talk about two birds with one stone!

~natural soaps

PS. These are easy to make...and home made gifts are so much more special. (And cheaper. ;-)

~place cards made of seeded paper that can be planted at home

~soy or beeswax candles

ehem...you know my thoughts...soy.

~a compact fluorescent light bulb

ok, so you will look like a bit of a nerd here, but it will bring awareness, it will be a GREAT conversation starter, and it IS dead useful.

~a downloadable playlist of your favorite songs

I got one of these recently, and liked it quite a bit. Cute idea, and very personal. You can even have them done up nicely at a site such as www.ourweddingcd.com Not too hard to remember. lol. I don't think that they use eco-friendly products though, so maybe doing it yourself is a better option. Depending on how crafty you are!

For your helpful, loyal attendants, you'll want to up the ante a little, perhaps with:

~gift baskets of organic skin-care products

~recycled jewelry, wallets, handbags, or drinking glasses

~selections of organic coffees, teas, and chocolates

~recycled paper journals and stationery

~great bottles of organic wine

As always, I recommend to keep it local! Support your local markets and artisans. It is a great way to create a hallmark for the event, and it makes your gifts one of a kind!