Weddings come in all shapes and sizes but for many people it’s the biggest party they’ll ever host.

The average wedding in the US costs about $20,000. Ours was nowhere near that expensive but it was still a large event and one that took a year in the planning. Little wonder that this post has grown into a two-parter.

As well as the advantages I mentioned previously, the other great thing about our wedding venues was their accessibility public transport. We thought about this from the outset and even timed the ceremony so that people would be able to meander down the hill to the public ferry wharf and get a ferry across the harbour to a wharf near the sailing club.

This was partly an effort to help people to be green but it was also to make the most of Sydney’s most beautiful natural feature, the harbour.

A few days before the wedding I emailed our guests with detailed directions on how to get to the church and club, with options for driving and public transport. I pointed out that parking was plentiful at the club but scarce in the neighbourhood around the church. I added that alcohol would be flowing freely so they might prefer not to drive so they can kick their heels up and have a drink or four.

Quite a lot of people did take the public transport option, both people from interstate who hadn’t brought cars and a few Sydneysiders who knew that I was talking sense.

After the ceremony, the wedding party went down to the water for photographs. As we traipsed through the park, I was amused to see several friends, who had tarried too long socialising outside the church, bolting down the hill to the ferry, one of them with her two-year-old son hoisted under her arm.

I mentioned in the previous post that my mother made the cake and my cousin did the flowers and this was a theme throughout the wedding – the main motivation was less to save money and more because it made it more personal to have our friends and family pulling together for us and contributing their time and talent. Likewise, we also had a friend do our photography  and another friend sing the song for our first dance (one that my grandfather used to sing when he was alive).

On this note, one of my friends is a graphic artist and she designed our beautiful wedding invitations and thank you cards. We had them printed by Typoretum, using letterpress, which not only matched our vintage theme and the design but is also eco-friendly.

For most brides, the dress is one of the most important elements of a wedding. I liked the idea of a vintage wedding dress from both an aesthetic and environmental standpoint. I even bought an antique dress at auction – a beautiful embroidered silk gown with matching train from 1910, for the bargain price of £100. Unfortunately the 22-inch waist meant I couldn’t wear it and the dressmaker quoted me £1,100 to get it remade.

Disheartened, I then started looking for second-hand gowns on eBay. That’s when I discovered you can buy cheap wedding dresses from China over the internet – but my concerns over both style and sustainability meant I was not particularly tempted. (I was worried about cheap, synthetic materials and whether it was made in sweatshop conditions).

I ended up getting in touch with a bridal shop in Kent, south of London, via eBay and found out they were having a sale of shop samples. I went in person and tried dresses on and ended up buying a designer bridal dress at a quarter of the normal retail price. From an eco-standpoint, the dress was new but it was pre-existing rather than made to order (and used no synthetics). It was lacy and quite old-fashioned so we were able to keep our vintage theme.

The groom and his best man and my father rented their outfits – it seemed sensible since they don’t need to wear a tuxedo very often and the occasion to wear a top hat may never come again.

My partner bought my engagement ring but he knows me well enough to know I wouldn’t want a conflict diamond and there was no way I wouldn’t ask, if not at first then eventually. He chose a beautiful emerald and diamond ring from 1906 from Berganza, an antique dealer in London’s Hatton Garden. It’s beautiful and green – in both senses of the word – and I couldn’t love it more. He also organised the wedding rings – simple metal bands without any stones and mine is slightly curved to fit around my engagement ring.

People don’t like to show up empty-handed to a wedding. Generally, they’ll bring a gift unless you say ‘no presents’ and even then, half of them still will. We knew that. But we also knew we had a household full of stuff and we were about to shift continents again.

We didn’t have a wedding registry and we didn’t mention gifts on the invitation. But we did put the word out via our families about a few things that we might like and mindful of how talented many of our friends and family are, we also suggested that people give us art, especially their own art. We were delighted that many people did exactly that and we were also appreciative of the thoughtful gifts and practical cash we received from others.

There’s always more that any of us can do to help the planet but I’m pleased with our wedding – I feel that it was a beautiful expression of our love and commitment, a rocking great party for our friends and family, and we didn’t do too badly in keeping it green. The best weddings don’t cost the earth.

Image: zayzayem

When my boyfriend proposed to me after many years together, there was no question of an elopement. We knew that we wanted to make our vows in front of all our friends and family and celebrate our commitment with a party.

We also knew that we wanted the wedding to reflect our values. Sure, I wanted to wear a beautiful dress and we were keen to treat our guests to a good time. But we didn’t want our wedding to cost the earth – either literally or figuratively. With some of our friends and family out of work as a result of the recession, it didn’t seem in keeping with the times to spend too much money.

Getting married is an expression of hope for the future. So what would it say about us and our relationship if we planned our wedding without any regard for the future of our planet?

That said, our wedding was not deep green. We didn’t take our guests camping like this bride and there were certainly compromises along the way. (I wish I’d had these nine eco wedding tips or  20 online resources for an eco-wedding at my fingertips!) I just used my own creativity and common sense to lighten the load. I hope that my experiences and ideas might inspire and inform other brides (and grooms).

My Green Wedding

We are from Australia but we have been living in Europe for the past five years. Sydney is almost exactly half a world from London so realistically this means air travel. It made no sense to expect our friends and family to come to us – we would have to go to them. So at least we were talking about flights for two people, not dozens. To further cut down on flying, we timed the wedding to coincide with my grandmother’s 80th birthday and my cousin’s wedding, both occasions that I wanted to be home for. We also decided to honeymoon in Australia. No hardship there – we spent two glorious weeks on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

Since we were on the other side of the world we did most of our research on venues and caterers online. Google and email were invaluable tools, though we did have family on hand to check things out in person when needed. We wanted our money to help support the local community so we avoided big hotels and wedding venues from the outset.

We were married in a church  and for me one advantage with this was that the hire fee went to upkeep of a beautiful old building (St. Mary’s in East Balmain) as well as community charity work. If we had decided on a civil ceremony, we probably would have hired a celebrant to marry us in a garden ceremony and paid hire fees to a public park instead.

Our reception was in a sailing club, which meant our hire fees helped to fund community sport. It also meant we had the benefit of a hall right on Sydney Harbour for a modest sum and had the freedom to call in our own decorators, caterers and entertainers.

We chose the caterer partly on the proposed menu and prices but also because they were easy to deal with via email. We investigated organic food for the reception but it still carries quite a premium in Australia – the cost is up to 50% higher -  and we couldn’t afford it for 110 people. Instead we asked the caterers to serve local, seasonal food. The menu was planned with this in mind and we gave the caterers license to change it in the last few days depending on what was available. Reducing food miles has an obvious environmental benefit but local seasonal food also tends to be better and cheaper.

We served two vegetarian side dishes and a choice of a vegetarian or meat main course. Although the meat and eggs were not organic, they were at least free range. The wine and beer were from Australia and we served jugs of tap water with lime and mint rather than bottled water. My mother made the wedding cake and knowing her, it was probably mostly organic. I’m not sure about that – what I do know is that it was delicious.

One of my cousins is a florist and she did a wonderful job with the flowers. This part of the wedding probably had quite a large environmental footprint but we made sure they weren’t wasted – we reused the flowers from the church at the reception and we made sure that all the table flowers went home with guests at the end of the night.

The club didn’t have recycling facilities but we made sure that relatives and the caterers between them took away empty bottles for recycling rather than putting them in the bin.

We had a live band (a wonderful group called Blue Trip) rather than a DJ or an iPod playlist. We made that choice obviously because we like live music and thought our guests would enjoy it – but also because we want to support the arts and to help people to make a living from art and music.

In the sequel I’ll talk about finding the dress and men’s wear, the rings and invitations and gifts. Stay tuned for next week!

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Victoria Everman.

Having a sustainable wedding is as easy as locally-grown, organic pie. In the midst of planning my own event, I’ve found that being planet- and money-conscious is not only feasible – it is fun.

It is so easy to get overwhelmed by the wide world of weddings that you might forget about your green goals. Even I’m guilty of it. That’s where my eco-wedding blog comes in, where I catalog my visual inspirations and favorite sustainable wedding companies.

Ready to save some time and a nice chunk of change? Just check out my list of eco-conscious wedding-related companies and creative ideas that are a click away!

Ink and Wit

There are a number of wonderful eco-friendly wedding invitation companies out there, but Tara Hogan’s Ink+Wit has a special place in my heart. I’ve been a long-time fan of her letterpress art and stationary, so when the time came to began planning my own wedding, I knew she was the designer for me.

Just recently, Tara launched a pre-designed line of wedding invitations that can be easily customized and come in any Pantone color you can imagine. Working with her on my custom invitations has been a fantastic collaborative process; I couldn’t ask for anything better.

Earthly Affair

For those who like more traditional invitation designs, Jen Stambolsky’s Earthly Affair collections are just the thing. With
18 designs to choose from, you can choose the type and colors on all the styles. Though she doesn’t do custom work, she does stick firmly to her sustainable manifesto. A small, eco-friendly, affordable business – Earthly Affair is a triple treat!

Sarah Seven

Choosing a dress is one of the toughest tasks when planning an eco-friendly wedding. For the non-traditional bride, my favorite handmade gowns come from Sarah Seven. Handmade in Portland, Ore. with recycled bustiers and fabrics, Sarah’s designs are mostly above-the-knee, but she will happily customize them to any length (and color) you choose. She has also developed her first bridal line that will make any bride stand out … sustainably.

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com

If you like traditional styles but can’t bring yourself to pay $6,000 for a dress, check out PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com. The site features over 2,000 gowns by any and all major designers you can name, all of which have been either never worn or worn only once. I’ve found over 20 gowns that fit my style, budget, and body. Of course, most gowns will need to be tailored after you receive them, but is a small price to pay compared to how much you can save!

Krikawa Rings

Sustainable rings are another difficult task for a green wedding. There are a number of great companies out there for ethical diamonds and recycled metals, but that is all too traditional for me. Instead, I prefer lab-created color “diamonds” and gems set in palladium – the lesser-known (and more affordable) sibling of platinum. Krikawa Rings specializes in both and makes some beautiful custom bands in varying prices.

Snippet & Ink Budget Tips

Saving money can easily be connected with saving the planet. Snippet & Ink, one of my all-time favorite wedding blogs because of their constant source of inspiration, has a full category of real and idea weddings based on budgets. I’ve found money-saving ideas in their posts that I’ve never seen elsewhere. Inventive and thrifty – that’s a winning combination in my book.

Martha Stewart’s Free Templates

No one can deny the mastery of Martha Stewart and her Weddings magazine is always fantastic. Add a bit of her crafty world to your wedding, thanks to her free downloadable templates. Available in a host of patterns and colors, she offers up options for everything from favor bags and seating cards to centerpieces and thank-you postcards. Who ever said you can’t get anything good for free?

Laurie Cinotto + OnceWed’s DIY Projects

Creatively-endowed or not, you can easily pull off one of Laurie Cinotto’s spectacular DIY wedding projects. Flower arranging, ring pillows, vases, boutonnieres, garlands – there are six pages of simple projects that will create a big impact for your special day. Each project has clear step-by-step instruction and pictures, including an item-by-item cost roundup to help budget. These are not to be missed!

The Small Object Cake Toppers

Be prepared to say awwww, because these cute creations are incredibly swoon-worthy. Handmade by The Small Object’s founder, Sarah Neuburger, these wooden cake toppers are made specifically for each couple and can be customized right down to their wardrobe and flower colors. Sarah recently added cupcake toppers to her list of creations, perfect for anyone with a smaller budget or quirky sense of humor.

Have your own favorite green wedding vendors? Share their website links with us in the comments section.

Victoria Everman is an eco writer, consultant, model, photographer, crafter and yogi. You can check out her process of planning a local,
eco-friendly, independent wedding at Planning an Eco-Indie Wedding. For more eco inspirations, visit her main blog at victoria-e.com.

Images: Fevi in Cayman, Victoria Everman

The global economy is tanking. The U.S. and the UK are in full-blown recession. Other countries are heading that way. We’re all going to have to tighten our belts, hold on hard and ride it out.

Grim economic news is never welcome and I sincerely hope the pain for you and your family is minimal. For the environment, the R-word is slightly more mixed news. On the one hand, people are sometimes less willing to pay extra for green supplies – sales of organic food are falling and farmers in the UK are lobbying for a relaxation in the rules for organic certification. On the other hand, decreased economic output is usually coupled with lower consumption and frugality measures such as growing your own food or conserving electricity also benefit the environment.

In the travel world, the good news is that people – when they can afford to take a holiday – are retaining their environmental principles. Despite fears that environmental commitments made in good times were merely pie crust promises, it seems greener travel is still a growing trend. People are even willing to support higher airfares for environmental reasons (though admittedly that last one is based on a survey taken in the good times).

Perhaps that’s why some of the big online travel sites are now trying to tap into the green travel market – though, as others have commented, from the looks of things they’re not trying very hard. Expedia has recently launched a travelers’ guide to going green – this was a rotating link from the bottom corner of the home page of the U.S. site (blink and you’ll miss it), more prominently linked to from the home page of the Canadian site, and as far as I could tell, not at all from the UK or Australian sites. There are only 288 properties worldwide on Expedia’s list of green hotels. Travelocity, another giant in the online travel world, also has recently introduced a green page, but it’s similarly tucked away with no apparent link from the home page. Hotwire has also recently introduced a modest green initiative – offering carbon offsetting at the point of purchase.

What are some of the other online companies doing? LastMinute has a link to a page on carbon offsetting under “useful links” on the home page of the site. Opodo has a ‘green stance’ link at the bottom of the site. Both pages are easily found – one hopes Expedia and Travelocity will follow suit.

It’s a step in the right direction but I’m inclined to agree with my fellow bloggers – this feels like a token effort and there should be a lot more promotion from the home pages of these sites. As Terracurve puts it: “It seems Expedia is, so far, less interested in doing the legwork and would rather pass the responsibility off solely to the traveler. If a traveler finds a green hotel or a hybrid car? Great. If not? Great.”

Meanwhile, if you are interested in sustainable travel, here are a few booking sites that do a better job of helping you find the perfect holiday to suit your conscience as well as your taste and budget:

Responsible Travel – UK-based site (but popular with U.S. users, too) with hundreds of handpicked holidays and an explanation of why each holiday makes a difference to the environment or local communities. It’s especially strong on activity or cultural holidays.

Rezhub – This site has a Green Travel Hub lets you book green hotels, low-emission or hybrid hire cars and green flights.

Whole Travel – Not a booking engine but a wonderful collection of links to sustainable holidays around the world (you book directly with the hotel and they make money from advertising).

Image: Christine Salek