Planting a Tree in Your Honor.

Whenever I think of "wedding favors" I think of that chalky pastel colored candy in a white mesh bag tied with plastic bells.

I would always try one, thinking maybe I'd like it at this wedding.

It always got tossed as soon as I got home. 
(In the compost, that is.)

So, it got me thinking about what kind of favor would be better for the planet... and more appreciated by guests. 

Two years ago, I went to a wedding where they made a charitable contribution in lieu of favors.  I thought that was a great idea.  And then with this "tree centerpiece" blog last week, I thought, "Hey,  why not give guests a tree they can plant which would offset their carbon emissions too!"

But with a lot of guests from out of town, do they really want to pack a tree in their bags?  Probably not.  Furthermore, trees are specific to certain regions.  Do we get a different tree for my cousin who lives in Alaska and then another one for my grandparents in Florida?

Now I'm just creating unnecessary stress.  And all brides know that if you can avoid extra stress, do all you can to keep it that way.

Instead, the Arbor Day Foundation is going to help out.

For a dollar each, the Arbor Day Foundation's "Trees in Celebration" program will plant trees in one of our national forests to commemorate any special occasion.  Even better, you can have that tree dedicated "in honor of" each guest.  The Arbor Day Foundation provides certificates which are printed on recycled paper from sustainable sources.

My friend Stefanie had another great idea:  put the certificate at each table setting in lieu of placards.

I think we have a favor-winner!


And P.S., as a dentist's daughter, did you really think I was going to give out candy?  :-)

Trees for your Centerpiece

Oh, to sit in the shade of a tree on a sweltering summer day...

There’s something so tranquil, so comforting.

In the words of that Kaiser-Permanente commercial (the one advocating electronic files to save more trees): “I will never see an 80-page document that’s more beautiful than a tree.”

Or in the words of one of my students:  “Homework kills trees!”

No, I’m not trying to prevent homework from being assigned, but the argument does stand.  We need to take care of our trees and maintain their necessary presence in our communities.

Here are some fun tree facts
(thanks to http://www.treesaregood.org/):

• 
  
  Trees are the longest living organisms on earth.

• 
  
  In one year, an acre of trees can absorb as much carbon as is produced by a car driven up to 8700 miles.

• Trees provide shade and shelter, reducing yearly heating and cooling costs by 2.1 billion dollars.

• Trees improve water quality by slowing and filtering rain water as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds.

To show our love for trees, one thing we are considering is using them as our centerpieces.

Duranta trees (or shrubs) are whispy and elegant, with clusters of lavendar colored flowers.

Some other trees that could make great centerpieces include:

Olive trees

The trees of peace.

Olive Tree

Manzanita trees—great for fall weddings since the bark has a reddish hue to it.

Manzanita Tree

Fruit trees- from apple to lemon to cherry to Jaboticaba... pick a fruit that your wedding’s location is known for!

Jaboticaba Fruit Tree Plant

Or even try “ivy trees”.

Ivy Topiaries

And don’t forget to attach a “How to Care for this Tree” instruction card on the base of the plant.  To ensure the tree will grow well in the climate it is being taken to (in case any roadtripping guests want to take one home), find out at: Fast Growing Trees, and click on “Will my tree grow in this area?”

One Concert That Led to Five Eco-Friendly Confetti Picks

The Rihanna concert last night was in one word... AMAZING.  Not only was it thrilling, entertaining, and boldly visual, Eminem even made an appearance.

Rihanna Concert, with guest appearance by Eminem

Ok, ok... you got me.  I really wanted an excuse to mention I was at that concert (thanks to two of my students as an end-of-year gift... best teacher gift ever!!).

But I actually do have a way to relate it to a wedding.
Let’s talk about the finale.

The finale needs to have a little something extra, right?  Commemorating the end of such a huge event, people are expecting a little more pizzazz.

The concert ended with fountains of red confetti shooting into the air.  And by fountains, I mean tons and tons of little red paper pieces (which I hope were eco-friendly).

Now, with your finale, should you choose to have guests sprinkle you with more than just their well-wishes, here are a few eco-friendly ideas that pack all of the ‘party’ with none of the waste.

The Top 5 (in no particular order):

1. Vanishing paper.  Oh, what has Martha Stewart not thought of?  This confetti is biodegradable and disintegrates once it is wet.  They come in a variety of shapes and colors, including hearts. (Insert the "awww!" here).

 
2. Beau coup’s eco-friendly confetti.  Comes in pastel colors.  5-6 cups per bag and each bag is $11.95.

3. Ecofetti®: also water soluble and biodegradable.  The plus with this company (Ecoparti.com) is that the confetti can be pre-packaged for the guests, saving you a bit more time.  You can also request samples to be sent to you before committing to a full order.

4. Dried Lavender Buds.  Lavender represents “devotion.”  Its fragrance is beautiful, forever reminding you of your special day.  You can find organic, USA grown lavender buds in bulk at www.localharvest.org

Local Harvest's Lavender buds

5. Plantable Confetti.  In the shapes of flowers or hearts, this confetti will bloom into wildflowers once it is planted.  Just make sure whoever is in charge of cleaning it up knows not to toss it away!

"The Favors Place" Plantable Confetti~ Green 5 Petal

Pink 5 Petal Plantable Confetti

Editor's note: you may be questioning why two of the most obvious eco-friendly confetti choices-- birdseed and rice-- did not make the list.

While they are both very eco-friendly (and if you have your heart set on them, please don't allow the above list deter you) please be aware that you run a bit of a risk... namely, getting ambushed in the face.

Also, ask yourself how much you'd like to risk the chance of a bird swooping down for the seed, narrowly missing your face, and dropping a load on your veil.

I rest my confetti case.

An "All-American" Bride

When the recession began to take its toll, many American consumers realized their money was better spent supporting their own country's businesses.

You may have to pay more for it.  Companies that go overseas typically want to cut costs, namely, enlisting cheaper labor.

Getting the "Made in America" seal of approval ensures products have not been manufactured in child-labor sweat shops. And, it's a greener choice too, with stricter environmental standards that are imposed and enforced by the EPA.

As you consider your wedding gown, buy American.  Thankfully, you have lots of options.  A number of top designers have stuck to American soil:

• Vera Bradley
• Lazaro & Jim Hjelm
• Carolina Herrera
• Oscar de la Renta
• Judd Waddell
• Amy Michelson
• Nicole Miller

For more All-American gowns, check out The Knot's Guide to Americana Weddings.

And while I am all for donning red-white-and-blue with pride, I would have a hard time pulling this one off....


But I salute you, American bride!

You Should Really Mind Your Own Beeswax...Candles...

The next time you want to set the mood, consider purifying the air too.

(A major thanks to Libuse Binder, author of Ten Ways to Change the World in Your Twenties, for this tip!)

While candles may be considered "green" from an energy-conservation standpoint, the majority are made with paraffin which is a petroleum-based ingredient.  When paraffin burns, it pollutes the air.

An excellent alternative to creating the soothing candlelit ambiance so many enjoy (for your wedding reception especially) is beeswax candles.

Unlike paraffin, beeswax actually purifies the air as it burns, releasing negative ions (as rainstorms and seashores do).  They also eliminate allergens in the air too and have a longer burn time than conventional candles (another plus for your wedding reception!).

In addition, beeswax is a renewable resource, utilizing the goods of local beekeeping farms, and the wicks are made from organic cotton.

For more on these products, visit Big Dipper Wax Works to see their lovely collection of handcrafted, eco-friendly candles and products.

And for your other celebrations, they even have citronella bug repelling candles and birthday candles!

The Greener Way to Buy Your Magazines.

Let’s say you’re hosting a party.

Oh wait- you are. 

So, Miss Planner Extraordinaire, isn’t it helpful to know exactly how many people to expect?  You wouldn’t want to waste money or time because you over-estimated, right?

Well, magazines are no different.  And if they know you like theirs, let them know so they can reduce their impact on the environment!

The stack of magazines that face you as you stand in the grocery line certainly present a temptation.  While you wait, why not browse the “Top 20 Bridal Dresses of the Year” or the “Bridesmaids Behaving Badly.”  (True story— I just read an article with that title.  I’m sure I have nothing to worry about though.... right, ladies?? ;-) )

Interestingly enough, buying that magazine on that newsstand (even if you will recycle it after) is not the most eco of choices. And here’s why:

Even if a newsstand sells the majority of its magazines (6 out of 10, let’s say) that means 52 million magazines per month are tossed.  According to the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA), that’s 600,000 tons of paper in a year that was completely wasted (source: E: the Environmental Magazine).

Even if they do get recycled, that’s a considerable amount of resources that were used for no reason other than to entertain your curiosities as you stand in the checkout line.

To be more economical (both in cost and for the environment), signing up for magazine subscriptions is the better solution!

Or, use the Internet.  In addition to some fantastic blogs (nudge, nudge... ;-) ), you can find many wedding tips on magazine’s websites. Eco-Beautiful Weddings (that I blogged about in a previous bost) is also a great e-resource.  

Or maybe just splurge and get yourself that iPad or Nook or Kindle so you can subscribe to any magazine you’d like.  It is for your wedding planning research afterall...

P.S., a Happy Birthday shout-out to my dear friend (and fellow bride-to-be) Becky!!  

Enjoy your day!  :-)

Sustainable... 'til death do us part.

And to conclude our discussion of eco-food terms... drum roll please...

Sustainable:
-the capacity to endure (Wikipedia.com).

When you think about it, the concept of sustainability translates perfectly to your future marriage, too.  Ok, ok... it's a bit cheesy (the organic kind).  But when you're making a commitment to endure a lifetime, you want to ensure its long term well-being.

So, here’s a bit of what you can do to endorse sustainable practices for the day that marks your sustainable union.

Companies that practice sustainability use natural resources wisely.  For businesses new to being green, or those that aren't well-versed in what it means to be sustainable, feel free to ask them to be!

Hey, if you’re making a heavy investment in this wedding of yours, you might as well tell them exactly what you want.  I have a feeling they’ll do their best to accommodate. 

Here are some sample sustainable questions to ask a caterer
(source: The Green Bride Guide by Kate Harrison):

• Is your produce from a local source?   Where exactly is it from?

• Is it possible to get local ingredients—if so, is there an extra cost?

• Can you serve free-range, grass-fed, or organic meat?

• Are there kosher options?

• Could we serve free-trade organic teas and coffee, milk, and sugar?

• Do you use local/organic wines or beer?

• When you wash the linens, will you use an earth-friendly detergent?  (I know you may feel a bit silly about asking this one, but the amount of chemical run-off going into our rivers is staggering... why not get people to start thinking about it?  For a fantastic eco detergent, I recommend Shaklee's Get Clean laundry line.

And for your weekly “green goodie,” treat yourself (and fiancée, family, and friends) this weekend to a suggestion from this website:

Dinegreen.com:
a directory for local restaurants that are committed to satisfying your hunger while sustaining our planet’s well-being!