We all realize the importance of doing things to protect our planet.  Even small acts can really make a difference.  And your wedding day is no exception.

Did you know that the average wedding emits 14.5 tons of carbon dioxide? (The average person emits 17.1 tons in a year).   Why not work to reduce your wedding’s footprint, no matter how “green” a bride you consider yourself to be.

Consider these eco-friendly ideas:

1) Stay local. The fewer guests that have to travel to your wedding (especially by airplane) the less impact it will have.  Hold your wedding where the majority of your guests live.

2) Reduce transportation needs.  Hold your ceremony and reception in the same place. Think about hiring a bus or trolley to transport your guests so they won’t need to use individual cars.

3) Choose a venue that recycles.  You’d be surprised to learn that not all venues do. Be sure to ask before booking.  If your venue doesn’t recycle, ask them to develop a plan for your wedding.

4) Select eco-friendly invitations and create a wedding website to tell your guests everything else. How beautiful are these invitations from Bella Figura (a wind-powered, carbon neutral letterpress shop).

5) Use flowers grown locally.  This will eliminate costly air transportation for your blooms.  And will prevent using flowers that may have been grown with toxic chemicals and pesticides.

6) Give eco-friendly favors: If you are giving favors, it is easy to find delightful eco friendly options.  Just take a peek at these adorable gifts from Favor Creative.

7) Wear a PreOwned Wedding Dress. (Of course this one is our favorite!)  But seriously, buying a gown that is PreOwned, or selling your new dress after you wear it, means that a beautiful wedding dress will be “recycled” and enjoyed by another bride. And that is a much better option than tucking it away in a closet for years.

Have a tip on greening your wedding? Please tell us and share your savvy.

Looking for a stylish way to express eco-conscious values at your wedding? For those of us who are green at heart, the creative minds at Night Owl Paper Goods offer the “Wood Wedding Collection.” These unique wedding invitations are inspired by nature, and custom printed on eco-friendly wood. You’ll feel good about sending these adorable invites to friends and family knowing they are derived from sustainably harvested birch. For me, the designs feel retro and modern at the same time. Here are a few of my favorites…

I love the subtle style of both the Rosette (shown [L]  in Scarlet) and the Zinnia (shown [R] in Lavendar). The unique color choices and designs make these invites stand out from the traditional crowd. Complement your invite style by adding save-the-dates, reply cards and place cards in the same pattern.

The Treetops save-the-date card (above) has a whimsical and modern design. The soft greens and browns look lovely against the birch wood background. Another bonus? These save-the-date cards are actually postcards — saving you money on postage while saving our resources.

Everything these design darlings do is fabulous, so I couldn’t help but share some of their other lovely offerings as well. They offer a full line of chic letterpress cards, stationary & invitations, as well as a lovely selection of gifts,  all produced using environmentally friendly practices. Fill the cute wooden letter holder with personalized stationary for a thoughtful bridesmaid’s gift. Or, give the adorable and functional tote bags (filled with yummy goodies) to out of town guests as a welcome gift.

Visit Night Owl Paper Goods to experience their amazing designs, and feel good about supporting a retailer who cares about our environment. You’ll be glad you did!

If you’re looking for a fresh face in the world of eco-friendly invites, here’s one with loads of style. I have absolutely fallen head over heels in love with the clean and modern designs of Up Up Creative. These fabulous invites make me want to get married all over again! Julie Green founded Up Up Creative (she’s the illustrator, designer and owner) after the birth of her son, when she yearned for a creative outlet. Committed to eco-friendly practices, all Up Up products are printed using FSC certified carbon neutral paper which is 80% post-consumer content. But don’t just love them because they’re green…fabulous design comes first, just check out some of my favorites below…

Julie’s color schemes are bold and playful, but never overstated. The oranges, pinks, soft browns and blues look original and stand out in a sea of traditional wedding invites. You can really make a statement with her one-of-a-kind designs, like the Stamen (above, right).

She offers a full range of invites, save-the-date cards, place cards, RSVPs thank you notes and more. The Big Zin (above) is another great design. I love the look of the classic font matched with bold pink color and the large floral design.

Julie is 100% committed to making each bride a happy one, and will work with couples until they get the exact product they desire. Her talent for quirky, charming phrasing is a real asset, and allows you to make your invite as personal as you like. She also offers a downloadable DIY option, which can make things super budget friendly. So if you’re looking to save the Earth and celebrate modern style, make sure to visit Up Up Creative to find your perfect wedding invites!

Fall finally arrived in my hometown last week… hooray! I feel like I have been waiting forever for crisp temperatures the chance to put on my favorite wool sweater and fleece-lined boots. So, naturally, I went looking for some fall wedding inspiration as well. I fell in love with these rustic wood accents. They’re the perfect decor for fall and winter weddings. They’re interesting, stylish, and because they are made with natural resources they’re also eco-friendly.

image via: Etsy

This beautiful handmade basket from Etsy would be perfect to hold wedding programs or favors. It’s lined with moss and adorned with lovely cream colored hand crafted paper flowers. Too pretty to hide away, it would surely be reused time and time again after the wedding.

Image courtesy of Orange Tree Wedding Blog

I love, love, love these fall centerpieces (above). They have such an elegance to them, the browns and greens are so great togther – and what would fall be without green apples?! These non-traditional centerpiece ideas are as functional as they are earth friendly.

image via: Inspired Occassions

Fall weddings and rustic decor are a perfect match. You can use branches from your own back yard to create this “tree” centerpiece (shown above, left). It serves two purposes, first cards hanging from the tree give guests their seating assignment. Second, guests use the back of the cards to write the bride and groom a note offering up their best advice on love & and marriage. DIY twig monogram letters (above, right)  are a unique way to add additional rustic style. Click here for more info on these DIY projects.

images via: valley&co.com and mybouquet.ca

Decorating with birch wood is a hot trend right now, and these centerpiece ideas have a fresh and modern feel. The light color of the wood feels almost like a “winter white.” You can buy birch bark tubes and logs from suppliers such as Natural Forest Products and SaveOnCrafts.com. Buy flowers from local growers and create your own economical and earth friendly wedding centerpieces.

image via: design sponge

I couldn’t resist this sweet little DIY project. This small birch tube holds a mini-arrangement, perfect for your flower girl. Click here for the how-to instructions.

So, on cool fall nights, curl up by the fire inside with your honey. But when your thinking about decorating for your fall or winter wedding, bring the outside in with lovely wood centerpieces and accents!