It is good to be greener in your outlook and want to have an eco-friendly wedding, but there are some eco-friendly options that will end up putting a hefty dent in your bank balance. Here are just a few ways that you can keep the cost down without compromising your greener beliefs.
Avoid paper!
If you want to send paper invitations then there are many eco-friendly ways to do it, but you can save a lot of money by avoiding paper altogether. Why not consider sending email invitations? You can create an e-card – and there are many sites out there that can help you with this – and send that instead. In many cases these are free to use, but there are a few sites where you pay a nominal fee. You can even set up a free website through which to send your invites – all you need is a little creativity!
Wedding outfits
Anyone who has gone shopping for a wedding dress recently will know that they can cost thousands. However, you can save by purchasing a second hand dress or by renting one just for the day. After all, while your wedding dress is something special you are only going to wear it once so what is the point of spending a lot of money? Renting and buying second hand are also options that are going to have far less of an impact on the environment than buying new. On the other hand, ask around in the family. Mothers, aunts and even grandmothers may still have their wedding dress tucked away and most will be only too happy to let you wear it as well.
Flowers
Flowers for your wedding can also be quite costly but you can remain green and save (a lot!) of money by growing your own flowers. This will take some planning and you will have to be getting ready for this months in advance to make sure that you have the right flowers. If you don’t already have things like rose bushes in your garden talk to friends, family and neighbors. Find out what they grow and what they are prepared to let you have for your wedding. You might have to be a little flexible by doing things this way. There is no guarantee that the next door neighbor’s rose bushes are going to produce the right amount of roses, for example, so you might have to get a little creative here too!
Photography
Hiring a photographer is expensive but you can save money by asking a friend or family member to take photographs for you on the day. Make sure that you opt for a digital camera so that there are no processing costs or chemicals involved and you can easily make copies of these and send them out to friends and family.
There are plenty of other ways that you can save money on the day. Think about ways to organize the catering so that you are not paying out too much money and consider the venue for the event too – every little aspect of the day costs but you can keep everything to a minimum with some forward planning.
Engagement Rings
At Ecoura you know our love for the environment runs deep and this is why all of our rings are made from renewed gold. We also plant a tree for every engagement ring purchase. Find out more about our commitment to preserving and protecting the Earth.