Yes…“Eco-chic”…that’s what they’re calling it now. The people, food, lighting, transportation, clothing, flowers and décor – it all amounts to well, A LOT! Photo by MaureenPortoPhotography.com
Try and be a responsible resident of Planet Earth while planning your next event. The good news is that going a little bit green is better than going dark. Rest assured though, the event does not have to be powered by a windmill in order to be considered “Eco Chic”.
Top Eco-Chic TIPS:
* Green Invitation! Rethink the invites you want to send to your guests. Evites are super easy and helps keep track of your RSVP’s with a click of a button. If you want to keep it old fashioned with paper invites, try using recycled paper.
* Take it Outside! Consider an outdoor venue like a botanical garden, the beach, or a beautiful park for your venue. The amount of energy used to house a wedding indoors is much greater than one hosted by nature! Be sure to make this a daytime event. You can’t then decide to do it at night with generators and full lighting!
* Eco-Friendly Cocktails! That’s right! Just because you are having an eco-friendly event doesn’t mean you have to ditch the fun details. When serving up a cocktail be sure to search for a local wine or beer company. Local is the best way to go – shipping from other countries requires a lot of fuel! That’s a big carbon footprint you don’t want to leave.
* Kid Friendly Drinks! Don’t forget about the kid friendly beverages! Go with glass or aluminum bottles, these are much easier to recycle compared to plastic bottles.
* Organic! Being completely organic with your food choices can increase your costs! Choosing a few unique organic dishes to serve will have little impact on your bottom line. Ask your caterer about buying from a local farmers market or co-op for your event!
* All Natural! Consider all natural favors for your guests! The Party Goddess! loves to incorporate succulents into centerpieces. Create a centerpiece for each table that incorporates several small potted plants that can break away for your guests to take home.
Random Eco-Chic FACTS & FIGURES:
* The average wedding emits 14.5 tons of carbon dioxide into the air we all share, which is more than one single person emits in a full year!
* Although the light bulb was invented to help mankind see in the dark, indoor lighting use peaks between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
* In America we recycle only 28% of the trash we produce.
* 1 recycled glass bottle would save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.
* 70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials.
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