4 Simple Home Proposal Ideas that Won't Add Carbon Footprint

Almost all activities on Earth that involve machines contributes to carbon production. Dining, communicating, shopping, and travel are some of our daily activities that are major sources of carbon footprint.

It's empowering to know you are saving the planet once in a while. Considering the effects of your choice is one way to minimize carbon footprint. That's why think about an important milestone in your life like a wedding proposal. Make it as impactful to the planet as it is to your loved ones by going for home proposal ideas that won't add carbon footprint.

Below are four ideas to improve your proposal.

1. Bring Out the Dessert

Ask your loved one to a backyard picnic. If you have a rest house in the countryside, pick a spot with a view of the sunset. Get on one knee during the golden moment to have a picture-perfect moment.

You can also pop the question after eating the delicious meal you brought. Place the ring on top of the pie, pudding, cake or with it. You can ask your partner to get it out of the container. If it's IN the dessert, take the initiative to get a slice and give to him or her.

Maximize the picnic set by extending the event until the night. Leisurely walk in the area or watch the stars in the sky. The gem on the ring will seem like a star in your hand once the warm glow of candles and backdoor lights shines over it.

2. Follow the Flowers

There's nothing more romantic, elegant, and eco-friendly than walking to a path lined with fresh flowers. The type of flowers depends on the part of the home you want to propose. If the way leads indoors, consider potted plants and petals to spell it out or enclose the ring box.

You can also go the high route by growing the flowers in your garden or nursery and replanting them once you are ready to ask the question. That way, you hit two birds with a stone. You have a decorated outdoors and partner who'll walk down the aisle.

3. Blindfold Suprise

It takes some trusting before someone agrees you guide them to a path. It doesn't matter if it's just walking in the house. Living without vision is terrifying. That's why placing a blindfold over a loved one is challenging. They might fight back or curse at you for taking them on an ambush.

Go on a trust walk by pulling down the blindfolds in your home and going on different routes to get to your destination. Make sure it's a secluded spot they'll be happy to stay. A backyard camping in a house and lot for sale Cavite is one exciting way to finish the outdoor proposal idea.

4. Take Some Notes

You are taught to write correctly since your youth. The next DIY marriage proposal is easy to execute but requires a few elements. If your home is near the beach or has a beach house available for rent or visit - think Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind - you can draw on the sand. Once done, bring your loved one over to what you created while you get down on your knee. Ask someone to capture the moment so you can recall on the silly yet one-in-a-lifetime moment.

If you want to propose during winter time, you can gather some snow and pack them until they form the letters. Use red coloring or food color to spell out the "Will you marry me in the snow?"

Wedding proposals need not be grand or expensive. They don't have flashy and store-bought materials. There are no right or wedding proposals, just eco-conscious and Earth-friendly ones. Utilizing what you have in homes such as the areas of the house or the supplies are enough as props to an intimate marriage proposal.

4 Most Common Eco-Friendly Wedding Themes

Sometimes, it is easier to choose a provider of catering in Manila, reception venue and wedding date than choosing your wedding theme. Don’t get me wrong, but the choices of wedding themes are endless. This cannot be said, however, when it comes to eco-friendly weddings. Forget about the headaches – here comes some of the most common green wedding themes.

1) Rustic

Rustic weddings tend to be very sentimental. These weddings are usually heartwarming, sweet and diverse. Rustic weddings are filled with character from textures to patterns to other intricate details. One common aspect of this wedding theme is natural organics such as twigs, dried leaves, barks and trees. There are also handmade wooden materials as well as lace, linen, plaid, burlap, checks and wool.

Some say that rustic weddings are not a trend or fad, but a style that every couple can pull off. Shabby chic is the most common yet less dominant theme.

2) Vintage

Vintage weddings are like out-of-this-modern-world wedding. These weddings take inspiration from the past century from the Victorian era to the 70’s and 80’s. The style depends on which era you choose. For instance, if you opt for a funky and retro style wedding of the 1950’s, make sure you have rock and roll, big skirts, ginger beers, lemonades, alcopops and of course, an Audrey Hepburn-inspired wedding gown.

These weddings are also nostalgic. Tulles and full skirts are frequently used. Candlesticks, tea cups and candelabras and bunting are also commonly used as décors. With all these, making a wedding more vintage is a matter of personal preferences.

Vintage weddings tend to be very glamorous and sophisticated that’s why some people mistaken vintage wedding as an expensive wedding. This is not always the case. In fact, there are many choices of vintage wedding at a fraction of the price. For these weddings, the flea markets are surely a go-to place.

3) Beach

Beach weddings are straightforward. Nonetheless, a beach wedding needs not be conducted on the shores. Anywhere in the resort property is okay. Beach weddings are for couples who do not want as much fuss and special issues that go with wedding preparations.

Beach weddings can be whimsical or goofy if you want. It can be also large or small and romantic. Beach weddings can be extremely private with just a few of your family and friends. Beach weddings are perfect for those couples who are looking to cut back on spending.

4) Garden

Garden weddings are typically held outdoors and on flower gardens. Like beach weddings, the goal is emphasizing the great outdoor setting, taking advantage of the sun, wind and anything natural and the particular playfulness that comes with them. Garden weddings are very versatile as well since they can be thrifty or opulent.

Garden weddings can be anywhere that the couples choose which may include a nicely groomed backyard. The premise is that the setting itself becomes the picturesque backdrop of the wedding. The trees, the flower, the grass… everything!

What is good about these wedding themes is the opportunity of combining any of the two to come up with your dream wedding theme. For instance, you can have a garden rustic style shabby chic wedding. Bear in mind that weddings are highly subjective and personalized which means you can integrate as many relevant and related elements if you want.

No matter which environmentally-friendly wedding theme you choose, don’t forget to reflect your personalities. Your wedding should be an extension of who you truly are. After all, a wedding is all about the two of you who are tying the knot to become one. With this, your wedding will surely be remembered!

Sources: Heart.Love.Always.com | TheWeddingDecorator.com | LoveMyDress.net | WedAlert.com

Image credit: AllWeddingDresses.co.uk | HWBWeddings.com | SimpleWeddingsFlorida.com | YesBabyDaily.com

Creative Ideas to Perk Up Your Wedding

Traditions are fine until they get boring. Weddings can be generic and predictable. But why would you want your wedding to be ‘typical’ when it can be extravagant altogether – from the theme to wedding catering – ? ‘Extravagant’ doesn’t mean pricey in this context, but rather and exceptional and inimitable that makes your guests rave about your wedding days after it occurred.

Here are some fascinating, almost-quirky ideas to make your wedding the next talk of the town. And hey, some of the ideas are really eco-friendly! Of course, you don’t want your carbon footprints to add up, right?

1) Have your guests write their wishes and remarks on plates or tablecloths and used them during special occasions in the future like your first anniversary instead of the usual guest book.

2) Pick a particularly special start time of the wedding ceremony like 4:37 which is the exact time you said yes to his proposal.

3) Have your bridesmaids carry a special bouquet made from their most favorite native flowers and then combine all their favorite flowers into your own bouquet.

4) Mass transport your guests from the church to the reception such as through a hot air balloon ride or horse-drawn carriage, if logistically possible.

5) Create a custom ‘Welcome Bag’ stuffed with a guest’s favorites from mini bottles of bubbly or gift certificates to a local spa or shop.

6) Ask your florist to set up a DIY station with all the needed supplies like blooms, ribbons and pins and have your guests create their own corsage and boutonniere. Local blooms only.

7) Arrange a room for the kids complete with snacks, drinks, pillows, blankets, toys, etc., and of course a babysitter or two.

8) Set up a bubbly bar full of in-season fruit purees, citrus twists and even flavored ice cubes where your guests can customize their champagne before the toast.

9) Set up a video booth instead of a photo booth where the guests can record their messages and wishes to both of you.

10)  Revolutionize the reception with creative up-lighting such as falling snow or leaves, geometric patterns or pictures of you together to transform the plain walls into something worth-staring at.

11) Create a wedding website, regularly update the site including details of the planning and integrate some social media widgets on it so visitors can share, like or tweet the updates. What a great way to save papers and trees!

12) Organize a pre-wedding camp or field day for the entourage so they’d get acquainted with one another before the big day.

13)  Put a line that read ‘Wanna Dance? What Song?’ on the RSVP card and let them pick up to three songs.

14) Have your grandmothers as your flower girls or you may even have your grandfathers escort them.

15) Imitate your love story on the aisle runner where every guest can have a glimpse on how you two started dating.

16) Decorate the comfort rooms with your childhood photos and remember the wackier, the better.

17) Have your guests dive face-first on a foot-long ice cream parade in various flavors or banana split.

18) Have the guests leave a message for both of you and let them put it into your anniversary piñata.

19) Create countdown signs and post them on your official Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page daily. Again, cut down on paper usage!

20) Style the aisle runner with photos, texts, flowers or any objects that reflect both of your personalities instead of plain white or red carpet. DIY is great.

21) Imprint table numbers on jars or boxes containing your favorite snacks that can hold the guests until the arrival of the main course.

22) Provide the guests with markers and stamps and ask them to encircle a word in the dictionary that best describes you as newlyweds.

23) Give reception tables their own nicknames such as places you’ve visited together when you became a couple.

24) Order a wedding cake in multiple tiers with different flavors on each tier and have your guests take a piece of their preferred tier. Alternatively, have a fruit-bowl-like wedding cake!

25) Held a trivia quiz about the two of you and present the persons that give the right answers with a unique gift like a gardening kit.

26) Create a wedding video that spans from the preparation to the reception and beyond.

Some weddings can get pretty boring and predictable, but not yours. You can pick any of these enthralling wedding ideas. Whichever you choose though, remember that a wedding is all about creativity and individuality – two ingredients that make any wedding truly standout. 

Image credits: KarenHarveycox.com | JoannaFassinger.com | GreenWeddingShoes.com | UnitedWithLove.com | InspiredBride.net | Blog.TheKnot.com | OneWed.com | Bride.net | WeddingPaperDivas.com

And the Green Wedding of the Year Awards Goes to... Brangelina!

We can only envy Angie since she didn’t stress herself out in preparing her wedding. Unlike most of the brides-to-be here in the Philippines, we think A LOT whether to hire a catering service in Manila or a catering Alabang; whether to have the wedding rites at Our Lady of Remedies, San Agustin Church or Binondo Church; whether to have the reception at Palaciode Maynila, Kaisa Heritage Center or The Atrium at Bulwagang Recoletos and more.

Leave it to Brangelina (Brad Pitt + Angelina Jolie) for having such a small yet ‘grand’ wedding! Well, it is not the Hollywood ‘grand’ that we are talking about with A-listers on the guest list, but just the grandness of how everything was put together. Indeed, it deserves the ‘Green Wedding of the Year Award’ if there is such a thing. Everyone’s talking about it soon after everyone learned the two are dating, but the wedding is not your traditional wedding. In fact, it will never be ordinary. Below are the details.

The flowers

There were no floral arrangements although there were pink oleander bloom petals which the flower girls threw in just before Angie walk down the aisle.

Angelina carried an informal bouquet made from wild flowers freshly picked out of the garden. Her bouquet includes sweetly scented white valerian. The bouquet also has oleander leaves.

The gown

Created by Luigi Massi of Atelier Versace, Angie has a very distinctive concept in her mind. She wanted her wedding gown to be a reflection of her family that she had already built with Brad long before their special day. The hand-designed antique lace and silk gown and veil became a huge canvas that showcased the creativity of her kids. Pictures of zebras, drum kits and Eiffel tower were featured on the gown.

Her something borrowed was a small gold locket with her mom’s pic on it.

As for Brad, he wore a suit straight from his closet. Yes, it is not even new. He also borrowed a tie from one of his sons since he forgot to pack one for him.

As for the kids, the four boys donned cream linen black suits. Shiloh wore shorts and a hat. Zahara wore an Adama Kebe-designed outfit while Vivienne wore a little white dress she has been seen on a couple of times before the wedding day.

The party

The bridal party is rather small. Their eldest sons Maddox and Pax walked with Angeline side-by-side down the aisle. Zahara and Vivienne were the flower girls. Knox and Shiloh were the ring bearers. If you are asking, yes, it happened. One of the ring bearers accidentally dropped the wedding ring on the floor.

The ring

Jeweler Robert Procop, who designed the couple’s engagement ring, also designed the wedding bands. The 16-carat emerald-cut diamond ring worth $500,000 was created based on Brad’s designs with distinctive facets and elongated shapes complete with a galaxy of smaller graduated stones.

A long-time friend and collaborator, Procop only sources his gold, platinum and gemstones from conflict-free areas specifically from Kimberley Process Certification Scheme-compliant countries.

It took one year to finish the ring. The media dubbed the ring as the diamond ring that launched a thousand tabloid covers!

The church

Angie and Brad wed at a chapel at Chateau Miraval, an eco-friendly estate owned by the couple found in an ancient village in Correns, France. Correns is regarded as the very first organic village in the country.

Angie entered the chapel to the tune of Brad and their children’s and the guests humming of ‘Here Comes the Bride.’ The wedding march was played on the newlywed’s way out.

The vows

Their six children helped in writing their respective wedding vows. They enlisted their help to ensure that all the words are extra special and personal.

The reception

The 1,000-acre estate features a lake, lush forestry, olive trees and vineyards. It is also equipped with an indoor pool, gyms and a spa. This is the same house where Brad proposed to Angelina in March 2012.

The food

There were only a total of 23 people present at the über-intimate wedding. Angie had her actor brother, James Haven and the rest were from Brad’s side. The guests were served with home-cooked meals. The delicious menu used only the freshest, locally-grown ingredients such as sea bass. They drank wine prepared at Brad’s personal vineyard.

The cake

Pax baked the wedding cake with the help of some of his friends. It was baked on the premise itself.

Brangelina decided to tie the knot in what we call a categorically understated, super relaxed ceremony. This is not what everybody expects, but it only shows how committed the two to their advocacies. To sum it up: The global eco-village community will never forget August 23!

Source: Ecouterre | Glamour Magazine UK | US Magazine Weekly | Global Cool

Eco-Friendly Wedding Invitation Ideas

There’s a lot of things going in the mind of the bride – wedding date, wedding gown, wedding invites, wedding catering, etc. Of all these though, invitations should not be much of a problem. For any ethical wedding, an eco-friendly invitation is a must. Here are some of the eco-friendliest ideas for the invitation.

1) Recycled paper

This is a no-brainer. You can gather unused papers at home and work. You can even ask your friends to give you some of theirs if it is okay with them. Surely, it will be. That is, if you want to make your own invitations. Aside from the papers, you only need to buy embellishments and a calligraphy pen.

Alternatively, you can buy recycled papers on your local supplies store or even online. There are lots of choices online, and you can even match the colors to the overall theme of the wedding. Again, that is, if you are going to DIY.

If not, pre-made recycled invites are also available. You can customize the invitations to be uniquely yours for a small fee. Some vendors don’t even require a customization fee. Some even include the envelope for the price of $1 per invite for flat, single colored invitations.

If you don’t want a pre-made invitation, most vendors have in-house designers. They will create digital proofs based on your requirements for you to approve. If you are happy with the proof, then you can place your order. Final approval comes next prior to printing.

Of course, it will be printed on recycled papers as per your instruction using equally green ink. An example is soy-based ink. While the ink takes a while to dry, the benefits are all worth it. For instance, soy-based ink releases only about 2 to 4% of volatile compounds.

If you are buying from an ethical shop, chances are, the ink that they are using are also environmentally-friendly. Better ask the provider to make sure.

2) Plantable papers

Plantable papers are embedded with native seeds which, obviously, can be planted. This is the current trend when it comes to green wedding as it is a unique way to let others know of your advocacy. It can also be a great remembrance of your wedding day.

Online shops that offer plantable wedding invitations are continuously growing in numbers. Some vendors sell on a per piece basis (as low as $5 per invite) and in bulk ($250 per 50 pieces). The price is for premium seed papers. Most vendors also include a plain envelope for bulk orders.

3) Paperless

In reducing your wedding footprint, you might as well create a digital wedding invite. Facebook is a good place for a temporary web page, but you may want to consider a wedding website of your own – one that concentrates on the event itself.

Here’s the good news. Online is a myriad of free website building tools. It may be in the form of a blog where you can document and publish wedding details as they progress.

Apart from being free, there are other perks of creating your very own wedding website. The site allows the to-be-weds like you to put everything in one place – galleries, registry, map, etc. You can also create a page as your digital invite that you can send or share directly to your friends’ email inbox. In this way, your friends can simply an RSVP confirmation email back.

It is with great honor, pride, excitement and anticipation to receive a wedding invitation. What more when it comes to receiving chic, rustic invitation that speaks volume of what you truly care about as a person? Evidently, eco-invites need not be expensive. Sometimes, the meaning behind the invites itself is more than enough; it’s priceless!

Finding Eco-Friendly Wedding Gowns

If you are planning a green wedding in Manila, Philippines, the catering and venue are the very last thing that you should stress yourself with. There are hundreds of catering providers locally. Hizon’s Catering, which is the best wedding caterer in the Philippines, for instance, can match events with ideal venues whether it’d be a catering in Manila or nearby provinces and whether it will be an all-organic feast or not. Hizon’s is accredited to over 250 world-class venues.

What you should stress yourself about is your wedding gown. In the US, the choices of eco-friendly wedding gown designers are limited. What more in the Philippines?

The dilemma

We are talking about green weddings here, and one aspect of such is reducing the price and buying an item that can be recycled or reused. Regardless though, every bride wants to look ravishing on her wedding day. This means finding the best gown that fits your earth-friendly lifestyle.

There are many international designers, but again their costs may be too high for a green wedding. There are also local designers who cater to your requirements, but be reminded that they do not specialize in green wedding gowns. If you are going to have the gown made from scratch, be prepared financially since the cost may go up to $2,000 or even more.

Fundamentally, you can always buy online such as from Etsy although you must have a way to take a ‘good look’ at it somehow to establish the fit otherwise you have to return and have the wedding gown shipped in the Philippines again, a costly process definitely.

The solutions

All brides have their own styles, and some have their own eco-style to look for. If you are from another part of the world, the best way to ensure you can wear an eco-couture wedding gown is to buy abroad and hand-carry or have it shipped here.

There are eco-couture designers who consistently launch their collections of eco-friendly wedding gowns. Also, designers such as Chris Kole, Adele Wechsler, Justin Alexander, Katherine Feiel, Tara Lynn, Pure Magnolia and Wai Ching also accommodate custom wedding gown. Most of the designers also offer wedding gowns for as low as $100. Some even rent brand new wedding dresses.  

The wedding gowns are local and handmade. The environmentally-friendliest wedding gowns are made from organic hemp or silk, organic cotton, bamboo silk, vegetable dyed silks and with organic design elements. Some designers use vintage or remnant fabrics for their individually hand-cut gowns.

Some of the designers also offer alterations of used wedding gowns. If designer prices, which can go anywhere $500 to $3,000, are not in your scheme of things, you can start the search through prowling the local thrift stores or consignment shops. Just remember when buying vintage dresses, it is wise to go for bigger dresses than smaller ones if you want it altered. Alterations are usually around $40 to $60.

After the wedding, if you want to repurpose your wedding gown, you can donate it to Brides Against Breast Cancer or I Do Foundation. The foundation will sell or auction your gown, and the proceeds will go straight to the foundation’s advocacy funds.

Further, the search for your green wedding attire doesn’t stop at finding the perfect wedding gown. Of course, you also need to find the right pair of shoes to go with your dress. Some options for eco-worthy wedding shoes are Moshops, Beyond Skin and Olsen Haus. The shoes and sandals are perfect for any wedding. The best part is the shoes can be used over and over on various occasions.

Sometimes, weddings are not about where you want to marry, but more about how you want your wedding to be remembered. Not all couples-to-be are bold enough to have their weddings as earth-friendly as they want it to be. Unfortunately, you need to bring with you your organic wedding gown to the Philippines if you want to marry here since the choices of eco-designers are limited. Anyhow, bringing your gown or having it shipped here in the Philippines is easy-peasy.   

Choices for Environmentally-Friendly Wedding Venues

The average wedding in the Philippines costs ₱100,000 which covers church, venue, attire, invitation, photo and video coverage, cake and catering service in Manila or anywhere you want. The biggest portion of the budget must be devoted to the food and skimp on other elements such as the venue. This doesn’t mean that you cannot have the best venue for your event though. Here are some of the cheapest yet the most environmentally-friendly wedding venues.
 

Parks

Parks are great for outdoor weddings. Some parks even have gazebos, mini fountains and ponds perfect for picture-taking. Simply, parks provide the most breathtaking backdrop for any wedding minus the high price. We have 35 national parks in the Philippines. Authorities having jurisdiction over these properties may have specific permit requirements. Get in touch with the local authority regarding such.

Beaches

Public beaches are also cheap alternatives for beach weddings. These beaches have the basic facilities such as decks, halls and gardens where the reception can be held. There are also small family-owned beaches in the southern part of Manila that you may consider. Government-operated beaches also require permits. Stringent rules also apply.

Campuses

Universities in the Philippines have conference rooms, chapels, lagoons, gardens, fields, etc. for both the ceremony and reception. These areas can accommodate as many as 150 guests. These can be rented out for a minimal fee.

Libraries

In the Philippines, there are at least 7 major public libraries, 5 privately-owned libraries open to the public and 38 community libraries. Most of these libraries have meeting rooms and canteens or cafeteria where ceremony and reception can be held, respectively. Some libraries require a fee, but some are free, but you need to write them a letter of request or secure permits from the local government unit.

Backyards

If your backyard is expansive enough to accommodate up to 100 guests, then why go anywhere else? You can have your wedding at your backyard. If you don’t have that kind of backyard, you can ask one of your friends if you can use his or her backyard for your wedding. Offer him or her a rental fee although he or she might probably decline. Hey, just helping you out on your big day may mean a lot to your friend.

Historic sites

Historic sites are also ideal wedding venues. The Philippines boasts of at least 28 historic sites where weddings can be held including Paco Park Garden. Also, some churches near these historic sites are regarded as world heritage sites such as San Agustin Church in Manila.

Restaurants

Restaurants are perfect for smaller wedding. More and more eco-friendly restaurants are sprouting like mushrooms in Manila and Quezon City including Earth Kitchen, Corner Tree Café, Le Bistro Vert, Likha Diwa sa Gulod, Pipino, Quantum Café and Rawvolution. Some of these restaurants have banquet rooms where you can held the wedding privately. The best part? You can treat your guests to earth-friendly menu.

Museums

Most museums here in our country have ornate woodworks, decorative chandeliers, high ceilings and other important décors that can add uniqueness to your wedding. There are 28 national museums in the Philippines. Also, in Metro Manila alone, there are 42 museums and art galleries to choose from.

Botanical gardens

Botanical gardens are suitable for both indoor and outdoor weddings. Not because they are called gardens they won’t have any facility fit for a wedding. There are 9 recorded botanical gardens locally, two of which are found in Manila and another two in Quezon City.


Choosing a wedding venue should be easy, that is, if you know what to look for. The places noted above are just some suggestions. Of course, you can always decide to wed anywhere you want as long as the place is spacious enough to accommodate the number of your guests. Some of these wedding venues may be free, but for most of them, you need to pay less than ₱10,000 for the use of the venue and its facilities. Anyhow, you can save on the décors since these venues offer the most natural and ‘free’ decorations. How’s that for an eco-friendly wedding?

Green Weddings 101: How to Make Your Wedding Eco-Friendly (Part 3)

We’ve discussed in the second part how you can plan a green wedding including invitation, attire, reception, flowers, décors, gifts and parties. Finally, we will look into food, ceremony, jewelry, makeup, photography, favors, transportation and honeymoon. For food, the emphasis is on choosing the best catering services in Philippines. Again, here are some practicalities that will keep your sanity and creativity at the same time.

Food

Food can affect the sustainability of any green wedding. One of the common practices is having local growers as food suppliers, thereby eliminating the amount of chemicals used in producing and the amount of emissions released in transporting.

Green caterers frequently have contacts with local suppliers whom they can work with in adding organic elements on the food where possible. Some couples request their caterers to customize the menu and make it more vegan or vegetarian.

Find the wedding caterer who can pick the best seasonal fruits and ingredients for you because you might not be able to taste test them ahead of time. Local produce needs lesser fridge time and lesser packaging thereby producing lesser wastage.  

The same goes with the wedding cake wherein organic, in-season ingredients are used in reducing chemical use further. So, there is no need for the cake to travel miles to the wedding reception, reducing carbon footprint in the process. Don’t use plastic toppers. Choose fruits or flowers instead.

If there are leftovers, couples may choose to have them composted. Untouched foods are also donated to a homeless shelter locally.

Ceremony

Regardless of wedding, ceremonial paraphernalia are used. In the Philippines, weddings are not complete without rings, arrhae, candles, veils and cords. Veils and cords used can be made from organic fibers while the candles are made from beeswax.

Red carpets are usually used in local weddings although some couples may choose a personally-designed aisle runner. The runner can be made from organic cloth as well.

Jewelry

Wedding rings are a must. They are symbolically important. Blood or conflict diamonds are a big no-no. These are the diamonds mined in conflict areas. Instead, couples often consider buying from eco-conscious jewelers that use recycled metals and stones in their rings. Some jewelers strictly enforce the use of ethically sourced diamonds and other gems. These are sustainable luxuries that you cannot afford to miss on your wedding.

Other less expensive options are re-fashioned family heirlooms or antique jewels for a wedding ring or buying handcrafted rings. These are the most common choices not just for wedding rings, but also for engagement rings.

There are couples who opt to wear wooden wedding bands in place of metal bands.

Makeup

On average, a lipstick wearer absorbs 4 lbs. of lipstick over her entire lifetime. Cosmetics, like lipsticks and other makeups, have toxic chemicals in them. Instead, use all-natural beauty products for the bride and bridesmaids. Organic hair products should be also used.

Some brides seek out local green salons for her wedding day to style and makeup the female members of the entourage.

Photography

What’s a wedding without a photographer to capture the special moments? Most photographers today had already migrated to digital. Digital photography means paperless, chemical-free way to cover the event. In fact, digital photographers simply gave newlyweds choices on which photos to print.

Green photographers who use rechargeable batteries, 100% recycled photo papers, non-toxic inks and LED or CFL bulbs are a good choice.

Finally, you may also ask your families and friends to bring a digicam with them. Just make sure they will share the photos perhaps on Flickr, Snapfish or even Facebook. In this way, you don’t have to hire several photographers.

Favors

Favors are trinkets that some guests may choose to throw to the garbage bin. Instead, couples choose to make a small donation in the name of their guests to an advocacy. You may give your guest a choice of charities to donate.

Some weddings, on the other hand, opt for non-wasteful favors such as seedlings or mini potted window or table plants, echoing the values of the wedding. Couples may also choose to plant a tree and name it after a guest.

Other options are homemade jams, gourmet organic chocolates, bags of dried or fresh organic herbs, organic coffee or tea, reusable bags and organic soaps and other skin care products. Make sure the containers are reusable also.

Transportation

Transportation to and fro the church to the venue is another must for weddings. Typically, the couples arrive in cars and guests travel separately. Cars are a leading contributor of air pollution.

Some to-be-weds decide to hold their ceremony and reception at the same place or close to one another (as in walking distance) so there’s no need for frequent transports. There are couples who chose to transport their guests in batch through alternative energy buses.

There are couples who arrange carpools to travel from an agreed place to the church and then to the venue. This minimizes emission while having them acquainted with one another in a less yet fun way.

Honeymoon

About 99% of the newlyweds in the US will go to a honeymoon. The choice of honeymoon destination can also reduce the impact. For instance, newlyweds may choose ecologically sensitive areas. They may also go to eco-tourism options. They may choose green hotels or accommodations such as family-operated bed and breakfast or lodging inn that opt to help in conserving resources. Both of you are going to spend most of your time in the hotel anyway.

Couples ensure that what they are spending will go to the local economy by choosing local vacation options instead of traveling abroad. Choose a location where people and environment will benefit because of that choice.

Whether it’d be in the Philippines or elsewhere, there are various ways to have a green wedding minus the need to sacrifice style and elegance. Eco-friendly weddings are like your traditional weddings without the waste. All aspects of a wedding have sustainable options to consider during planning. Whether you want an earth-friendly element in a wedding or two or go completely green from the decors to the foods, remember going green always makes a difference.

Green Weddings 101: How to Make Your Wedding Eco-Friendly (Part 2)

In the first part, we’ve tackled what a green wedding is and what it entails. Now here’s the main question: how to plan a green wedding? There are several aspects of a wedding to look at – from the invites down to the Philippines catering provider. Nonetheless, there is a surefire way of making an aspect as green as possible. Here are the practicalities involved in planning a green dream wedding.

Invitation

Weddings cannot be completely paperless. Impossible! You will need papers for save-the-date, seating program, RSVP card, seating card, menu card, thank you card, maps, guestbook, etc. Old-style paper-making is not only an energy-intensive process, but it also produces chemical wastes.

While invitations are not the sole aspect where papers are needed, the choice of the right paper products is mostly consider for such. Some sustainable options for invitations are recycled papers, DIY invite kits and tree-free milled papers. Some use postcard-like or one-page invites with detachable response cards.

If you are going to let a local printing service provider to do your invitations, make sure that it is using chlorine-free and plantable or recycled papers, vegetable or soy-based inks and eco-friendly printers.

Some couples go the extra mile to use the Internet instead and send out electronic invites to their families and friends. There are couples who create their own wedding website and put all the information there. For instance, if you have guests traveling from other countries, you can put information about green hotels or transports in your area.  

Attire

Wedding dresses contribute greatly to waste as well. In pursuing a sustainable wedding, the couples may choose to have their dresses borrowed or rented. If they opt to buy the dresses, they make sure that the dresses are manufactured by companies that advocate green business practices. The dresses themselves must be made from organic fibers like hemp silk to ensure minimal impact during production.

Nonetheless, there are bride-to-be’s who chose to wear vintage or re-purposed gowns instead of buying a new one. Some brides alter their wedding gowns so they can be recycled into new dresses or can be worn again.

For the entourage, the dresses are usually designed so they may be re-worn in the future. One-time use is never a principle of green weddings. Actually, there are eco-couture designers who clearly understand how the environmental conscience thinks.  

Unique recycled accessories may be worn by the females.

Reception

Wedding venues set the tone of the event. Some couples choose a same-venue ceremony and reception while some choose to provide eco-friendly transportation. However, there are those who pick a local spot for a reception like an art gallery, organic farm, heritage park or botanical garden. Some choose outdoor settings to minimize the need for décors. The natural backdrops will serve as your décor minus more cash to spend on it.

Some couples even arrive either on a horse-drawn carriage or rickshaw although another popular option is a hybrid car.

Make sure that the venue has comprehensive recycling processes or facilities.

Flowers

Weddings are not complete without flowers. When picking flowers for the wedding, however, a conscious choice should be those that are grown locally, seasonally and organically without using any fertilizer, pesticide or other chemicals in nurturing them. These not only release harmful chemicals, but they may also contaminate drinking supplies and waterways.

Local flowers are commonly chosen as there is no need for long transports; the longer the transportation, the higher the amount of gas emitted to the surrounding. The couples often pick organic florist as a supplier other than growing the flowers that they intend to use on their wedding.

Some brides may collaborate with their florist to come up with simple designs that require less number of flowers or faux flowers that can be used as décors later after the wedding ceremony.

Yet another practice is deciding early on what to do with these flowers post-wedding. The couples may replant the flowers if possible or donate it to the local chapel or church for ornamenting the altars. Hospitals also accept donated flowers.

Decors

Décors are present on both the ceremonies and receptions. In reducing one-time utility, some couples choose to use the same wedding ceremony décors on their receptions. Buying more flowers than usual is thereby eliminated.

For other couples, selecting ‘pre-decorated’ venues is preferred such as forest parks and farm resorts. They also use seasonal décors such as gathering sea shells nearby to decorate the place during summertime. For all-time earth-friendly appeal, decorate the venue with twigs, berries, live plants, etc. Whatever décor you have in mind, location and season are good sources of inspiration.

There are weddings that made use of stylish glasses as centerpieces. They just stuck them with ornamental stones and few stalks of flowers. For candelabra centerpieces, choose soy-based or beeswax candles.

Have the flower girls throw organic rose petals or biodegradable confetti. Refrain from releasing butterflies. 

Gifts

An average wedding can have as many as 200 guests. Each guest spends from $20 to $100 (₱500 to ₱4,000). Soon-to-wed couples ask their guests to buy gifts for the local charity dwellers. Or, they create a registry full of earth-friendly items from gardening supplies to organic linens to organic restaurant certificates and more. You may register with stores that sell eco-friendly products.

You may ask for small contributions for a green honeymoon as well. Just be discreet because majority of us Filipinos regard asking for money as downright tacky.

Parties

Bachelorette and bachelor parties are still big these days. Keep the sustainable theme going by going local. Most couples forego the parties, but if they decide to have one, they can choose a local destination and have the caterer serve local foods and drinks.

The bachelorette party can be conducted on organic spa treatment houses. Or, they can spend the day learning how to make wedding bouquets and other arrangements or DIY aisle runner. Any low-impact activity will do such as camping. The same goes with the stag party.

That’s all for Part 2. You see you’ll never run out of choices on planning a green wedding. We’ll take a look at other equally important components of a wedding in the last part. 

Green Weddings 101: How to Make Your Wedding Eco-Friendly (Part 1)

Green is a popular option for wedding color motifs in the Philippines. However, green weddings or eco-friendly weddings have yet to grace the industry, but they aren’t totally unheard of. In fact, environment-friendly favors are widely used on local weddings especially due to the abundance of sustainable raw materials like abaca (Manila hemp) and recycled Kraft paper. In some instances, environment-friendliness is evident on organic catering services wherein the provider serves dishes made from locally grown ingredients.

If you are planning a full-pledged eco-friendly wedding in the Philippines, congratulations! In here, you’ll find ideas, insights and tips on how you can further please Mother Earth. Let’s start with discussing what a green wedding is. Be reminded that the discussion will be divided into three parts. 

Eco-friendly wedding defined

An eco-friendly wedding refers to any wedding wherein the couple attempts at decreasing the overall impact of the event. Sustainable alternatives from invitations down to the dresses are integrated. 

Further, these weddings are characterized by the conscious resources consumption which may span the processes of choosing sustainable wedding receptions, deliberately ignoring traditional practices that are considered unsustainable (like buying diamond rings) and recycling wastes accumulated during the event. 

Couples who are living a green lifestyle want their weddings to reflect such lifestyle and what they truly care about. For them, green wedding is not only a continuum of their eco-conscious lifestyle, but also an opportunity where they can raise awareness on the importance of sustainability in both our daily existence and during celebrations. 

Basic principles of green weddings

One of the key concepts in having a sustainable wedding is ensuring that most of the items used will not become waste quickly. This may include disposables and ornaments. 

Green weddings take ‘something old’ and ‘something borrowed’ seriously since couples usually prefer recycled or rented items to go with the wedding instead of buying them new. In this way, the amount of waste can be controlled.  

Despite the glee of the event, weddings leave behind tons of wastes that may have long-term impacts on the environment which should not be the case. Did you know an average wedding generates 400 to 600 lbs. of garbage?

Other core values are evident on planning the wedding itself. The main concern is preventing and reducing harmful environmental impacts directly or indirectly through proper choices of resources. In the US alone, the equivalent of American weddings is 8.3 million of cars driving annually, producing 63 tons of carbon dioxide in the air. 

Aside from transportation itself, transport of textiles, papers and flowers and other materials contribute to this figure. 

Reasons for choosing a green wedding

Eco-friendly weddings are beneficial environmentally, socially and economically. Below are some of the reasons why it is so. 

Environmental benefits

Every year, there are 2.3 million weddings occurring in the US (about 6,200 weddings every day). In the Philippines, there are about 600,000 weddings every year. Each of these weddings will generate tons of carbon dioxide and pounds of garbage due to bleach (dresses), chemical treatment (flowers), toxin (makeup and other skin care products), etc. Not to mention, the footprint of mining (diamond and other jewelries). 

Millions of trees are cut down to make stationeries. The processes involved in producing them also pollute the environment. So, you may use plantable papers. Yes, there are plantable papers or papers infused with seeds so they would grow as beautiful flowers or plants. The papers will be on your guests’ backyards and not on landfills. 

Imagine what good it can be if each of these couples would make just one green choice for their weddings. That’s 2.3 million green choices yearly! Now, imagine the greatness it might result to if these 2.3 million couples choose to have an eco-friendly wedding. 

Social benefits

The average wedding budget is $20,000, $1,000 of which goes to the wedding rings. Evidently, the wedding industry is a $72 billion industry. Green weddings are opportunities themselves in supporting the causes and advocacies of firms which embrace socially responsible practices. Even your guests will be educated on the importance of supporting the green economy, changing the way they think about their choices and purchases. 

Economic benefits

Going green saves any couple lots of money. Given today’s economy especially here in the Philippines, this is reason enough to put sustainability on every aspect of your wedding. Simple substitutions and decisions will do such as choosing a wedding venue closest to most of your guests so the impact of traveling will be reduced. 

Aside from all these benefits, green weddings are always unique. The weddings are a good way to show family and friends just how exciting and meaningful the eco-lifestyle can be. Oh okay, wedding planning is often an energy and time-consuming process that leaves very little room to think about environment and sustainability. However, having a green wedding doesn’t mean doing more work and spending more cash. It is the reverse actually!