Going Green

Your personal guide to creating the most eco-friendly wedding on the planet.

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Something old, something new, something borrowed, something . . . green? You got it. Green is the thing in weddings today.

And we are referring, of course, to the concept—not the color. Call them “eco-friendly,” “environmentally responsible” or even “eco-chic,” today’s brides are more concerned than ever about what they can do to “reduce, reuse, recycle,” and lessen the impact their big day will have on our big planet. Ready to start your planning? Take a look at these it’s-good-to-be-green suggestions we’ve gathered from wedding professionals around the state. The best news yet: Whether you incorporate all their ideas, or even just a few, each and every green element you opt for can make a difference—and minimize the carbon footprint your strappy white heels leave behind. So have fun in the process, and remember: Tread lightly.

Ring tone. “An eco-friendly wedding begins with an eco-friendly engagement,” says Talia Fedorowich of Sixpence for your Shoe in West Hartford. “Consider ‘conflict-free’ diamonds, rings made from recycled gold or even a nondiamond gemstone—greenkarat.com is a great place to start searching for information.” Or, she says, consider an antique or family piece. Local antique shops and jewelry stores that carry vintage jewelry (Becker’s in West Hartford, Peter Suchy in Stamford) are worthy options. “Antique/pavé settings are all the rage these days,” she notes, and “how meaningful to wear a piece someone else has worn and loved.” 

Small packages. “Once engaged, the ideas for ‘going green’ are really boundless,” says Fedorowich—and the best place to start is with the guest list. Simply put, a smaller guest list means a smaller ecological footprint. There will be fewer people traveling, fewer emissions, fewer mouths to feed and less energy expended overall.

Do your homework, advises Lyndsey Hamilton of Lyndsey Hamilton Events in Branford. Contrary to Kermit’s way of thinking, it’s easy being green these days—if fact, it’s cutting-edge. Check out eco-friendly wedding sites like portovert.com or ecochicweddings.com (Hamilton’s favorite). Better yet, pick up a copy of New Havenite Kate L. Harrison’s new book The Green Bride Guide or visit her Web site thegreenbrideguide.com for, among other things, links to eco-friendly products and services and tips from those who’ve planned real-world green weddings.

Location, location, location. Choose ceremony and reception sites in the same place or close together, advises Lynda Houghtaling of Details Wedding & Party Planning in Ellington. Doing so, she says, “not only cuts down on gasoline emissions, it will allow you to easily reuse items from the ceremony for the reception.” Consider, too, the time of day and time of year: An outdoor wedding on a warm June day will consume less electricity than an evening event in December.

Green peace. “Choose a reception or ceremony location that invests in green technology,” suggests Candice Dowling of Jubilee Events in Naugatuck. One example: “Tyrone Farm in Pomfret recently added solar panels that power their entire property. They’ve also started to grow their own herbs and vegetables that can be used in the dishes you serve.” Looking for a luxurious but eco-chic place to spend your wedding night? The new Green Rocks Inn, which bills itself as the state’s first eco-friendly bed-and-breakfast, is an idyllic sanctuary in the woods of Ridgefield. 

Get on the bus. “Arrange for a shuttle [a van, a bus, or maybe even a retro school bus] to ferry guests to and from their hotel,” suggests Elizabeth Allen of Bliss Weddings in Newtown. This reduces the number of cars on the road (and emissions produced) as well as the number of people driving after drinking. You could set an example yourself by arranging to arrive in an environmentally friendly hybrid rather than a traditional limo. 

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