13 Oct Green Wedding Trends

For most of us, the biggest party we’ll ever throw is our wedding celebration. But as environmental concerns become a bigger part of our collective conscience, how does a couple still pull off a wedding that wows their guests without maxing out their annual carbon footprint in a single day? Thankfully, I can report that after several years in the green wedding and event industry, the current trends are hotter (and greener) than ever!

Décor

Let’s start with the floral décor—my personal specialty. The trend now is to incorporate living, with succulents and edibles taking center stage. These plants add a flare of structure and texture that is sought after equally for their aesthetics as their sustainability. We enjoy an amazing variety of succulents, many with beautiful rosette shapes and dramatic blooms. Best of all, rather than dying, you can plant your bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces to live long after the party. And the carbon footprint they took to get to the wedding is dramatically lower; nearly 80% of flowers sold in U.S. are imported from another country! You might also ask your florist if they compost their materials. At Articulture, we have an onsite compost pile that loves being fed with all our unused stems and leaves and stems. We also take a pass on using large plastic boxes to deliver small boutonnieres and corsages. Any florist will likely do so if requested. While making requests, ask about the availability of organically or locally grown flowers. Texas Specialty Cut Flowers and Wildseed Farms are two great places to start.

Dress

The dress is still a major priority for the big day, but current bridal gown trends are reflecting the changes in how couples approach their weddings overall. The formal black-tie affair is losing favor for many to a day more representative of who the two individuals are. Long trains are increasingly going by the wayside for ankle- and even knee-high dresses. In this new era of individuality, it’s good to be in Austin. Local designer René Geneva is a breath of fresh air in bridal gown fashion. She uses fabrics made from sustainable or organic fabrics, and her company is highly involved in empowering the workers in an industry that more typically takes advantage of forced labor. Another option is to reuse. RecycledBride.com and BravoBride.com allow new brides to reap the benefits of previous brides’ hard work in finding the perfect dress. Best of all, you can buy a designer gown for less than half the original retail price.

Rings

It’s important to remember sustainability means more than making choices to save trees and water. So even if going the traditional diamond ring route, make sure the diamonds are ethically sourced. ConflictFreeDiamonds.org is a good starting point. Like the dress, though, today’s couples are opting for more unique rings that express who they are. Jaime Jo Fisher is one of Austin’s jewelry artists creating amazing, one-of-a-kind works of art. Fisher incorporates ethically sourced diamonds into her rings, but is just as likely to use vintage glass or found coral pieces. Every girl wants her wedding ring to be a statement piece, and this is one way to do it sustainably without breaking the bank.

Food

Food and drink are the staples of a good party. Thankfully, seasonal menus are in…in a big way. This adds bonus deliciousness for your guests while supporting local agriculture. Ask your caterer if they can source your menu from what’s available through local farms and ranches. Central Texas is so flush with great food producers, your caterer should have no trouble making a five-star menu. Even the wine and spirits can be sourced locally. Texas wineries have made leaps and bounds in the last decade, now producing reds and whites on par with California and European wines. And Central Texas is practically oozing with distilleries and breweries to stock your bar entirely. Even if they are not able to source all their ingredients locally, the fuels saved from not shipping bottles across states and oceans is cause enough to use local vodka, rum, whiskey, cordials, and beer.

Putting It All Together  

This list touches on only a few of the many details that go into a fabulous wedding. Which is why a large number of couples opt for having a wedding planner. If you make your preference for eco-friendly choices known, your wedding planner should make effort to oblige. But you should test their knowledge on all things eco before hiring them. A safe bet is Emily Kahn at Green Fern Events, who specializes exclusively in planning green weddings and events. Kahn has compiled a "bible" for sourcing green events, and will be on-site to ensure proper recycling and composting. She’s played the part for events that yielded one bag of trash for over 150 guests.

Best Trend

Though it may be hard to pick just one, we’ll close with perhaps the greatest trend of all: Going green doesn’t have to cost more green. While the myth still prevails in some corners, the inescapable truth is more often than not, the choice that is better for the environment is also better for your pocketbook. And that’s a trend that is very much in line with current times.