FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 21, 2017 • BRIDAL • THE QUEENS COURIER 53
bridal
AN ECO-FRIENDLY AFFAIR
Proclaiming your love while protecting the planet
BY TERESA IQBAL
Creators.com
Weddings planning can be a confl ict
of interest for those couples who have a
wedding style in mind but are environmentally
conscious. Traditions of elegant
fl owers, fancy invitations and fl avorful
food are not necessarily green-thinking.
Luckily, there are a number of alternatives
these days. With a little creativity
and planning, couples can reduce
their wedding carbon footprint and still
express their personal style.
Wedding invitations are one of the
most important aspects of the planning
process. Th ey introduce your wedding
theme and inform your guests of your
pending nuptials, including logistical
information about the big day. Th ere are
a number of paper components: save-thedates,
the formal invitation and RSVP
cards. To avoid waste, create invitations
online. You can consolidate everything
onto one central Evite, or even create
a wedding website. Th e Knot is the
nation’s largest source for wedding news
and inspiration. It off ers many templates
for couples’ personal sites. Besides event
details and an RSVP function, you will be
able to upload directions, information on
accommodations, bios of those in your
wedding party, a link to your wedding
registry and photos. You could upload
a whole collection of photos of you and
your honey, from your fi rst date to your
engagement!
One design aesthetic that can be altered
for eco-friendliness is fl owers. Th ey are
used everywhere, from the bride’s and
bridesmaids’ bouquets, to the groom’s
and groomsmen’s’ corsages, to the petals
thrown down the aisle, to the centerpieces.
Fresh fl owers are oft en grown specifi
cally to be cut and used for weddings
and other events. Many couples encourage
guests to take the centerpieces home
to enjoy, thinking it is less wasteful. But
there are many other decorative options
that leave fl owers out altogether.
Succulents are a great alternative to
a living centerpiece. Th ey survive only
by being watered very little, in fact.
Succulents come in many looks and sizes,
so altogether they are a somewhat eclectic
aesthetic. Try placing one oversized succulent
across a table, or scattering three
or four. Terrariums are large glass containers
that can house succulents, making
a beautiful modern centerpiece that can
double as wedding favors.
Th e big day is another page in each couple’s
love story. Why not include other
stories as a decoration? Antique books
make for a great centerpiece. Find them
at thrift stores, yard sales and the library
discard pile.
One article on Martha Stewart Weddings
called “19 Non-Floral Centerpiece Ideas
for a Wedding” lists clever centerpieces
for couples to “think outside the bloom.”
Ideas include spray-painting game pieces
white, or spray-painting faux bay-laurel
twigs gold; collecting seashells to display
in vases (Why not take a walk on
the beach with your betrothed to collect
them?); fi lling Champagne fl utes
with ornaments; and arranging rows
of tea candles. Not all are considerably
eco-friendly, but what’s great about them
is they can all be brought into the home
for later use, whether for special holidays
or table decorations.
Couples can also outfi t the wedding
party with alternative wardrobe accessories.
Bouquets made out of paper fl owers
or feathers are becoming increasingly
popular for brides and bridesmaids.
In place of corsages for the groomsmen,
many are choosing novelty pins, such as
navy boats for a nautical themed wedding.
Visit the Etsy website to customize your
own for a reasonable price. Oft entimes,
fl ower girls throw fl ower petals as they
walk down the aisle. But couples can get
creative with this, too. Fallen leaves or
pinecones, for example, are a simple, natural
touch appropriate for weddings in
fall or winter. And seashells can do just
the trick for a beach ceremony.
As far as cuisine goes, it’s a well-known
fact that environmental impact rises the
farther food has to be transported. As a
way to lessen environmental infl uence,
choose a caterer who specializes in using
local, seasonal produce. Th is is also a terrifi
c way to share delicious cuisine that’s
special to your area (or the area of the ceremony)
and may not be accessible to the
guests who’ve come from other places.
Th ough the saying “one steps forward
and two steps back” is oft en seen in a negative
light, when it comes to reducing the
carbon footprint of wedding decor, the
more steps back, the better.
Courtesy Creators.com