Green is the new black for 2010 brides. I know, each season some new color replaces our most intrepid of shades…but this year I’m not taking about color! “Green” refers to the new eco-friendly movement about putting back into the earth by using products made from organic materials. By using natural materials, less impact is made on our environment and most materials are recyclable.

If you’ve read our previous Green blogs such as; Who New Green Could be so Yummy? and Eco-chic Wedding Dresses, this is our third “green” installment!

Where to find “green” decore

“Green” décor can be found in numerous places. Just take a stroll around your local botanical gardens and parks, even your backyards. Something green is around just about every corner! So, what I’m saying is that planning green décor for my wedding reception should be cinch, right? Well, not necessarily. The best option is to research. Look for a florist in your area that has the availability of a large selection to choose from. You don’t have to settle for cut flowers in vases. There are so many options to choose from!

For your reception centerpieces…

look at the option of potted plants or small seedlings. You can place them in whatever container you like. Surround them by lush candlelight and you have a beautiful scenery for pictures. Potted florals are best used at outdoor events, but there are many options for indoor affairs as well. Use flowering branches, or DIY. it! Make your own designs by using branches found in your own backyard or neighborhood. Spray paint them to match your color scheme and attach fresh blooms to them the day of your wedding. Should you choose to use potted items, encourage guests to take the centerpieces home and plant them.

Try fruit.

A few sites I found gave great examples. Show your guests to their tables by attaching tags to the stems of apples or pears. This way they serve a few functions; as place cards, table numbers, or favors! If in a pinch you can even have large bowls of fruit sitting on your tables as centerpieces. Flowers and branches are more traditional choices, but this is your best recyclable product. Invite your guests to munch on your edible arrangements should they find themselves in the mood!

Never underestimate the charm of garland

You can string your walls, chairs, and even the ceilings of your reception hall with bands of organic garlands. Laurel is always a great option, but not the most aesthetic choice. You may be able to string flowers together to create lush décor. This is something your florist can help you with, so if interested… ask! If being eco-friendly is something you want on your wedding day then don’t resist the urge to pursue it. Those of us that plan weddings, or have planned a wedding, know how vendors can pin you into a corner! In order to get what you want, you HAVE to ask for it and be firm in your choices.

Cake decorating dilemma?

No not really. You can still be green when decorating your wedding cake. Apart from choosing an organic baker, decorate your cake with fresh flowers and fruit. I know you think cutting fresh flowers probably isn’t truly “green”, but they are biodegradable. More so than a plastic cake topper and look beautiful. I found this great green wedding blog that had photos of a couples’ cake table. They had used leaves to decorate around their cupcake stands. This a more thrifty alternative and uses less costly materials like ivy or ferns.

Decorate green all year round.

Decorate green all year round. Green doesn’t pigeonhole you into the spring and summer months. You can use outdoor inspiration any season! Fall brides have a beautiful background in rich warm tones of reds, oranges, and yellows. Use the turning leaves in your design, as well as harvest produce like pumpkins, gourds, and maize. Winter girls, stick the traditional seasoned floral like poinsettias and pines. Collect acorns and pine cones before the snow sets in and spray paint them in silver and gold. Embellish them further by adding some glitter. Piece them together to create a design or scatter them between tables as accents.

Rent instead of buy.

So many seasons and so many ways to celebrate with a green wedding. Even if you choose to have large centerpieces with vases or candelabras, rent instead of buy. It may be a little more expensive than buying wholesale, but you play a bigger role by helping the rental companies recycling for further couples who choose to use the same décor. Remember, one person can always make a difference, but a lot of people making a difference can change the world. Good luck and thanks for going green!

Images from elizabethannedesigns.com, getmarried.com, instyleweddings.com, marthastewartweddings.com, usweddingideas.com, squidoo.com, factorydirectcraft.com, greenunion.co.uk, herecomestheblog.com, weddingsevents.com.au, diy-weddings.net, shibawi.com, and weddingbeepro.com

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 6th, 2010 at 8:10 am and is filed under Green. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.