Green Weddings - The Reception
Go Green On a Budget - Green Wedding Invitations - Green Favors and Gifts
Recycling saves
energy.
If you recycle a
six-pack of
aluminum cans,
you would save
enough energy to
drive a car for 5
miles! Recycling a
glass bottle would
save enough
energy to light a
100-watt bulb for
4 hours

-U.S. EPA
Home
Green weddings aren't just about saving the planet.  You can help "save" your local
community as well, and more than likely you'll save a buck or two.

For the reception, try working with what's nearby (and in season):  
  • Select a menu that takes advantage of foods that are in season.
    Ask your caterer to buy locally.  It not only contributes to the local economy, but the food often tastes
    much better since it's fresher, having not travelled hundreds or thousands of miles prior to hitting the
    table.
  • Use in season flowers or plants for your ceremony, then reuse them at the reception.  
    With a little planning, this works very well.  Try topiaries that go from the altar to the entryway, or take
    arrangements that decorate the program table and dress up your guest book area.  When the evening
    is over, plan to donate the pieces to a nursing home or hospital (call ahead to see if you can arrange
    a pickup from your site). Try keeping as many of the botanicals planted.  You can use them later for
    your own garden or donate them  to area organizations or community gardens.
  • Go organic!
    You can work with your caterer and your florist, but also ask your cake maker to use organic
    ingredients in the cake.  If you haven't already tried baked goods made from organic ingredients, you
    will be amazed.  See below for some signature drink ideas, too.
  • Look for and shop at independent stores instead of the big chains.
    Often smaller stores can cater to you as an individual instead of you as just another cash source.  This
    is beneficial both to you (many times you can get special orders or other perks) as well as to the
    independent store by your choosing to give them your business.
  • Save on gas for your guests by having the reception at or near your wedding site.
  • Choose a Site with Significance
    Look for a space that will benefit from your event, like a museum, a cultural organization, or an art
    gallery. Ask how the site will use your fee (hopefully toward new programs and upkeep of the
    institution). Want an outdoor event? Opt for a botanical garden, arboretum, or the grounds of a historic
    home -- it's likely you can even find one run by a nonprofit organization.
  • Reduce & Reuse
    We can't stress it enough! Reusing accents or materials doesn't just save resources, it saves money.
  • Recycle where your can
    When looking for a place to host your event, keep in mind that many venues already have recycling
    programs in place.  If the you choose a venue without a recycling program, have some recpeptacles
    available and assign a couple wedding attendants to ensure they are used during the reception.
  • Decorate with Bamboo
    A great and modern-looking option, bamboo is considered one of the most sustainable materials on
    earth -- it can grow up to two feet a day, versus up to 120 years for oak.  Use tall stalks of curly
    bamboo in centerpieces, or choose bamboo chargers for your reception tables. And of course, mini
    stalks of lucky bamboo are always a favorite favor.
Signature Cocktails
Wedding thirst quenchers with all-natural ingredients are a guaranteed hit. Serve them before the ceremony, at the
cocktail hour, or the reception -- it’s up to you. Here are two to get you started -- personalize the juices for your own
signature organic drink.

Pineapple-lime Spritzer
Makes 1 1/2 quarts
    3 cups of organic pineapple juice
    3 cups of sparkling spring water
    Organic lime juice to taste

Serve over ice in a highball glass garnished with a lime wheel.
Recipe courtesy of theknot.com

Lemongrass Ginger Cosmopolitan
Makes 1 pitcher
    750 ml bottle of lemongrass and ginger-infused vodka*
    15 oz. triple sec
    12 oz. bottle of organic cranberry juice
    Organic lime juice to taste

Combine ingredients in a tall pitcher, add ice, and stir.

*To make infused vodka, submerge lemongrass stalks and ginger root in a bottle of unflavored vodka, and
refrigerate overnight.  Cosmo recipe courtesy of Saffron 59 Catering, New York, Saffron59.com
Read more about the
environmental benefits
of using recycled paper
here
-PDF from the
Environmental Defense Fund
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