| Recognizing the environmental impact of traditional weddings, a growing number of couples are choosing to turn their weddings green. Some might think pondering how much is consumed, the waste created and other environment impacts of your wedding could be a big downer. Not so for Paul Kelly and Clare Stoeckle who married in June, 2004.
Kelly says, "It’s the most important day of your life. It should reflect your values. If you’re not living your values on the biggest day of your life, when are you going to?" Tossing conventions aside, the pair made the serious mission of greening their wedding a whole lot of fun. And they saved a nice chunk of change to boot.
According to a recent study published by The Fairchild Bridal Group, the average cost of saying "I do" has risen to around $30,000. Elaborate wedding dresses, fancy flower arrangements, rings with all the bling bling and tropical honeymoons are the usual culprits wreaking havoc on the happy couple’s pocketbook and the environment as well.
Engagement and wedding bands are an obvious first consideration since they will forever signify the commitment being entered into and should embody shared values. Unfortunately, extracting precious metals and gems damages the land and endangers ecosystems. Although awareness has been growing about the social consequences of gold and diamond mining, such as the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there is a need for greater awareness about environmental impacts.
Building roads for exploration, clearing land for settlement and the mechanized process of mining is destructive to the land, biodiversity, aquatic ecosystems and wildlife. In Canada’s north, the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee reports there has been a loss of fish habitat through draining of lakes, destruction of streams and changes in water quality due to Ekati and De Beers projects.
Even small-scale mining can be detrimental when using cyanide and mercury to separate gold from rock. According to GreenKarat, a company specializing in recycled jewelry, gold mining continues at a pace of 2,500 tons per year even though they estimate there is enough gold (old, unused and already mined) to satisfy jewelry industry demand for the next 50 years. Choices like using recycled gold, second-hand jewelry or other materials (custom rings can be made from wood and even coconuts) make good green alternatives to extravagant rings. Stoeckle took her late parents’ wedding rings and Kelly his old bicycle racing medals and had them recycled into wedding rings.
With jewelry comes flowers — the couple chose garden and wildflowers for their arrangements. Typical bouquets and flower arrangements require shipping that creates greenhouse gases, and they are usually laden with toxic pesticides. The flowers on the couple’s wedding cake were of the edible variety. They recruited the chef at Community Natural Foods, where they both worked, to create an organic wedding cake with edible flowers.
The friends and family who attended the wedding expected something a little out of the ordinary, knowing Kelly and Stoeckle were minimalists. "Our friends knew this is part of who we are," Kelly recalls. Part of what shaped both Kelly and Stoeckle was how they were raised. Their parents were farmers and taught them to be stewards of the land. Kelly’s parents weren’t overly enthusiastic about the idea of a potluck dinner though, so they compromised, agreeing on an organic spread complete with organic wine.
More options are becoming available for wedding trappings including tree-free or recycled place cards, announcements, invitations, programs and thank-you cards, organic, reusable napkins and tablecloths and even bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses made from hemp, organic cotton or organic silk. The environmentally conscious accessories aren’t necessarily inexpensive though. Custom, luxurious hemp and silk dresses can run up to $3,000 plus. Kelly and Stoeckle kept it simple, however. Stoeckle wore her mom’s wedding dress, while Kelly wore a vintage suit he picked up at Value Village.
The registry was kept simple as well. Instead of adding unnecessary possessions to their lives, the couple set up a registry with Sedmek, a local renewable energy services company and purchased a solar water heater for their home. Others have chosen to follow the buy-nothing theme, requesting guests donate to environmental causes.
Kelly and Stoeckle felt their wedding day was romantic because of its minimalism. Kelly rode his bike the 50 kilometres to the small church where they married in Okotoks. They left for their honeymoon at an organic bed and breakfast on Vancouver Island opting out of the standard lavish honeymoon.
As Kelly tells me the story of his green wedding, Stoeckle and their baby giggle in the background — perhaps greening your wedding improves the odds that your marriage will be a happy one.
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Planning a wedding? Pick up a green wedding planner:
Organic Weddings: Balancing Ecology, Style and Tradition, by Michelle Kozin.
Green Weddings That Don't Cost the Earth, by Carol Reed-Jones. |
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