How Green is Your Wedding?

With the average wedding costing (believe it or not) nearly £20,000 and often incorporating a honeymoon in a far-flung resort, getting married can have a serious impact on the planet as well as the purse.


Here are some suggestions for lessening the environmental impact of your happy day - and probably saving quite a bit of money into the bargain:

• Printing and stationery - find a printer who can offer a range of invitations and other wedding stationery printed on recycled paper or card.


• Jewellery and precious metals are significant polluters due to energy-consuming mining and manufacturing processes. You could consider antique or recycled jewellery.


• Those limos are real gas-guzzlers - consider a horse-drawn carriage: much more classy! And any waste products are bio-degradable...


• Honeymoons can be taken in this country, too.


• Organic wedding gifts can be sourced from ethical companies: Greenfibres offer a free wedding list service


• Wedding dresses and suits can often be found in charity shops, or can be made from organic or re-cycled material.


• Food and drink can be local and organic - and good!


• Confetti - how about rice, wheat or birdseed?

Use your imagination - there are many ways you can make your wedding a little greener. Here are some more Green Wedding Tips from Friends of the Earth.