• Determine if the wedding venue has a sustainability or an environmental policy. Questions to consider include: How does the venue focus on reducing energy use and waste? Does it have a green purchasing policy focused on using non-toxic cleaning chemicals and detergents, for example?

• Consider an outdoor ceremony at your dream wedding venue or at a favorite natural spot to add to the beauty of the celebration and to remind you and your partner why you make environmentally responsible choices.

• Consider having your ceremony at a location or venue that's already dedicated to or interested in sustainability such as parks, protected areas, or museums.

• If it’s within your means, offset the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the wedding venue. For more information, please review the section entitled “Carbon Neutral Weddings.”

• Determine if the food director at the wedding venue is willing and able to serve fresh, locally produced, organic and / or sustainably harvested food and beverages. If not, ask if you can bring in your own caterer or try to convince them otherwise by explaining the health and environmental benefits. They may change their position. Using local food requires less fossil fuel for transportation, whereas organic food grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers helps to protect soil, water, and wildlife.

• Once you’ve secured fresh, locally produced, organic and / or sustainably harvested food and beverages, label them accordingly. Also, be sure to offer a vegetarian and a meat option at each meal.

• To help reduce waste and save money, carefully plan your food service needs. Also, plan to compost or donate excess food to a local food bank or charitable organization.

• Other ways to reduce waste include using reusable dishware, utensils, napkins and tablecloths. If reusable durable food service items are not available, use recyclable food service items. Options include biodegradable dishes and flatware made from cornstarch, sugar cane, or biomass.

• In addition, avoid serving individually packaged condiments. Instead serve condiments such as cream, sugar, salad dressing, ketchup, etc. in attractive bulk dispensers.

• Since most flowers come from countries where pesticide use may not be regulated, it’s best to buy organic flowers or wildflowers from a local florist or at your local farmer’s market.

• Other options include on-line florists like Organic Bouquet and Local Harvest. If you’ve got a green thumb, you can opt to grow your own flowers, or you can use dried flowers or decorate with fruits, potted plants, or other types of greenery.

• If you consider buying a vintage dress, tuxedo or suit from a used clothing store, you can potentially save a lot of money.

• Dresses and dress shirts made out of certified organic cotton, organic silk or hemp are available and are usually either not dyed or are tinted with natural vegetable dyes.

• Consider choosing something that you can wear again or opt to donate your apparel to a charity like the I Do Founation, which is also a great resource for information on raising money charity through your wedding.

• Since gold and diamond mining can release toxins into the environment, consider silver, which is lower impact, or buy a vintage ring and have it resized.

• Also, consider purchasing your rings from companies like Green Karat which offers jewelry made from gold that is certified to be sourced in an ecologically and socially responsible manner.

• Another way to save a little money while reducing the environmental impact of your wedding is to send out save-the-date announcements and invitations by email. You may also want to create a website with details about your wedding, so you don’t have to print all of the information.

• If you're going to buy paper, consider unbleached - chloride or chlorine free paper containing 20%-100% post-consumer recycled or tree-free fiber content, and print using vegetable- and soy-based inks. Or, consider buying invitations with seeds embedded in the paper so that your guests can plant their invitations when they get home. Another option is to use self-mailers, which help to reduce your costs and the amount of paper used

• If having save-the-date announcements, invitations, wedding programs and menus is important to you, encourage your guests to recycle them at or after the wedding.

• Wedding programs are one of the best places to inform your guests about your commitment to sustainability and the ways in which you have limited the impact of your wedding.

• Using self-mailers is a great way to reduce your costs and the amount of paper used.

• Registering or requesting green or fair trade gifts is another great way to go. Everything from organic cotton, chemical-free mattresses and organic cotton linens to clothing, appliances and eco-friendly vacations is available. Best of all, registering for exactly what you need will minimize the amount of unnecessary gifts you receive that you don’t need or can’t use.

• If you really don’t need kitchenware, furnishings, etc., you may want to clearly state in your invitations that you prefer no gifts, or you may want to suggest to your guests that they can make a donation to your favorite charity in honor of your special day.

• If you plan to buy gifts for your wedding party, guests and or family, consider non-consumptive options like gift certificates or making charitable donations in your guests' names.

• Also, consider gifts that are produced in your local area. Food items like jelly, jam, honey, salsa, organic fair trade coffee, etc. are great choices, as are organic cloth shopping bags and handmade gifts from local artisans.

• Since a lot of birdseed mixes contain invasive species that may not be native to your area, consider alternatives to rice and birdseed such as native wildflower seeds or petals, or blowing homemade bubbles from recyclable containers.

• Consider a destination city for your wedding that is close to where the majority of your guests live and requires minimum travel. For the same reason, consider having the ceremony and reception at the same location or near one another to avoid unnecessary driving.

• Publicize public transportation options and provide route maps, provide a shuttle service from hotels to the wedding venue, and or help your guests to arrange car pools.

• Use hybrid vehicles or vehicles that run on biofuels or natural gas if transportation is arranged for your guests.

• Publicize green lodging options and provide a map.

• Recommend airline carriers that have an environmental policy.

• Provide participants with an opportunity to offset the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their air travel and hotel stays.

• Use as few disposable items as possible in your wedding to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill.

• Encourage your guests and clean-up staff to recycle at the wedding and reception. Provide convenient recycling bins for collecting paper, cardboard, and recyclable containers (i.e., aluminum, plastic, steel, etc.) in common areas, and food vending areas.

• Also, consider composting flowers and other organic waste. If your flowers are still fresh, you may want to donate them to someone that will appreciate them. Nursing homes and hospitals are both great options

Since travel and transportation is one of the main culprits of global climate change, accounting for up to 1/3 of world-wide climate damaging greenhouse gas emissions, consider compensating for all of the carbon dioxide emissions released during your wedding.

STI provides simple complimentary carbon footprint assessments* for weddings of all sizes that wish to become carbon neutral. By definition, carbon neutral represents the point at which carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have been identified, measured, reduced where possible and 100% of the remaining emissions have been offset through high quality renewable energy, energy efficiency and or reforestation projects.

At a minimum, most couples take responsibility for covering the cost to offset the impacts related to the wedding venue since these fees are usually less than US$250. Adding attendee hotel room and air travel related impacts costs a bit more, ranging from US$25-50 per person but is the only way to become truly carbon neutral.

In terms of next steps, please provide us with the following information, so we can provide you with an offset quote. With this information, you can decide if you want a 100% carbon neutral wedding or if you prefer to only offset some of your wedding impacts.

• Total square footage of the communal space within the wedding venue and the number of days it will be used. Also, note if the facility is heated and or air conditioned.

• The total number of hotel rooms reserved by wedding guests and the total number of nights they will be staying in them.

• Demographic data for wedding guests. Specifically, we will need to know where they're flying to and from i.e., what state and or country.

Option 1: This information can be broken down in percentages of wedding guests’ points of origin on a region-by-region basis (e.g., the U.S. can be broken down into four time zones).

Option 2: Or you can estimate the total number of long-haul flights (over 7000 miles / 11,250 kilometers e.g., round trip New York to London) and short-haul flights (under 7000 miles / 11,250 kilometers) taken by wedding guests.

• Estimated volume of waste generated during the wedding expressed in pounds or kilograms.

• Average number of miles driven to and from the wedding (e.g., from the local airport to the conference facility).

*Please note that STI charges a nominal fee for complex carbon footprint assessments (i.e., usually US$100-250).

Your travel choice will affect the people, culture, economy and environment of the places you and your spouse visit during your honeymoon. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to ensure that the destination as a whole benefits from your visit:

• Research Alternatives. Responsible travel decisions can strengthen local conservation efforts and enhance the natural integrity of the places you visit. Support companies with policies that consider environmental, economic and socio-cultural impacts.

• Travel Lightly. Discover life from a locals' perspective. Consider walking, ride a bike, or use public transportation. Rent hybrid vehicles and choose to travel by train rather than plane when possible. Calculate and offset unavoidable carbon dioxide emissions emitted by your travel.

• Respect Local Cultures. Respect the values and beliefs, and accept the differences of local people and other cultures. Foster a greater understanding of their customs and social norms and learn about their environmental issues before you visit.

• Spend Locally. Ensure that local people benefit from your travels. Buy locally produced organic and fresh food when possible. Spend money in community or locally owned businesses and use the services of tour operators, outfitters and accommodations that employ local people.

• Natural Resource Use. Reduce, reuse and recycle when possible, and think about using water and energy efficiently. Consider the method of waste disposal used by tour operators, outfitters and accommodations. Avoid products sourced from rare and endangered species.

• Protected Areas. Familiarize yourself and follow all advisories, rules and regulations when visiting protected areas. Whether they're voluntary or required, the fees you pay to enter these areas support local efforts to conserve them.

• Wildlife Viewing. Do not disturb wild animals or their habitat. Keep your distance and use binoculars if necessary. Never chase, harass or feed wildlife. Not only is it dangerous, it can also negatively affect and disrupt feeding and breeding cycles.

• Giving Back. Feel a sense of purpose when you travel. Find a project, health clinic or school to donate to, or volunteer your time and help improve trail conditions, monitor wildlife, restore riparian areas, or plant trees.

• Be Aware. Our hurried concept of time is not the same in other regions and in other cultures. Keep in mind that local people’s thinking will differ from your own. Ask before taking pictures of other people and respect their wishes.

• Be Adventurous. Remember that your guidebook is just that - a guide. Use it as a starting point, and then explore. If you want to truly experience a place, head off-the-beaten-path. Talk with the locals, find out what’s going on, and visit the places where they spend their leisure time.