Green Bride Guide: Every Choice Makes a Difference

We are proud to be partnered with Kate Harrison and her team at the Green Bride Guide as one of our sponsors for the Mid-Atlantic Green Wedding Showcase. Kate wrote the book - literally - on how to green your wedding. It's a great read and if you don't have it, you definitely need to pick up a copy at the show on Sunday!

The Green Bride Guide is the most credible and comprehensive website for couples seeking eco-friendly wedding ideas, products and services. It offers the largest directory of eco-friendly wedding vendors in North America, a green wedding experts section, pictures and stories from dozens of real green weddings and much much more. Part of our mission is to create a place for like-minded couples gather and share stories, tips and experiences with one another. At present, about 13,000 unique couples visit the site each month.

The Green Bride Guide is committed to promoting environmental awareness and social change by offering ideas, facts, pictures and resources for planning a green wedding. Our goal is to help couples lessen their environmental footprint - by decreasing consumption, choosing renewable and sustainable products, composting, recycling and carbon offsetting.

The Green Bride Guide website is published by The Green Life Guides, LLC - a company that is committed to "walking the walk" (to being as green as we possibly can be). The following are some of the ways we incorporate our values into daily life at The Green Life Guides, LLC:

• Supporting Renewable Energy Our hosting company uses 100% wind power. This website is carbon negative, which means we actually ADD electricity back to the grid! We also provide visitors with a carbon calculator, so they can quickly and easily calculate the carbon footprint of their event and offset it.
• Paper Products ALL of The Green Life Guide's paper goods are 100% recycled with as much PCW content as we can find. Our business cards and thank you cards are printed on 100% PCW recycled paper with soy inks. Whenever possible we communicate via e-mail and pay bills online to minimize waste. Our office recycles everything it can, and even our furniture is reclaimed and repurposed.
• The book, The Green Bride Guide: How to Plan an Earth-friendly Wedding on Any Budget was printed on FSC certified recycled paper. When you buy the book directly from the author, Kate ships it in a recycled paper mailer with vintage stamps.
• Live Events In 2009, The Green Life Guides, LLC began a partnership with CT Green Scene to produce several live events in the New England area. All of the food and flowers are organic, the events are powered by solar power generators and we use recycled and reclaimed runways for the fashion shows. In addition, we donate 10% of the proceeds to environmental charities.
• Vendor Selection Transparency is extremely important to us. Every vendor and product in our database has been carefully screened by our staff and we have developed a five leaf rating system to assess each company's commitment to the environment.

For the Bride & Groom…

The myth that green weddings are more expensive is one we are working hard to dispel. By buying local seasonal flowers, using recycled elements, and incorporating things you and your friends already own into your decor you can save you up to 40% of your wedding! For more information see "Save $11,000+ on Your Wedding by Going Green."

It is easier to go green in some parts of the country than others, and if you live outside a major metropolitan area, it may be almost impossible to find green vendors. Check our Green Wedding Directory to see what is available in your area.

If you can't find what you are looking for, you can find worksheets in the back of The Green Bride Guide to help you talk to florists, caterers and other service providers in your community about simple changes they can make to help you green your wedding.

One of the most basic ways to create a sustainable event is to use local, seasonal and organic elements whenever possible. When foods and flowers are in-season in your area, they don't need to be shipped hundreds or thousands of miles. This reduces their carbon footprint and cost. Even if your caterer is not organic, most will work with you to create a menu that incorporates as many local and seasonal items as possible. Additionally, every season offers its own unique combination of locally grown (organic) blooms, and you can discuss what is available in your area with your florist or local flower farm. Lastly, using the season for inspiration can provide natural elements for your decor, such as seashells, smooth stones, or beach glass you collect and make into name cards for a summer wedding.

The Green Bride Guide was created around the idea that whether you make one small change to reduce waste, or go totally organic from the silk of your dress to the icing on your cake, every choice makes a difference!

Going green is a process that should be enjoyed. When you choose to incorporate green elements in your event you increase the demand for sustainable goods and services, help raise awareness about important environmental issues and reduce your impact on the environment. Your wedding may be the one time in your life when all the people who love you are together in one place. There is no better way you as a couple to showcase your values and being your new live together.

This is Kate! She was a green bride, too!