Tip of the Day - Eco-Friendly Weddings: Flowers

Posted on May 7, 2008 by Allie

800px-flor_gdfl_10.JPG

Flowers are a huge part of many wedding celebrations. Make sure the flowers you chose are eco-friendly ones.

  • Use potted flowers to decorate the ceremony site. Have a friend or family member move them to the reception hall to decorate the tables. Give to guests to take home, or plant them yourself after the festivities are over.
  • Order bridal party bouquets from Organic Bouquet.
  • Find flowers at your local farmers market or look for local growers. LocalHarvest says that local flowers will be fresher and last longer than those that need to be delivered.
  • Distribute seeds to friends, and family and ask them to help you grow your wedding flowers. Add found sprigs from flowering trees, ferns and tall grasses to arrangements to bulk them up.
  • Don’t forget that flowers are compostable.

9 Comments +

  1. Not that I’m getting married any time soon, but these are some damn good ideas!

    May 7th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
    Comment by Jenn
  2. Great eco-friendly giving tip. I just wrote an 8 point plan for eco-friendly gift giving here. Let me know what you think…

    May 7th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
    Comment by steve
  3. Another ideas; when at the farmer’s markets look for flowers that are not only local, but you know they are in season because you’ve seen them around your city. (On occasion the farmer’s markets get flowers shipped in so if you know the flowers are in season then it’s a good way to check.)

    May 7th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
    Comment by Elizabeth
  4. These are some great ideas for any type of wedding. What a way to keep it fresh!

    May 7th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
    Comment by Susan
  5. Jenn — thanks!

    Elizabeth — that’s an excellent point. Thanks for mentioning it!

    May 7th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
    Comment by Allie
  6. [...] check out, especially if you’re looking for “eco-friendly” wedding flower advice. Allie’s Answers - Tip of the day With everyone trying to be more socially responsible, I came across this site that offered some [...]

    May 8th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
    Pingback by Eco-friendly wedding tips and advice | Milwaukee Florist Greenfield Flower Shop
  7. When and if I ever get married, flower are going to be my big splurge item, and I’m totally down for the idea of living arrangements. I hate to kill flowers if I don’t have to. They’re so beautiful!

    May 8th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
    Comment by Jessica
  8. [...] Flowers [...]

    May 9th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
    Pingback by Allie’s Answers » Blog Archive » Tip of the Day - Eco-Friendly Weddings: Invitations
  9. We are starting to become more environmentally savvy in all aspects of our lives, weddings included. My brother and sister-in-law gave guests flower seeds as wedding favors, which I thought was a lovely idea. I think your buy local tip is so important. By using what is in season in our own area we reduce the carbon footprint of our wedding enormously.

    September 8th, 2008 at 8:26 am
    Comment by fall wedding flowers

Leave a comment

Tip of the Day

Bring Your Own Utensils

I carry a titanium backpacking spork around in my purse.  I know that sounds kind of weird, but it saves me from using disposable utensils when I eat out, and it’s so light, I never even notice that I’m carrying it.

Before the Industrail Revolution it was common for guests to be expected to bring their own utensils with them when invited to dine, because utensils were expensive, labor intensive items, and most people didn’t own extra sets.  Now, when it’s possible to buy a set of 1,000 plastic utensils for under $20, people don’t even think about bringing their own.

But think of the plastic waste that can be saved by slipping a fork from home in your purse on the way out the door.  You don’t need anything fancy.  Grab one from your kitchen drawer, or if you’re worried about loosing a piece of a set, pick up a few spare utensils the next time you hit a discount store, thrift shop, or yard sale.  It’s simple a simple way to cut down waste, and it’s always nicer to eat with real utensils anyway.

  • Frontier Herbs - All natural, organic, top quality, sustainably harvested

    Alltop, all the cool kids (and me)