If you’re planning an eco-friendly wedding in the spring, summer, or early fall, then you might be considering having an outdoor wedding. And why wouldn’t you? After all, what could be more green than to be married in the middle of an orchard, at the beach, or even in the backyard of your parents’ home? However, just as with any other aspect of planning your wedding, there are lots of things to keep in mind if you’re considering an outdoor wedding.

• Weather Unpredictability is always a concern when planning an outdoor wedding. Unfortunately, unless you have an “in” with Mother Nature, the best you can do is plan for the unexpected. Make sure that your outdoor location has options if the weather doesn’t cooperate. This might be a building, a pavilion, or—if nothing else—enough space to erect event tents if needed.
• Pest Control is another issue that comes hand-in-hand with the great outdoors. If your location is truly green, then they won’t be using pesticides to keep mosquitoes and other insects at bay, however, that doesn’t mean you don’t have options. There are plenty of natural pest control solutions on the market today, so ask your venue if they would be willing to use them for you. You might also want to consider using Citronella candles, torches, and/or lamps, as well as all-natural foggers and sprays to help lessen the pest population.
• Chairs and Tables for your guests shouldn’t be forgotten. After all, you want everyone to be comfortable and at ease while they’re celebrating. Find out if your outdoor location provides tables and chairs, and if they don’t, if they’ll assist in setting up the tables and chairs you provide.  
• Electricity often poses a problem at outdoor weddings or, rather, the lack of access to electricity. Now, this might not pose a large issue if your ceremony and reception are taking place in the light of day, but for evening weddings, you’ll need to find some type of a light source if electricity access is limited. You might want to consider candles, battery-operated lamps, oil lamps, or solar lights to shed light on your festivities. 
• Rules and Regulations are critical when planning an outdoor wedding at a public location. Make sure you know what to expect, what you can do, and what you can’t. You’ll want to ask about catering, set up and clean up, noise and distractions, to name a few. When you’re still in the planning stage, be sure to ask for a complete listing of the location’s rules and regulations so you’re not taken by surprise. And, when you settle on a location, be sure that everything you’ve agreed upon is given to you in writing.

Outdoor wedding ceremonies and receptions can be the perfect backdrop to your green celebration, but keeping the above points in mind will help you be prepared long before the big day actually arrives. After all, the only thing you want to be thinking about on your wedding day is getting married!

After a bride has purchased, rented, or borrowed her perfect wedding dress, what comes next? Well, her shoes, of course. The shoes a bride wears on her wedding day should be comfortable, stylish, and—for the green wedding—eco-friendly. If you’re planning a green wedding and haven’t found a pair of eco-friendly shoes that suit your feet or your style yet, the following tips might offer you a bit of inspiration:

• Define Your Style: Before you even begin shopping for shoes, you should spend a little time making a few decisions. What is your style? What is the style of your wedding? What type of shoe do you want to find, and is that type correct for you? Meaning, if you don’t wear two-inch heels on a regular basis, then you shouldn’t begin wearing them on your wedding day.
• Look In Your Closet: Go through your current wardrobe of stylish shoes and see if anything you already have (and have already broken in) will work. This is especially doable if you’re wearing a floor-length gown, because no one will even see your shoes. Heck, a strappy pair of sandals might be the perfect choice! Even if there isn’t a shoe in your closet that fits the bill, you likely have shoes that you love and those you despise. The shoes you love probably fit you well and are comfortable. This is the type of fit you want to find in your wedding day shoes, so you might want to take that dressy pump you love with you when you go shopping.
• Go Vintage: If you’re still in need of “something old” to complete your wedding day look, then why not shop at a vintage clothing store for a pair of vintage shoes? Not only is this a greener choice, but you’ll likely save money, as well.
• Something Borrowed: Do you have a sister, mother, cousin, or friend with a fantastic wardrobe who wears the same size shoe as you do? If so, consider borrowing your wedding shoes from them. This is a great choice for brides on a budget and borrowed shoes definitely fall within the eco-friendly category.
• Once-Worn Wedding Shoes: Check thrift stores, secondhand stores, and online stores for pre-worn wedding shoes. Most of the time, these shoes are only worn once, so they tend to be in nearly new condition. Even better, the price is almost always right.
• Choose Shoes For Beyond Your Wedding Day: Many brides who are having an eco-friendly wedding purchase shoes that they know they’ll be able to wear after their wedding day. This could be that pair of strappy sandals mentioned earlier, simple white pumps, or even a pair of ballet slippers. Even if the shoes are not made with green materials, by purchasing a shoe you’ll be able to wear again and again, you’re still keeping with your green ideals. Besides, who wants to spend a lot of money on a pair of shoes they’ll only wear once?
• Sustainable Materials: In addition to the above possibilities, there are shoes available that are made with sustainable materials, such as hemp and peace silk. If you have your heart set on a snazzy pair of wedding shoes that you’ll likely only wear once, then take a look at some of the eco-friendly options available today. 

The eco-friendly bride can definitely find the perfect pair of green wedding shoes that fit her style, her wedding, and her feet. Just remember to choose shoes that are comfortable, and take the time to break them in before your wedding day. Have fun and get shopping!

Planning an eco-friendly wedding is filled with many challenges. Keeping everything from the invitations, to the wedding party apparel, to the decorations, to the food and beverages served at the reception environmentally friendly isn’t necessarily easy. After all, there are a lot of options to consider throughout the entire wedding planning process. One area often overlooked when planning a green wedding is the greenery itself—the wedding flowers.

What could be more eco-friendly than fresh flowers, right? Well, yes and no. How green your wedding day flowers are depends on the type of flowers you choose, where they are grown, how they are grown, the season your wedding takes place in, and yes, even the wire and ribbon used to complete the flower arrangements. If you want to be sure that your greenery is as green as possible, check out these six tips for going green with your wedding day flowers:

1. Go Organic: Organic flowers are grown without pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, or fungicides and are the most eco-friendly choice you can make for your wedding day flowers. When you choose to purchase organic flowers, you’re helping green businesses stay in business and you’re helping the earth by spending your money on flowers that are not grown with poisonous chemicals. It’s a win-win situation. Check locally for organic nurseries, co-ops, flower farms, and florists who provide organic flowers.
2. Stay in Season: If at all possible, choose flowers for your wedding that will be in season on your wedding date. When you purchase in-season flowers, you’re avoiding the cost, fuel, and hassle of having out-of-season flowers transported to you. Also, in-season flowers are often less expensive, simply because they’re readily available.
3. Locally Grown is Better: Purchasing your flowers from local flower farms reduces the environmental impact of having the flowers transported from another location. Also, it’s always better to support local green businesses whenever you can.
4. Keep it Simple: Consider paring down your flower requirements into simple but elegant arrangements. Perhaps carry a few long-stem blooms down the aisle instead of an elaborate bouquet, or use elegant glass vases with locally grown wildflowers as your centerpieces. Keeping it simple saves costs and reduces waste.
5. Hire a Green Florist: While many eco-conscious couples decide to handle their wedding flowers themselves, this can be difficult for anything larger than a small and intimate wedding. An increasing number of eco-friendly vendors, including florists, are popping up every day and will be able to help you achieve your green wedding. If you’re unable to find a florist who deals specifically with eco-friendly blooms, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. Take some time to interview local florists and be ready to tell them what your requirements are. Chances are high that you’ll find several who are willing to go the extra mile.
6. Consider Other Materials: Keeping your flowers eco-friendly is about more than just the flowers themselves. Many florists use wire, nylon ribbon, and/or other non-biodegradable materials to hold flower arrangements together. There are much more eco-friendly options available, such as biodegradable ribbon, butcher’s twine, leaves, etc. Be sure to ask your florist for more information on these sorts of items, and be ready to offer alternatives if need be.

Keeping your wedding flowers green is an important aspect of your eco-friendly wedding. By choosing organic flowers that are locally grown and in-season, you’ll reduce the environmental impact of your wedding as well as providing necessary support to your local green businesses. And, in most cases, you’ll even save some money.

Selecting the perfect eco-friendly wedding apparel isn’t only a concern for the bride and the bridal party. Sure, the wedding gown and the bridesmaids’ dresses do claim a lot of attention, and for good reason, but it’s just as important to think about green apparel and accessories for the men in your wedding.

Luckily, there are many choices and options available for the green groom and his groomsmen. In fact, dressing the men in your eco-friendly wedding might prove to be the easiest and least stressful event you’ll face throughout the wedding planning process. The following environmentally friendly haberdashery tips will help you and your fiancé find exactly what you need to go green:

The Tuxedo

• Renting a Tuxedo. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that the far majority of wedding tuxedos are rented, rather than purchased. This isn’t merely a socially acceptable method, but it’s a financially sound and eco-friendly one, as well. It’s also extremely easy. For formal weddings where a tuxedo is deemed a must, then renting the tuxedos for the groom and the groomsmen is often the easiest and least expensive way to go.
• Borrowing a Tuxedo. Another option is to borrow a tuxedo from a friend or family member. It can be a bit tricky to find the perfect fit in a borrowed tux, but it isn’t impossible. If you have friends and family members with similar builds who own their own tuxedo and will not be wearing it on your wedding day, then this might be an option to look into.
• Previously Owned Tuxedo. If renting or borrowing isn’t an option, then you might want to consider purchasing a pre-owned tuxedo. Check local secondhand stores, vintage clothing shops, and online vendors for previously worn tuxedos. You can always have a pre-owned tuxedo professionally altered by a tailor to achieve the perfect fit.
• The Eco-Friendly New Tuxedo. Renting, borrowing, or purchasing a pre-owned tuxedo isn’t right for everyone. If purchasing a new tuxedo is the only way to go, then you can still stick with your eco-friendly ideals by purchasing a tuxedo made with alternative materials. There are plenty of fashionable and elegant tuxedos being made with environmentally friendly and organic materials.
• Consider a Suit. If you’re not tied to the tuxedo, then consider having the groom and groomsmen wear a fashionable suit instead. Again, the suit can be rented, borrowed, or purchased pre-owned. However, if you choose to go the brand new route and are unable to find the right style in eco-friendly materials, then at least you’ll know the suits will be worn again.

Green Groom and Groomsmen Accessories

In addition to a tuxedo or a suit, the men in your wedding will require other items, such as ties, shoes, vests, etc. When shopping for these items, consider the following:

• Pre-Owned Accessories. Again, consider secondhand stores, vintage clothing shops, and even online vendors for pre-owned accessories. Often, you can find incredible deals in designer ties, shoes, vests, and anything else the men might need to complete their wedding day ensemble. Of course, borrowing or renting is also an option you shouldn’t overlook.
• Recycled Accessories. Items such as cufflinks, tie tacks, and shirt studs are available in recycled materials. Not only is this a terrific green option, but these choices are often unique and more stylish than you’d expect. They can also be a lot of fun and add a little or a lot of whimsy to your wedding day.
• Purchasing New Accessories. If you decide to purchase any accessories new, try to purchase items that are made locally if at all possible. Spending your dollars on items that are not imported from other countries will support your local businesses. Also, by avoiding those items that are manufactured in other countries, you’re ensuring that your dollars are not supporting less than ideal working situations, such as sweatshops.

Greening the men in your wedding party shouldn’t cause you too many headaches, as the above tips will have them garbed in eco-friendly and stylish clothing as quick as a blink.