For weddings, green is the new white

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something ... green?

For some, wedding choices might be overwhelming. However, for the eco-conscious couple, the decision might not be quite as daunting.

Several local businesses have created a Green Wedding Package offering environmentally friendly options for everything from the dress and invitations to flowers and event-planning.

The package includes seven local vendors, and customers who work with at least four of the them will receive a free gift from each one.

Participating businesses displayed their eco-friendly packages Sunday at the Bloomington Bridal Show at the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center.

With the economy deteriorating, many people might stray from an eco-friendly wedding because of a misconception that going green means giving green. But sustainability and cost-effectiveness can go hand-in-hand.

Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese, owner of Twisted Limb Paperworks and creator of the Green Wedding Package, said the best way to reduce the environmental impact of a wedding is to reduce a wedding. A smaller wedding will cut costs as well as environmental effects, she said.

Sarabeth Drybred, an IU graduate and bride-to-be, is using this logic to plan her nuptials. With the current state of the economy, she said she is trying not to go overboard.

Drybred’s wedding, which will be in August at the Story Inn in Nashville, Ind., is going to be simple, with homegrown flowers, a limited guest list and cupcakes instead of a big cake.

“Everything’s in small pieces, so there’s no excess,” she said. “We’re staying green and local.”

An average wedding with 150 guests leaves a carbon footprint of 14.5 tons of carbon dioxide, according to Climate Care, an organization that offsets harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

Woodhouse-Keese said the best way to reduce the effects of carbon dioxide is to keep everything local.

Buying local means products do not need to be imported or shipped, thus reducing carbon dioxide emissions associated with transport. Foregoing the destination wedding and choosing a local hideaway reduces toxic emissions associated with travel.

Today, many companies offer ways for people to donate a small investment into sustainable resources to offset the environmental impact of a wedding.

This is something that can be used in lieu of favors or wedding presents, Woodhouse-Keese said.

Another significant source of wedding-day waste is paper and glass products.

“We’re having kegs instead of beer bottles so that there is less glass used, and we’re not having RSVP cards,” Drybred said.

If there is only one thing a couple does to help the environment, recycling and composting at the reception is a big thing, Woodhouse-Keese said.

Since being environmentally friendly has become trendy, there are many options for the eco-friendly bride.

“Just because you don’t want to take on all of them doesn’t mean you can’t take on some of them,” Woodhouse-Keese said. “You don’t have to have a bohemian wedding to make it green.”