When people think about weddings, they probably don't think of veggie kabobs and hemp tuxedos. But more and more Americans are leaning toward greener, more environmentally friendly weddings.
"There's no real definition of a green wedding," said Emily Main, senior editor for National Geographic's "The Green Guide."
Green weddings are traditionally set outside to take advantage of natural daylight. Parks, lakesides and forested campgrounds can make ideal ceremony spots. Local golf courses also offer open-air wedding ceremonies and receptions.
"Most of our outdoor weddings are between 3 (p.m.) and dusk," said Eric Underwood, the food and beverage director of the Hidden Valley Golf Course in Lincoln. "We try and time the ending with a nice sunset."
Underwood said that about a third of the weddings performed at the course each year are done outdoors. However, he cautions that outdoor weddings require much more planning, as wedding-goers often find themselves at the mercy of the weather.
Annette's Catering & Desserts is one of many local vendors that provide vegetarian or vegan meals. Annette Earhart, the owner, said the catering service works at three or four vegan weddings each year.
"We even make totally vegan cakes," said Earhart. "No eggs, no dairy and specialized flour."
As an alternative to a catering service, one can also peruse local farmers markets for fresh, organic produce to serve at your reception.
Even the choice of material for a wedding dress can be tailored to meet green standards.
"Cotton is one of the most pesticide laden crops," Main said. "And it uses synthetic fertilizers, which have a high nitrogen content. The nitrogen strangles the oxygen out of the water and kills aquatic life."
Instead, Main recommends wearing clothing made from hemp or linen. She also encourages brides to overcome the stigma of buying a dress second hand and to consider donating their gowns to charity through sites such as www.idofoundation.org.
All aspects of a wedding can be planned with an environmentally-conscious agenda in mind, ranging from the invitations to flowers.
A statement issued in June of 2002 by the U.S. EPA estimated that paper accounted for nearly 40 percent of the refuse cluttering up American landfills.
Getting creative with invitations is a great way to save paper: write them on denim, recycled junk mail or old U.S. currency.
Better yet, some experts recommend that a person forgo the invitations all together and send a reply postcard with no envelope or set up a Web site with the wedding details and give the address to friends and family members.
Although flowers may seem organic on their own, that's not always the case. Many flowers are grown in countries with highly unregulated pesticide usage. Instead, try and find local flower merchants that believe in natural growing methods.
Jamie Rohda and her husband, Norm, run Harvest Home, a family-owned farm operated out of Waverly.
"We don't use chemicals," Rohda said. "We do it all naturally. They're as fresh as you can get them."
The farm grows both vegetables and flowers. Rohda and her husband also make bouquets to order, primarily for weddings.
However, Rohda said that advance notice is needed to order flowers, since she only sells whatever she grows and doesn't meet any specific quotas. She also said the selection changes from season to season.
"You just need to look at what you're buying, where it comes from and what's going to happen to after you're done with it," Main said.
