This document discusses green elements that can be incorporated into weddings. It provides examples of eco-friendly options for wedding rings, dresses, locations, invitations, design concepts, food, favors, rentals, lighting, transportation, and tips for marketing oneself as a green wedding planner. Specific green vendors and products are also mentioned such as recycled gold rings, organic and locally-sourced food caterers, LED lighting, and hybrid limousines.

1. Beyond Granola and RecycledBeyond Granola and Recycled
PaperPaper
Presented by
Mary Litzsinger, CSEP
VP Events, Inc.

2. OverviewOverview
» Green Wedding Elements
• Rings
• The Wedding Dress
• Locations
• Invitations
• Design Concepts
• Food and Beverage
• Favors
• Rentals
• Lighting and Power
• Transportation
» VP Events Wedding
» Eco Friendly Event Tips – You Don’t Have to Break the
Bank!
» How to Market Yourself as a “Green” Planner
» Resources

3. RingsRings
» www.NoDirtyGold.org
» The production of one simple gold ring can result in up to 20
tons of mine waste.
» Mining has severe environmental, community, worker and
economic impacts.
» www.GreenKarat.org
» Consider purchasing rings of recycled gold and other precious
materials and stones.
» Purchase vintage pieces and have them restored.
» Buy conflict free diamonds. Check for the Certificate of Origin
» Certification system entitled te Kinberley Process Certification
Scheme (KPCS). UN sanctioned program laying the groundwork
for a global chain of custody of diamonds.

4. The Wedding DressThe Wedding Dress
» Deborah Lindquist –
Featured Designer
» One of L.A.’s most sought after
environmentally-conscious
designers
» Combines environmental
responsibility with a cutting
edge aesthetic
» She uses environmentally
friendly fabrications such as
recycled cashmere, repurposed
kimonos and saris, vintage silk
scarves, and sustainable
materials such as hemp, soy and
bamboo.
» Sample gown is organic linen
and vintage lace.

5. The Wedding DressThe Wedding Dress
» Featured Designer
» Kirstie Kelly
» The Giselle Gown
» Disney Bridal

6. Springs PreserveSprings Preserve
Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada
Green Highlights
» Entire facility (160 acres) has the LEED
Platinum Certification
» Carpet is made from recycled pop bottles
» White chairs are Duramax resin folding
chairs which are 100% recyclable
» Ceiling has open wood beam work taken
from the 19th
century Salt Lake City
railroad
» Wolfgang Puck Organic Catering
» The small brown doors in the
background is called inside-out
architecture, and looking through it you
can see their straw bale insulation
» The metal grate in the background
features their cooling tower which works
like an Eastern style swamp cooler

7. Springs ReserveSprings Reserve
Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada
Origen
Largest Museum Space Green Elements
» Recycled Pop Bottle Chairs,
shown in brown but they have
brick red and charcoal gray
» Linens were burlap
» Centerpieces were burlap,
recycled copper tubing, wheat
grass and other sustainable
florals
» The wood flooring is bamboo
» Event by Springs Reserve

8. Springs PreserveSprings Preserve
Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada
Crossroads Commons
Amphitheatre
Green Elements
» Grass is made from recycled pop bottles
and rubber
» Tables are constructed of ABS plastic
with an inner wood core and steel tube
legs 100% recyclable.
» All of the plastic prior to assembly is
recyclable, and up to 30% is regrind and
70% is virgin plastic. Mity-Lite routinely
sends back all plastic scraps as regrind.
Many of the table sizes use a surface
board that is 100% post consumer
material called Oraboard.
» The florals used for this event were
placed in compostable vases that
included natural Mojave Desert
vegetation. Guests took them home and
then could plant the entire vase and
plants in their yard. The vase becomes
food for the plants.

9. InvitationsInvitations
Smock PaperSmock Paper
Paper
» First company in the U.S. to offer luxury
bamboo paper
» Why bamboo? Bamboo is a truly
sustainable and renewable resource. It's
the fastest growing plant on this planet;
it grows without pesticides or fertilizers;
and it requires very little water to grow.
Bamboo also makes (hands down) the
prettiest paper out there. They partnered
with a 500-year-old European paper mill
to develop this fine artisan paper just for
them.
Printing
» Use only vegetable-oil based and low-
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) inks.
» Use low-VOC and citrus-based solvents.
» Recycle their photo chemistry, film,
paper offcuts, and photopolymer printing
plates. Empty ink cans and old rags are
kept out of landfills.
» In their break room and their offices, they
recycle and compost their waste.
» They use recycled packaging materials
and reuse packing materials and
corrugated that their vendors send us.
They donate surplus paper and
envelopes once a year to their local
public schools. They reuse paper scraps
for office notes. Their retail packaging is
biodegradable, tree-free, and petroleum-
free.
» They package their custom work in
keepsake boxes made in Syracuse from
100% post-consumer recycled materials.

10. Design ConceptsDesign Concepts
» Going “green” does not mean going “ugly”
» Going “green” truly taxes the designers creativtiy
» Use existing materials when possible, research rental and linen
companies – try not to go custom
» Use soy based candles (made from a renewable resource,
cleaner, longer burning and easy to clean up), beeswax candles
or LED’s whenever possible
» Get creative with favors, paper products,
» Use live plants, organic flowers, or other natural products
(roadasidia)

11. Food and BeverageFood and Beverage
Village Modern FoodsVillage Modern Foods
» Supporting their local
community through School
Food Lunches program in Santa
Barbara – 75% of the fruits and
vegetables have to be organic
and supplied by local farmers,
proteins have to be free range
and grass-fed and within a 350
mile radius
» Lunches cannot have trans fats
and no corn fructose, and
desserts are fruit based and
sugar free
» Green Water Program: They
supply a 5 gallon reverse
osmosis with individual pumps,
and use only biodegradable corn
or sugar cups for their catering
programs
» Aggressive recycling program at
their facility and events and are
in the process of developing a
composting program
» Their facility uses primarily
green biodegradable cleaning
products – at home too!

12. FavorsFavors
Organic Chocolate Art
Bars Green Elements
» These exquisite, delicious Swiss
chocolate Art Bars are Organic and
Fair Trade Certified. Each bar
features an art reproduction by a
contemporary adult or international
child artist on a collectible card
inside the wrapper.
» Support the arts, organic farming,
and fair trade all in one bar!

13. Favors and Gift BasketsFavors and Gift Baskets
The Good Earth Basket Easy Being Green

14. Favors and Gift BasketsFavors and Gift Baskets
FancifullFancifull
» Purchase as many goods as possible from lower producers and
suppliers
» No more printed catalogs, they send out one page flyers
electronically and encourage people to shop on their website
» Email invoices
» Weekly electronic newsletter with new ideas, many green, as
opposed to paper newsletters and flyers
» They have over 25 green and organic gifts designed on their site
» They use organic, recyclable, reused and sustainable baskets
» They have everything from wine to gifts for a new baby!

15. RentalsRentals
» Review the SAVE guide from Classic Party Rentals!
» Classic has a line of green rental products, including both
recycled and sustainable carpets, serving platters, and bamboo
cutting boards,
» Rentals are very “green”,
» Reusing is always a “green” option, use existing linens, etc.
» Seek recycled and bio degradable materials,
» Discuss scullery with the catering team – reduces the number of
washes, saves water, and reduces chemicals, to the say the
least,
» Use eco fuel for chafers,
» Plan ahead, reduce transportation and energy costs,

16. Lighting and PowerLighting and Power
» LED lighting uses 80-90% less
energy, reducing transportation
costs and may be able to run on
house power – sometimes no
generator is required.
» Use rental companies and
lighting companies that recycle
» www.purepowerD.com –
Flagship product, the
PurePowerD™ Mobile Solar
Power System™ delivers 5kW,
10kW or 20kW of pure-sine wave
power from the sun. The trailer-
mounted solar energy
generators come with a range of
custom options, and higher-
output models are on the
horizon for delivery in 2009.

17. Transportation and TravelTransportation and Travel
» Biodiesel and ethanol are
non toxic, natural, renewable
fuels
» www.carbonfund.org,
guests can use this source
to offset their carbon
footprint for travel
» Eco Limo, uses a fleet of
hybrid electric, bio diesel
and CNG (compressed
natural gas) fuel, serves Los
Angeles, DC, San Francisco,
New York and Las Vegas
» Green Limousine out of
Colorado serves local
bottled water, has an
extensive organic beer and
wine list, and teamed up
with Trees for the Future to
plan a tree for every
reservation
» Eco Limo serves

18. VP Events “Green” WeddingVP Events “Green” Wedding
» Bride and Groom took an eco friendly approach, but not 100%
» Recycled printed materials, invitations to place cards to cocktail napkins
» Recycled gold bands from GreenKarat.org
» Encouraged guests to make travel arrangements through
carbonfund.org
» Nothing custom for the wedding, used existing products through the
hotel
» One of the reasons for the location was the organic farm, local produce
including heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, fresh herbs such as Basil,
» Free range chicken
» Farm grown moss, not taken from its natural environment
» Locally grown organic products
» LED lighting
» Potted orchids, no Cut Orchids!

19. Green Wedding ElementsGreen Wedding Elements

20. Green Wedding ElementsGreen Wedding Elements

21. Green Wedding ElementsGreen Wedding Elements

22. Eco Friendly TipsEco Friendly Tips
You Don’t Have to Break the BankYou Don’t Have to Break the Bank
» Use local products and services whenever possible,
» Use available products, don’t go custom,
» Use a wedding website to disseminate wedding information as
opposed to multiple pieces of information to wedding guests,
» Use a reply postcard instead of a reply card and an envelope,
» Select a location that has natural elements to add to the beauty
of the wedding and reception, naturally,
» Consider an environmentally friendly location, a not-for-profit
venue that supports the “green” cause, or a location that
prefers eco friendly vendors,
» Use solar or renewable energies,
» Use live plants, or organic flowers

23. Eco Friendly TipsEco Friendly Tips
“Continued”“Continued”
» Use recycled glass containers for the centerpieces, or a
container made of bamboo,
» Use tap water at events, Request that your photographer uses
digital proofs,
» Donate the wedding dress to charity,
» LED lighting, can use up to 80% less energy,
» Keep an eye on the thermostat,
» Use group transportation, hybrid or bio diesel vehicles,
» Think about making donations to “green” organizations as a
favor, or organic gifts such as seeds or plants
» Use fair trade materials such as coffee and chocolate,
» Use bio degradable disposables,
» Think “recycled”, everywhere you can!

24. How to Market Yourself asHow to Market Yourself as
A “Green” PlannerA “Green” Planner
» Educate yourself, this is an evolving field, stay ahead of the rest,
» Be honest in your marketing communications, ethics,
» Donate your time as a speaker, to your peers and your
community,
» Showcase your “Case Studies” on your website and in your
marketing materials,
» Think outside the “green” box,
» Practice what you preach, live it,
» Donate to your community, give back,
» Write articles and submit to publications based on what you
“know”.

25. ResourcesResources
» Classic Party Rentals SAVE
guide, classicpartyrentals.com
» Greenkarat.org
» Ecoexpress.com
» Ecofabulous.com
» Carbonfund.org
» Organicbouquet.org
» Itsagreengreenworld.com
» Sunstonewinery.com
» Fancifull.com
» Weddingish.com
» Deborahlindquist.com
» Kirstiekelly.com
» Bellavistadesigns.com
» Villagemodernfoods.com
» Smockpaper.com
» Girari Furniture (girari.com)
» Wildflowerlinens.com
» Greenleafchopshop.com
» Limoneira.com
» Positivelygreen.com ($2
donations on subscriptions)
» Costmeticsdatabase.com
» Camillaflowers.com
» VPevents.com