"Eco- Chic" Weddings

Earth Day is next week on the 22nd and even though I have discussed this before, I am currently working on several ?Eco-Chic? projects, so I was juiced up to talk about it again! I have always wanted to be as green as possible in my work, and one would think that working with flowers would automatically make you an Earth Friendly person. But, there are so MANY things that need to be considered! When you are planning your wedding with a ?green? theme in mind, here are some floral rules of ?thumb?.

• If you purchase your flowers from a local florist who uses wholesalers or orders direct from other countries, you are guaranteed to be using products that have been heavily sprayed with pesticides in order to cross our border, and have used several modes of transportation, leaving their carbon footprint on our Earth.
• Choosing flowers that are grown locally at the time of year you plan to be married severely reduces that carbon footprint. Local farmers don?t need to use as many pesticides because they are not nearly as mass produced, and have less distance to travel.
• Farmer?s markets are a great resource for inexpensive flowers, but you have less selection, and would need to plan to do your own flowers. If you want your florist to put on the show, ask them what products they buy locally instead of what?s shipped in.
• In early springtime, not much has started blooming; consider forcing your own bulbs over the winter so they are ready to go come spring.
• If you are getting married in the winter, you will find Indiana isn?t growing ANYTHING green so, this is the time you consider creating centerpieces out of natural products like branches, evergreens, berries, and dried flowers. Soy candles with local made evergreen wreaths make for beautiful centerpieces!
• When creating your centerpieces, be sure your florist does not use floral foam, plastics, or any chemicals to treat the flowers.
• Wrap bouquets in natural, organic materials like sisal, burlap or hemp.
• Recycle all glassware, rent vases from a florist so they are reused, or allow guests to take them home so they can be re-enjoyed.
• If you can find some help in achieving this, have all your flowers from the wedding be taken to local charities, hospices, or non-for profits so they may be used again instead of wasted.
• Ask your florist if they compost their discarded flowers.

Adding eco-chic FABULOSITY to your flowers, Tiffany!