Life presents endless opportunities to make decisions based on your personal, conscientious values – eating organic, visiting a holistic practitioner, recycling, composting or practicing yoga, to name a handful. At nearly every turn in life, you might ask yourself, “How can I do this in a more holistic or sustainable way?” A wedding – or really, any type of celebration – is no exception. You are spending a significant amount of money and time to create an event that you will share with your closest friends and family, people who want to know more about you and your partner. This is the perfect opportunity to support businesses that share your values, as well as to educate your loved ones about holistic and sustainable living. Plus, your event will truly become a reflection of you as a couple.

Getting Started
Planning your wedding with an eye toward holistic and sustainable values does not mean that you sacrifice style or tradition. Rest assured that between local resources and those available online, you can have the wedding of your dreams. At times, it may take a little more research, but in the end you will be rewarded with satisfaction, pride and a clear conscience. This article serves as your initial guide. Another essential resource is Michelle Kozin's book Organic Weddings and her companion website www.OrganicWeddings.com.

In her book, Kozin breaks down the many wedding elements to guide readers in creating a celebration that reflects their values and style. Her sage advice recommends that you: “1) Appreciate what brings meaning into your life; 2) Believe in yourself and follow your passions; and 3) Do not let ecologically perfect get in the way of doing good.” (In other words, do not get overwhelmed!).

As you begin to speak to wedding coordinators, designers, caterers and other vendors, clearly describe your goal of incorporating holistic and sustainable measures. Ask direct questions about their experience in this arena, but also keep in mind that you may be one of their first clients to make this a priority. Resist the urge to be frustrated; instead, view the experience as a way to educate them so they can integrate the practices into their planning with other clients. Resourceful coordinators and vendors will be willing and able to rise to the challenge. When making final decisions on which businesses and people to support, trust your instincts and work with the vendors that resonate with you and are compatible with your personality.

Be willing to utilize volunteers! Throughout your planning process, let friends and family lend a creative hand or render a personal touch. Musicians, artists, seamstresses or even friends with a careful eye for detail, graphic design or a knack for crafting will contribute to your day and feel good about themselves all at the same time.

Save-the-Dates, Invitations, Thank-You Notes and More
Your save-the-date cards and invitations are your first chance to share your values with your guests. Consider letting them know about your environmentally friendly measures by including a small recycle symbol and/or a message in an inconspicuous place on your mailing. Consider all the ways you will be using paper – for engagement and wedding announcements, thank-you notes, ceremony programs, menus, table tents and place cards – and find ways to reduce your paper use. For example, mail out postcards for save-the-date and reply cards instead of the traditional envelope/card/envelope invitation. This will save you money on postage, too.

Also, by using recycled paper you will save trees, energy and water. Be sure to review the post-consumer content of your choices. Paper made from post-consumer waste (PCW) comes from the used paper that has been recycled in the community. This is preferable to paper simply labeled as “recycled” since it could be merely sourced from scraps and trimmings from virgin paper in the paper-making process. Look for paper with at least 30 percent PCW content that has been whitened with the more environmentally friendly process of non-chlorine bleaching. Close the loop by recycling paper from your event, too.

A number of tree-free paper options exist as well. These include kenaf (a fibrous plant that can be grown without insecticides), industrial hemp, textile scraps (linen, denim and cotton scraps rescued from landfills) and recycled money (which is already made from cotton and linen). It is also possible to find eco-friendly paper that blends these fibers with PCW paper.

Printing, a very chemically laden process, is not very environmentally friendly. However, you can select a printing option that will reduce your environmental impact. For a small number of guests, hand written or calligraphy invitations are exquisite. You also can choose to print invites on your own printer. If you are opting for a commercial printer, look for one that uses soy- or vegetable-based inks.

Do not necessarily feel restricted to using an invitation company for your printing needs. Check with local printers about the ink they use and the paper they have available. If they do not have the stock you desire on hand, most will special order it for you. Either way, design an invitation that suits your specifications and showcases the event.

Remember, natural-fiber clothing is available for grooms, too. Regardless of whether you have chosen to have a casual or a formal affair, grooms – and the rest of the wedding party for that matter – can select clothes that can be worn again. Consider allowing your friends to pick their own outfits from a color palette you specify. This way they will be left with an outfit that they like and will wear again. If you decide upon a neutral color, such as black, they may even already have something in their closets that is perfect. For instance, consider clothes for groomsmen that they most likely may already own such as black or khaki pants or a blue blazer. If your wedding party does have to purchase special outfits, keep the fabric and manufacturing practices in mind when making your selection.

A Personal Ceremony
If your ethnic or religious backgrounds resonate with you and your partner, this is an excellent starting point for your ceremony. However, do not feel compelled to strictly follow religious or even family traditions. Planning your own ceremony and vows can be a beautifully creative experience for you and your partner. In addition to creating your thoughts and emotions in your own words, brainstorm a list of everything that speaks to each of you – songs, books, poems, quotes and traditions from other cultures and religions.

Ultimately, you can create a ceremony that blends elements of both you and your partner, as well as a representation of you as a couple. Share information with your guests about the different elements you have chosen. For example, explain historical or personal meanings in your ceremony program.

For another personal touch, consider involving other people in your ceremony. You may choose to have a friend perform the legal aspect of your wedding, or perhaps read a special passage, etc.

The Reception Party
The fun of planning the reception is in its many details. It offers an exceptional opportunity to share your personalities, passions and lifestyle choices through your choice of location, décor, food, beverages, favors and more.

Location, Location, Location!
When selecting your venue, review locations where you can hold both the ceremony and the reception on the same premises, which will cut down on both monetary and environmental costs. You will use less, and therefore spend less, on decorations. Plus, your guests will not have to drive to a second location for the reception, which will reduce the use of cars, fuel and resulting emissions.

Holding your wedding in a museum, historic building, botanical garden, arboretum, public park, nature center, religious facility or school allows you to support and share a place that is special to you. The rental fee you pay is helpful income that maintains the site or organization. In addition, many of these unique locations have a natural, artistic or historic beauty, which will enhance any decorations you bring in. If you select a pristine outdoor location – a beach, meadow or forest, for example – keep in mind the impact that you and your guests will have on the area. Minimize the number of people present for the ceremony and consider selecting a separate reception area that will accommodate a large crowd without damaging the environment.

Once your site is chosen and you begin to fine-tune the theme and atmosphere of your wedding, visualize your guests' experience from start to finish. How can you make them comfortable (especially if the event is outdoors)? What can you do to stimulate conversation? Are there areas where people can talk without yelling over the band? Can you incorporate additional activities such as leaving messages for you in a scrapbook? What will they see, smell, hear, taste and touch at your event?

Deck the Halls!
If you use fresh plants, herbs or flowers, select local varieties that are in season. Avoid flowers commercially grown as they are shipped in from developing countries that exercise little control over pesticide use and labor practices. You do not want flowers that came at the expense of a worker's health or ones that pose a potential health hazard to you and your guests because of having been sprayed with toxic chemicals. In order to ensure fair and organic-growing practices, ask a friend, relative or local farmer to grow the flowers you plan to use. This will keep your costs down while giving someone a chance to contribute to your special day, but have a backup plan that requires minimal flowers in case the growing season does not unfold as planned.

For fall, winter and early spring weddings, decorate with lots of candles (select soy-based) and other locally available items such as curly willow, evergreen branches or seasonal fruit. Consider the amazing array of rentals available, too – potted plants, lanterns, vases, mirrors and more. Renting items is certainly the epitome of “reuse” in action. On tables, utilize your favors, an artistically displayed food course or small wedding cakes as table centerpieces.

In addition to creating a space that is visually pleasing to your guests, you can create an aromatic landscape with scented candles, incense (only for well ventilated areas), potpourri, scented fireplace pine cones (find ones or easily make your own with natural essential oils), fresh herbs or fragrant flowers. Be sure not to overdo it – a single scent lightly wafting across the room will do.

Fabulous Feasting
For food and drink, find a caterer that will incorporate local, seasonal and natural foods, as well as your own personal favorites. Too often, caterers relegate weddings to the standard steak, chicken or fish with a side of green beans and potatoes. Incorporate dishes that you and your partner enjoy the most. Utilizing family recipes or ethnic dishes provides another fabulous opportunity for your guests to experience the personalities of you and your partner.

While interviewing potential caterers and wedding-cake bakers, ask them if they can source items locally. You may find that you will pay more for local and natural foods, but it is a worthwhile investment when you consider the minimization of environmental impact, the circulation of dollars in your local economy and the freshness and flavor of the foods. If you print menus or table tents for food stations, be sure to point out the locally sourced ingredients to your guests – just another opportunity to help them learn about sustainability, too.

We have some amazing local breweries and vineyards in Northeast Ohio that you can support by purchasing their beverages. Select your coffees and teas from fair-trade sources, as well. Be sure to have plenty of conspicuously marked recycle bins available to your guests, and discuss your recycling preferences with your caterer ahead of time to ensure that its staff recycles at the event.

All is Well That Ends Well
At the end of the evening, your guests will depart knowing a little more about you, your partner and the concept of sustainability. Many couples elect to give their guests a favor to remember the wedding. However, all too often these items are useless in daily life and discarded to the trash. Consider instead an environmentally conscious gift, which may also help them recall the importance of sustainable measures. Some ideas include fair-trade chocolates, packets of flower seeds (be sure to select ones that contain only endemic flowers), potted herbs or items made from recycled or reclaimed materials. Other excellent options include making a donation in your guests' names to a favorite charity or non-profit organization, purchasing wind-energy credits to offset the energy used by the event, choosing items crafted by a local artist or selecting gifts from a sustainable and fair-trade source.

Relax and Enjoy the Ride
Throughout your planning process, remember that this is your and your beloved's event, so let it be a reflection of the two of you. At times, you may face pressure from well meaning family or friends to do things “their way.” And at times, you will be stressed about decisions and deadlines. Give yourself time away from planning and find ways to relax – take a walk, get a massage, meditate, take a yoga class. When the wedding day arrives, let the people you have hired – the designers, coordinators and caterers – do what they do best. Have confidence that they will make excellent decisions on your behalf. And, whatever you do, do not sweat the small stuff. Instead, ride the wave of blissful wedding energy and enjoy your day.