I bet you didn’t know that the dream wedding you’ve been planning is leaving behind a carbon footprint the size of big foot but it doesn’t have to.  Incorporating any of the following green elements into your wedding will get your emissions down and have you on the road to an environmentally friendly love in no time.

Register with a cause.  Registry sites such as IDOfoundation.org, WeddingChannel.com, and JustGive.org allow you to create registries  with partner stores such as Target and Bed Bath and Beyond and up to 10% of every purchase is donated to a charity of your choice.

Reevaluate your guest list.  Ask yourself if you REALLY need 250 guests in attendance and as you answer keep in mind that more guests means more food, more expenses, and more waste.  And if you’re not sure about the carbon footprint your guest list is leaving behind, CarbonFund.org has a neat little calculator that will help put it all into very clear perspective.

Source Locally.  Some, and even I, may argue that buying locally has it rewards; among them the very rare opportunity to buy additive free fruits, vegetables, meats and flowers that not only create jobs in the community but are actually tastier and healthier for us.  Another big benefit is the cost savings and what wedding budget doesn’t love to hear that?  Encourage your caterer or florist to use materials that are only grown locally or if you’re a DIY bride, sites like Local Harvest and the Agricultural Marketing Service’s Directory of US Farmers Markets will help point you in the direction of the best places to go.

Rent and Recycle.  The wedding dress is probably THE most important element of the wedding day and once the day is done, most never see the light of day again. It’s almost comparable to a tragic love story, isn’t it? Consider a happily ever after for your dress that includes allowing another bride-to-be to rent it for her big day. That’s right…sites like Recycled Bride, Once Wed, Bravo Bride and Wore it Once are online marketplaces for brides who graciously contribute their dresses so other brides can rent or buy them at discounted prices. You may also find bridesmaids dresses, groomsmen suites, and even wedding rings posted on occasion.

Toast with Organic Champagne.  Unfortunately, you won’t save too much by choosing Organic Champagne for your toast but the less expensive alternative, which also comes in organic variety, is Sparkling Wine. Consider these sparkling options for your next champagne toast.

• NV Albert Mann Crémant d’Alsace (Organic) $18.99
• Ermite Medici Reggiano “Solo” (Biodynamic) $11.99

Exchange conflict free wedding vows.  Truth be told, there are still tons of “blood diamonds”  crossing American borders everyday.  And while they may be just as beautiful as non-conflict diamonds, the concept of wearing one seems pretty oxymoronic considering that are supposed to be seen as statements of love and blood diamonds, are often born of and perpetuate war.  Make sure you are saying your “I Do’s” with conflict free diamonds by:

• Buying a diamond that hasn’t crossed national borders during processing.
• Buying a diamond with a laser-engraved serial number.
• Buying a diamond processed under ethical labor conditions.
• Buying a diamond certified by its regional government.

Gift Earth Friendly Favors.  Environmentally friendly wedding favors are the gift that keeps on giving.  And thanks to creative developments, the options range from Celebratory Wedding Poppers to Plantable Favor Boxes.  You may also want to consider these Etsy finds:

• Biodegradable Pots and Plantable Paper Wedding Favors Kit
• Initials & Heart – Natural Shea Butter Soap
• “Set of 24 cupcake soaps By: Princess Buttercup

Here are some facts about Weddings, courtesy of TreeHugger:

• 2.3 million: Number of couples that get married in the US each year. That breaks down to more than 6,300 weddings a day.
• $20,000: The average budget of a wedding in the U.S. (this number increases to £16,000 ($31,222) in the U.K. and decreases to €12,000 ($15,782) in France.)
• 14.5 tonnes: The amount of CO2 created by the average wedding in the U.K.
• 80 percent: The percentage of gold mined each year that goes into jewelry, out of 2500 tons.
• 50 years: Length of time the current amount of already-mined gold could satisfy demand; much of it currently sits in bank vaults and in old, unused jewelry.

{Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/656003 and Treehugger.com}