Huge cars, an expensive long-haul holiday, mountains of food and drink, flowers and fancy outfits - a wedding is not exactly eco friendly..
Large numbers of couples are now seeking "green weddings" and are shopping around for dresses, catering and honeymoons that are in keeping with their environmental aspirations.
The New Forest has been awarded the international Responsible Tourism Award and can offer couples a real opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint. It fits in with couple's lifestyles and provides a natural extension to what they do already.
A green wedding in the New Forest is a good way to get off the commercial wedding treadmill – the whole industry has become so over commercialised. A New Forest wedding offers people a real chance to do something different and be kind to the environment.
Couples wanting an eco friendly wedding in the New Forest can include as much or as little as they want. It’s all about making choices. Many of the hotels in the New Forest are licenced for weddings and some have been awarded the Green Business Tourism Award and as such offer couples a chance to do something positive. There’s even a London Black cab that runs on recycled cooking oil and can be decked with wedding ribbons for wedding transport the big day. Alternatively there are suppliers offering the traditional horse and carriage.
There are five main line railway stations in the New Forest and guests can arrive in style on the train from London Waterloo and then catch the New Forest Open Tour bus to their destination.
You could choose to have a wedding ring carved out of beautiful New Forest Oak Wood, or have a dress spun from silk at a nearby historic mill or raid the local charity shops for a second hand gown? The New Forest has a wealth of local producers, bearing the New Forest Marque, who can supply the food for a wedding and the Forest also boasts its own vineyards for wine for the tables and the toast.
What could be more romantic than a honeymoon in the New Forest and this can avoid the "green guilt" that couples experience over long haul flights. There’s a good selection of hotels (some with ouxury spas) and hideaway cottages for the honeymooners in the New Forest.
Flowers can also be difficult for ethical weddings, particularly when so many are flown in from developing countries. However, there’s a good supply of local and season flowers available in and around the New Forest.
The New Forest the perfect place for a green white wedding!
Please see below for list of Premium Wedding Suppliers
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Tips for a Green Wedding
1. Choose a location that supports Responsible Tourism
2. Have your wedding, reception snd honeymoon in the same place
3. Go ‘vintage’ with your wedding dress and revamp your mother’s dress
4. Choose a wedding ring that has ‘ethical’ diamonds or one Made of local materials such as wood
5. Why not have graphically designed emailed wedding invitations?
6. Consider using a romantic horse and carriage for your wedding transport
7. Use local entertainment
8. Use a florist that can source local flowers
9. Look for candles made with natural products such as soya bean wax 10. Choose rose petals, rice or bird seed instead of confetti
|  | If you know of any interesting wedding customs that you would like to share please email anitasibley@ vizzitnewforest.com |
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