The white weddings turn green

The Sunday Times
March 22, 2009

NEVER mind a white wedding – many couples now want to turn their big day green and Britain’s £5.5 billion wedding industry is cashing in. The average UK wedding costs £21,000 (twice as much as 10 years ago) but, surprisingly, no multinational brand has yet managed to dominate the market – it is served almost exclusively by small businesses.
The greenunion.co.uk website pulls together dozens of such small suppliers, from marquee-hire firms to cakemakers. Another site, eco-friendlyweddings.co.uk, offers links to such things as biodegradable tableware and recycled stationery.
Now couples are able to calculate the environmental footprint of their nuptials with the aim of creating a zero-carbon event.
The online calculator at carbonfund.org/weddings allows planners to input the number of guests, any flights and hotel stays involved, plus car hire and mileage estimates. It then tots up the carbon emissions generated and gives users the option of buying carbon offsets through the website. For an event taking place 75 miles outside of London with 150 guests, some flying, others driving and taking the train, the calculator estimates a carbon footprint of about 20 tons.
Other companies are offering green honeymoons for those who don’t want to undo all the good work they have done on the big day. Go Differently (godifferently.com) offers alternative honeymoons where newlyweds can combine short-term volunteer activities in developing countries, presumably alongside more traditional romantic activities.