Eco-Beautiful flowers? What does that mean?

Aren't all flowers Eco-friendly? You would think so. But unfortunately, not all flower options are kind to the environment or to the people who help bring them to you. Why?

Choose Flowers That Are In Season. One of the biggest things you will have to do if you are looking to have a green wedding is learn to be flexible. Let's say, for example, you've always dreamed of your wedding filled to the brim with gorgeous peonies. I mean, you are positively set on having pretty light pink peonies everywhere. But, you've planned your wedding for November when peonies are not available in the northern hemisphere. Of course your florist could probably get them for you at a very high cost. But going such a route would be so grossly "anti-eco-kind" for just about every reason mentioned in this post and more.

When you buy flowers without insisting on using local resources, your flowers will most likely come from South America or other countries, drenched in chemical preservatives, and shipped under refrigeration from halfway around the world. All of that takes a lot of energy – and more chemicals than you care to know about – to make sure the flowers last long enough to use by your wedding.By using local growers, flowers can get to us quickly without excess use of energy while still fresh and with little or no chemicals and no need for refrigeration.

So, by buying locally from growers who grow organically, you are helping to cut down on the use of harsh chemicals and energy for refrigeration as well as cutting out pollution from all the forms of transportation normally required to get the non-local flowers to you. And, as a side benefit, you will be stimulating your economy by supporting local businesses. And who wouldn't like that, right?

Grow Your Own Flowers. With enough time, you could plant and grow all the flowers for your wedding yourself, in your yard or a co-op garden. A couple of friends of ours did this a few years ago and it turned out just beautifully. Buy Flowers From Fair Trade Suppliers. While it's best to either grow your own or buy local, if you absolutely have to have a type of flower for your wedding that you cannot get locally...make sure the flowers are obtained through Fair Trade. About 80% of cut flowers sold in the United States are grown in Latin America, South America, and Africa. Workers are often exploited to keep costs low, leading to severe abuse and mistreatment. Fair Trade creates a sustainable business model that guarantees social justice, environmental protection and economic development.

And last but not least, handcrafting your own broach, fabric, button, or paper arrangements is another fantastic way to be eco-kind and still have one gorgeous wedding. For obvious reasons, making your own arrangements is as green as green can be. Here's a really neat option for handcrafting your own centerpieces.But another great advantage is that handcrafted items will not wilt and with care...they could last forever.