May it be in a rustic cathedral, a manicured boutique garden, or a sun-kissed beach, it will always be a fitting tribute to give a nod to Mother Earth on our wedding day by making our big day not a burden for her.

Here are seven practical ways to make your wedding not only memorable but also eco-friendly: 

1. Recycle

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,” says an old wedding saying. Not only is this economical, it also saves the environment as you do not contribute to the generation of waste during an event.

2. Buy local

May it be that mouthwatering dessert or that succulent fish you want your guests to taste, it is better to source your supplies locally to reduce your carbon footprint, the amount of greenhouse gases we contribute with our activities. That slice of wedding cake? It packs 155 grams of carbon dioxide, twice the amount of carbon footprint produced by a bowl of homemade potato chips.

3. Minimize wastage

Marine scientist Ma. Isabel Senal suggests that keeping things simple during one’s wedding contributes to helping the environment. “More accessories, decorations, etc means more wastage. It will be better select key items as memento for the wedding,” she said.

4. No to paper lanterns, balloon releases

Paper lanterns and balloon releases are pretty romantic but do you ever wonder where those pieces of paper and rubber ever end up. As the saying, “what goes up must come down,” paper lanterns and balloons end most probably end up in the ocean, the Earth being 75% covered by the sea.

5. Minimize distance of ceremony and reception

Not only does it save you on providing transportation for all of your guests, it also supports the environment as it lessens carbon emissions of vehicles used. It may be little but as they say, great things start from small beginnings.

6. Know your metals, gems, stones

As our recently published blog on ethical diamonds  said, knowing where your metals and gems come from is important to avoid adding further damage to the environment and to society. Geologist John Christopher Lawrence Morillo said metals and gems are limited in supply and should acquired judiciously. “They run out, and the more we seek to look for these materials, the more we need to dig the earth- and the consequences include deforestation and displacement of natives from ancestral lands,” he said.

7. Maximize technology

With the dizzying acceleration of technology, weddings tweaks are now easier to do. May it be calendar synchronization, sharing photos of your prospective gown, or giving pegs for your photo booth, the ultimate task master will have a field day with accomplishments just a click away.

How about you? How did you contribute in saving the environment on your wedding day? Share your story.

The post 7 Ways to Make Your Wedding Eco-Friendly appeared first on The Top Knotters.

Whether you are running out of suppliers, wanting to commend your fabulous stylist, or just a pat in the back for pulling off your wedding by yourself, a wedding community is a great compliment to your preparations.

Take the example of Abet and Bennette Rana, founders of Weddings at Work (W@W). Out of their frustration in finding the perfect fit, not only for their wedding dresses but more so to their wedding needs, the Rana couple turned to the internet to look for their suppliers. It did not fail them. Soon, they put up a wedding community that has bridged the gap between suppliers and brides-to-be, brides-to-be to brides-to-be and many more. 

Here are some reasons why you should get into one:

 1. It’s a complete one-stop shop

W@Wie member, Apple Anabo-Hung, said it gives couples getting married to find the suppliers they need. “W@W… helps couples with their decision on who to get as suppliers.” “Because W@W has everything you need to know to prepare a wedding/have a beautiful wedding – whether budget or extravagant wedding. And information are always current and real as these come from real brides to be,” said W@Wie Sherylin Guieb-Buckmaster.

2. More friends

“A friend in need is a friend indeed.” W@W users personify this quote as they find and become the damsels-in-shining armor of their fellow wedding warriors. “Join W@W for the suppliers info but stay for the camaraderie. You’ll find it hard to leave anyway,” quipped W@Wie Krystle Ambayec-Dino. For W@Wie Osannah Concepcion-Atilares, she gained more than friends but a family when she joined the community. “Bukod sa naging madali ang wedding preparations, I gained a lot of friends and sisters from different mothers. Someone who would understand everything you’re going through.”

 3. A free market of ideas

It only takes a spark for one to ignite and a firestorm of ideas ensue. W@W provides that jumpstart for your wedding preparations. W@Wie member Amanda Hernandez said the community gave her the inspiration for the ideas she needs for her wedding. “I joined W@W because I didn’t know where to begin with my wedding. With W@W I was able to get a lot of great ideas, tips (what I could save on, what I could do without, etc) and I was able to get good and bad feedback on suppliers which made it easier to decide on who to get. And it was also fun seeing how others planned for their wedding.,” she said. Pittipat Manzano Chupungco adds: “W@W makes wedding planning so much easier. Aside from that you get to exchange tips, ideas, and experiences with people who are exactly in the same boat as you are so they can understand you perfectly.”

 4. Your friendly sounding board

Sometimes, you just need to let it all out. As wedding preparation frustrations take its toll on you, sometimes you just need a pat on the back to make you move forward. Dheng Ordonio-Ozaeta shares, “W@W is the wedding sounding board. Kung may angst ka sa ento mo o sa supplier mo, everybody is there to listen (este read) and will give you advice. Not only a support group but it has been a family. Kahit online lang kayo nagkakausap, when you meet personally na, akala mo, taon na kayong magkakilala.” For Vesta Villena-Laserna, W@W provided the coziness that will not make one feel left out. W@W itself is your very own world where you can rant on smallest things about your wedding preparations or rave on a very small discovery or discount. No one will judge you as if you were an alien,” she said.

 5. Less stress

Nothing is more rewarding than having to prepare for your wedding stress-free. W@Wie members attest that their preparations got second wind because of their membership in the community. Lalie Baluyot-Rey said, “Being part of W@W is like having extra hands to help you with the wedding preparation making it less stressful for the couple. It makes everything more enjoyable especially you get to do it with other brides to be too.” “It helps you decide what you want and not. Plus, it helps you be prepared with expectations and questions as early as the first supplier’s meeting since you can check for reviews of previous brides/grooms on a particular supplier. The community also helps you make decisions — that later becomes your family,” adds Cheryl Chan-Wong.

How about you? Why did you join a wedding community? Share your story with us.

The post 5 Good Reasons To Join A Wedding Community appeared first on The Top Knotters.