Remember those times when it was common to write out wedding invitations one by one on a pretty stationary with all the trimmings. It was traditional to write wedding invitations out and mail those months before the wedding day came about. However, with the dawning of the internet era, and with the ease and quickness of sending messages electronically, it was only a matter of time before incorporating the ease of sending invites, even something as traditional as wedding invites, would become something that brides-to-be would start doing.

Now, we are not saying that wedding invitations have been taken over by evites and e-cards, however, we are saying that this is a sign of the times and the era of digital wedding invitations not only have arrived, but are here to stay. Digital Wedding Invitations are simply jazzed up emails that are mailed out in massive quantities to all the wedding guests you are planning to invite to your special day. One of the requirements however is for the bride to be or groom to be, whoever is organizing the guest list to have everyone’s email that they are planning to invite. Obviously this is an obstacle to overcome. How does the bride to be or groom to be alleviate this concern?

One idea is to use a social networking tool such as Facebook or MySpace where the newlyweds can post their wedding online. Another way is to contact them obtain there emails and send out a fancy electronic invite better known as an Evite or Ecard. Now while a lot of the older generation do not have nor use emails traditional methods still need to be practiced when sending out wedding invitations on their special wedding day! A third idea is to have a website customized for the upcoming event and have it uploaded to the world wide web well in advance and have the URL advertised online.

Some of the downfalls to this approach as mentioned above could be people not having access to the internet or not being connected on a regular basis to be able to access either the wedding website created especially for your wedding day or they can not connect to the social network such as Facebook or MySpace. Another pitfall could be the older generation either being computer illiterate or being intimidated by the whole notion of the computer.

So in conclusion, digital wedding invitations will become the fabric of wedding for years to come! Although they will not replace the traditional wedding invitation digital wedding invitations are more cost effective, more time efficient and more environmentally friendly all while getting the message across to all the wedding guests in the same manner as a traditional wedding invitation would. Therefore go crazy with your digital wedding invitation be as creative with your digital invite as you would with your traditional print invitation. But still keep in mind that it is still a wedding and traditional methods must be applied.

These days, it seems that everyone’s favorite color is green. Eco-friendly is the new black this season. Many couples choose to build their wedding in regards to an eco-friendly wedding guideline. From eco-friendly wedding invitations to eco-friendly wedding favors, there is a rapidly growing industry that caters to those who want to be kinder to the world they live in.

What is Eco-Friendly?

Progressively, we have moved long past the day when we just acknowledged words associating with “recycled.” Today’s eco-friendly products take their responsibility to the world far deeper than merely printing their brochures or invitations on recycled paper. To be eco-friendly is to participate with the goods and services considered to inflict minimal or no harm on our environment. One maker of a very popular line of eco-friendly wedding invitations, for instance, uses one hundred percent certified post-consumer recycled paper, soy-based inks and a printing process powered entirely by wind-energy, so that no resources are used to add to the carbon footprint of your wedding day.

Eco-Friendly Wedding Favors

If you are determined to have an eco-friendly wedding, there are multiple ways you’re your wedding can be green from start to finish. You can even choose to send your guests home with wedding favors that help them to continue eco-friendly behavior well after your wedding is over. Below are some things to look for in an eco-friendly wedding favor, invitation and other wedding accessories.

If you are an eco-friendly person, you probably already know that you should not have your guests throw rice at your wedding because it is not healthy for the birds. Confetti is not much better because it has harmful dyes that can be detrimental to the environment. Wildflower seeds may seem like a good idea on the surface, but may not be appreciated by neighbors or the venue at which your ceremony is held. Instead, have your guests throw freeze-dried rose petals. These are all natural, biodegradable, and noting says romance quite like roses. You can also be eco-friendly by giving wedding favors that live on long past your wedding day. One of the most novel developments in wedding favors is what is known as “plant-able” paper. Created by using recycled rag and paper that is impregnated with wildflower seeds, this paper can be formed into hearts, doves, cones and even wedding invitations. Once the wedding is over, your guests can take their favor home and plant it in the ground. They can remember your wedding fondly as they grow a patch of wildflowers in their own yards. Other popular eco-friendly wedding favors include a little clay pot packaged with an ornament such as a dove, a cross, a heart or another wedding-themed motif. They are beautiful table decorations at your wedding, then they can go home with your guests to be planted in a half inch of soil so that they may bloom. If you decide to give candy favors to your guests, there are organic chocolates available with minimal packaging which will reduce the amount of waste that your wedding will generate. These chocolates are not only friendly to the environment, but they also taste great!

Other Tips for Making Your Wedding a Green Wedding

If you want a completely eco-friendly wedding, do not stop with the eco-friendly wedding favors. There are many other ways to make your wedding greener. Below are just a few tips for making your wedding a green and Earth-friendly.

Choose to serve an organic, vegetarian or vegan menu to your guests. Try to not use disposable serving ware or dinnerware at your wedding. The water saved by not washing the dishes does not offset the resources used in making disposable plates and dinnerware. Choose invitations printed on recycled, unbleached paper, or ones printed with non-petroleum based inks. You can find a number of beautiful eco-friendly wedding invitations online. Serve organic coffee at your wedding and all of your wedding events such as rehearsal dinner, engagement party and any others. Choose a wedding gown that is eco-friendly. You can either re-use your mother’s wedding gown, or buy one that is second-hand. You can also repurpose a gown that was bought at a vintage shop. Avoid clothing that needs to be dry-cleaned such as rental tuxes. Choose flowers that are grown locally to cut down on the carbon footprint of transporting the flowers cross-country or over the ocean. While you are thinking flowers, think about choosing live centerpieces that can go home with your guests and be replanted. Small trees are an ideal choice because they will grow up to help reduce the carbon emissions in the atmosphere and continue doing good things for our earth for decades. If possible, hold your wedding outdoors and use as little electricity as possible. An afternoon outdoor wedding is beautiful, romantic and uses very little in the way of generated energy. You will have the advantage of natural light and the beauty of the Earth as your backdrop.

Ask your photographer to use digital media and provide digital proofs of your wedding photographs. That will cut down on the amount of chemicals used in developing your photographs and the use of paper photos.