Renee Sweany from Green Piece Indy newsletter is getting married in May at the Indianapolis City Market in a gown made by her mother from fabric from her grandmother’s wedding dress. She and her fiancé are looking forward to a room full of fresh-cut lilacs in bud vases used in a friend’s wedding.

Green Wedding. Photos courtesy Garnet Vaughan

Their mouths water when they think about hors d’oeuvres from a favorite farmers market vendor. Their rings are made from re-claimed metal and recycled diamonds by a fellow Midwesterner. Perhaps their most exciting detail: they will make a donation to the Humane Society of Indianapolis in honor of their guests and their rescued dog, Miles, who will serve as ring bearer.

Indiana Living Green asked Sweany to share 10 tips for her green wedding. Many of them apply to any special event:

1. Reduce paper. Traditional invitations often have a whole tree’s worth of paper. Cut back by consolidating information. Use recycled, post-consumer paper from a local vendor. Consider having an RSVP web site instead ofcards (you’ll save on postage too!).
2. 

   Linda Sweany (left) will help her daughter Renee Sweany (right) alter a wedding gown worn by her grandmother, Phyllis Huffman in 1948. Photo courtesy Chris Sublett
   Reuse centerpieces. Search online and among family/friends to find used vases and candle holders for centerpieces. Look at resale shops for mix-andmatch pieces with character.
3. Recycle a used dress. Retrofitting an old dress isn’t just for Pretty in Pink fans. Check out Mom or Grandma’s gown for reusable fabric, or look for the perfect dress at a consignment shop.
4. Marry your significant other in a significant place. Find a venue that supports a cause, like a museum or public garden.
5. Consider a local caterer. Food travels an average of 2,000 miles to get to the grocery store. Choose a caterer who uses locally produced foods for your menu.
6. Raise your glasses to the newlyweds and the planet. Choose reusable glassware and flatware, rather than plastic. Invest in kegs over individual bottles of brew.
7. Sniff out a local florist. More than 100 species of flowers are grown right here in Indiana. Support a local grower with bouquets and decorations using locally grown flowers that are Hoosier natives.
8. Do the planet a favor; make a donation. Instead of providing small favors that guests may or may not keep, make a donation to a favorite nonprofit in honor of your guests.
9. 

   Flat rocks were used as place cards. Photos courtesy Garnet Vaughan
   Get a room. Reserve a block of rooms for out-of-town guests at a hotel that makes an effort to be green. From recycling to solar panels, there are properties that share a commitment to the planet. You may also consider carbon offsets for traveling guests.
10. Green bling. Work with a local jeweler to create ethical, environmental rings. Reuse a family diamond or other vintage jewelry as a symbol of your love for the planet. There are even ecofriendly options made from wood.

Sweany said that of all the green tips, perhaps the most important is: be intentional. Find meaning in each detail. This is your special day and each aspect should be a reflection of you both.

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