Eco Invitation

Try to go with post-consumer recycled paper, and stay away from bright whites, which use a lot of chemical bleach. You can also get tree-free paper that is made from recycled coffee beans, banana stalks, bamboo, kenaf, recycled denim, organic cotton, or hemp fibre. How about organic cotton invitations that contain wildflower seeds which will grow if planted? Your love can bloom literally as well as symbolically.

THE ECO INVITATION & PROGRAMS

Paper is a wondrous, simple craft that can start your “Eco” event off on a recycled foot.Your invitation is the first impression guests will get of your green wedding. Recycled invitations that are processed without chlorine are a great Eco option. Encourage guests to recycle bridal_paper their invitations, or have seeds embedded in the paper so that guests can plant the invitations and enjoy the flowers that grow from them.

You can easily make paper medallions to add a homespun touch to a simple traditional cardstock invitation, or make the entire invitation, envelope set from recycled paper. You can combine recycled office paper, junk mail, and grocery bags for the basic paper and water mixture…and then add grass cuttings, wildflowers, seeds, ribbons, or other symbolic ingredients to the sheets of recycled paper.

Choose a printer who will use paper with a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content and papers that aren't metallic or plastic-coated, characteristics that make them hard to recycle.

Use a reply postcard (no envelope) and forgo the inner envelopes-you'll save paper and money. A small simple design or a self-mailer will use less paper…and less trees! Or use a more renewable resource such as Kenaf or rice paper.

Opportunities to reduce paper use:

A website can provide the details about your wedding-directions, hotels, other events, to avoid having to print this information out for everyone, (only print letters with this information for family and friends without Internet access).

Using online invitations and a wedding blog to let people know about the bachelor/ette parties, rehearsal dinner, and gift registry is the best eco-friendly choice.

In your invitations, let guests know about the eco-friendly hotel and transportation options in your area, whether it's hybrid rental cars or directions to the ceremony on public transportation. And don't forget to pick up some extra green paper products for your guest book, place cards, and thank-you notes.

Comments (1)

It is a really fun idea to make paper for your wedding invitations. A few things to think about. You have to make a lot of paper, it has to be uniform, and calendared flat so you can print it. The combination suggested above, will result in a paper that looks like egg carton paper. The best way to start, is with cotton linter, and you need some good paper making supplies, like a paper mould, couching supplies, a paper press, etc.

Also, unless a skilled papermaker has made the paper, it will be just about impossible to find a printer who can actually print your invitations. (for a number of technical reasons). You can try printing the paper you made by running it through an inkjet printer, or making a rubber stamp.

There are some pretty sophisticated options out there, so investigate wisely.

(Advice from someone with 15 years experience with handmade and eco papers)