What do you do if you’re planning a wedding, but you don’t want it to become a wasteful extravaganza that burdens the earth with throwaway cameras, meat-heavy menus, a cascade of pesticide-grown flowers that will die soon, and all the rest? Did you know that the wedding industry in this country is at least $58 billion a year in direct costs, plus $80 billion of indirect expenses? The average wedding and honeymoon create 9 to 16 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

We’re happy to report that this big business of happiness, food, clothes, travel, and gifts is going green. The green wedding market niche is your answer. Brides are choosing organic silk or hemp fabric for their gowns; some couples ask not for gifts but donations to environmental charities or carbon offsets for their guests’ air travel. You could do this, too! You could ask your caterer to serve organic, locally grown food, offer vegetarian options, and donate leftovers to food banks. You could reduce your gift registry and ask friends to help conduct the wedding as their gift to you. What an opportunity to exercise your creativity! At one wedding, the bride carried her beloved (and very laid-back) cat down the aisle, instead of a bouquet!

One earth-friendly wedding planner in the San Francisco area is Vibrant Events, which can customize that special day while keeping in mind the earth and its communities. Or you can google “green weddings” to find other earth-friendly event organizers.

It’s heartening to know that love of spouse and love of planet can go hand in hand.

(This is also found in the Examiner.com Be sure to check up more of Linda’s articles!)