Regardless of the colours they’re choosing for their wedding, many brides are bringing a touch of green – as in eco-friendly aspects – to the festivities. Invitations are a great aspect that brides can be more responsible with while still showing a lot of personality. Besides helping the green movement, many of the eco-friendly options for wedding invitations are actually very stylish and can make a lasting impression with the guests who receive them. The options are nearly limitless, making it fun and easy to go green for your wedding.

Recycled Paper
When it comes to eco-friendly invites, choosing recycled paper is the bare minimum a bride can do. Paper that is 100% recycled – for the invitation, RSVP cards and envelopes – are easy to find. Some retailers even stock it more extensively than they do with the non-recycled kind. Recycled paper comes in many varieties and contrary to some beliefs, it can appear just as clean and crisp as non-recycled alternatives.

Tree-free Paper
Fibres that come from certain eco-savvy plants have been produced into stationary – and this is perfect for brides looking to make an impact with guests. Tree-free wedding invites look beautiful, but many also have a texture that is very high-end and chic. Organic cotton, hemp, straw, kenaf, sugar beet and flax papers can all be used for your wedding invite. Being environmentally friendly has never been so stylish!

Plantable Paper
It’s probably the most symbolic invitation out there – and it’s great for the environment too. Plantable paper invitations are recycled or organic stationary that has seeds imbedded into it that can then be planted and grown into flowers or herbs. Just as you and your fiancé’s love has grown with time, now your wedding announcement can too! Not only will your invite let guest know the details about your wedding, but it later becomes a lovely keepsake. Seeded invitations, due to their nature-based appearance, are also great options for brides who are known for being eco-friendly or are planning an outdoor wedding.

Vegetable-based Dyes and Inks
If you’ve chosen environmentally-friendly paper, consider taking the next step and having your wedding invitations printed with eco-ink. Inks made from green materials such as soy and linseed oils are fabulous aesthetically – they tend to print brighter and rub off less than the typical petroleum-based inks. For a bride who’s picky about colour, veggie and soy-based inks are the way to go! While traditional inks release harmful fumes into the environment, this option has a much smaller environmental impact – so they’re good news on all fronts.

Electronic Invites
In a growing paperless world, it should come as no surprise that some brides are turning to e-mail and the web to announce their weddings. There’s boundless creativity to be had for the tech-savvy couple that chooses to make a video-based, animated or cleverly designed website or e-mail as their wedding invitation. Brides and grooms that go this route should be prepared to make a few physical invites for those guests who don’t have regular internet access, but this option is as green as you can get. If an e-vite is too untraditional, consider sneaking in paperless options where you can. For example, instead of including an RSVP card and envelope, ask guests to e-mail or call you with their acceptance or decline or your invitation. Less formal wedding related communication, like that of the save-the-date, shower invites and bachelor or bachelorette party announcements are all opportunities to go electronic.

Regardless of the eco-chic style you choose, consider spreading the word about how easy it is to incorporate environmentally responsible choices in wedding and event planning. By simply stating ‘printed on tree-free paper’, for example, on a small corner of your wedding invitation, you can help educate and inform people about the options available to them. Perhaps you can inspire the next invite you receive!