| By now most of us have seen at least one "reality" | | | | Also, if you would still rather give your guests |
| TV show where a normally sane couple bankrupts | | | | something they can take home and enjoy, try some |
| themselves trying to plan some over the top | | | | good old-fashioned gardening and give them living |
| wedding-to-end-all-weddings. We shake our heads as | | | | flowers they can replant later. Flowers have the |
| the frazzled groom argues about the wood grain in | | | | added benefit of doing double-duty as table |
| the resort's gazebo; we feel our jaws drop when the | | | | decorations, and growing them yourself is great for |
| bride breaks down in tears over the shape of the 24 | | | | the environment. |
| karat gold shavings on the Strawberries Arnaud. We | | | | 6. Donate Your Leftover Food |
| ask ourselves, is this what the modern wedding has | | | | If there's one thing weddings usually have a lot of, |
| become? | | | | it's extra food from the reception; don't forget that |
| Thankfully, the real reality of most 21st century | | | | most of those leftovers can be used to help feed |
| weddings couldn't be more different than their | | | | the hungry. Donating your extra food is one of the |
| depictions on television and elsewhere. Sure, | | | | easiest charitable activities you can do at your |
| weddings are a big business, raking in tens of billions | | | | wedding. It literally costs you nothing and can even |
| of dollars annually, but many couples are embracing a | | | | cut down on the clean-up time at your reception. |
| more profound view of the big day that captures | | | | Contact a local soup kitchen or food bank before |
| the spirit of what getting married is all about. Britain's | | | | your wedding day to make arrangements to donate |
| The Daily Telegraph even reported that in 2009 a full | | | | your extra food. Many organizations will even send |
| one in ten couples included requests for charity | | | | someone to pick up the leftovers for you. This will |
| wedding gifts in their registries. | | | | reduce waste, make clean-up easier for the staff |
| The trend is clear, today's weddings are about | | | | working at your reception, and will immediately help |
| recognizing that your love is much more | | | | people in desperate need. |
| encompassing than the feelings you have for your | | | | 7. Donate Your Wedding Dress |
| spouse-to-be -- connecting your wedding to an | | | | It's impossible to overstate the importance of finding |
| important cause is now more popular, easier, and | | | | the wedding dress you love, but your dress is |
| affordable than ever. Do you want your big day to | | | | probably the only piece of clothing you will ever own |
| make a big difference? Use this list of 10 tips and | | | | that you will wear just once (hopefully). Instead of |
| ideas for inspiration and join the millions of couples | | | | sentencing your dress to a lifetime in a garment bag, |
| this year who are celebrating their love by sharing it | | | | you can give your gown a loving legacy that will last |
| with the world! | | | | far after your wedding day by donating it to charity. |
| 1. Involve Your Guests Early with Charity Wedding | | | | Charity wedding dresses are much, much more than |
| Invitations | | | | thrift store castoffs and can even help women who |
| Mentioning gifts in your wedding invitations is normally | | | | aren't getting married. Brides Against Breast Cancer, |
| considered a breach of etiquette and is in poor taste, | | | | for example, resells donated wedding dresses then |
| but it's a bit different if your wedding will be | | | | uses the proceeds to support terminally ill breast |
| supporting a worthwhile cause. If you have | | | | cancer patients and to fund new research into |
| something special in mind for your wedding, whether | | | | beating the disease. |
| it's a request for charity donations in place of gifts or | | | | Just by donating your dress you can help a future |
| a special event you have planned, consider making a | | | | bride with a small budget have the wedding of her |
| note on your invitations or including a card (printed on | | | | dreams and put an end to an epidemic that kills tens |
| recycled paper) that explains what you'll be doing and | | | | of thousands of women each year! |
| why. | | | | 8. Start a Scholarship in Honor of Your Wedding |
| You can use wording like, "To share our love and | | | | Work with your former high school, a school in your |
| gratitude, our wedding will support name of cause." | | | | community, your college, or a local youth organization |
| You can follow this statement with a description of | | | | to form a scholarship program in your names that will |
| what you plan to do and why you have selected a | | | | benefit a struggling or underprivileged student. Then, |
| particular charity. You can also include website | | | | when you create your registry, you can request that |
| addresses, resources, and additional information for | | | | your guests donate cash to the program in place of |
| your guests. | | | | a gift. |
| Being upfront with your arrangements can help build | | | | When you start a scholarship program you're often |
| enthusiasm for your cause and will encourage your | | | | permitted to set the terms and the requirements for |
| guests to get involved too! | | | | each winner, so you can even custom-tailor your |
| 2. Hold a Group Charity Event before the Big Day | | | | award to a particular area of study, a hobby or |
| Get your friends together for an afternoon of fun | | | | sport, or to benefit a student who may be facing |
| and a lifetime of memories by volunteering as a | | | | some of the same challenges you have overcome in |
| group to give back to your local community. You can | | | | your own life. Whatever you do, endowing a |
| join a charity relay, adopt a highway, help clean a | | | | scholarship has a direct impact on a young person's |
| local park, or spend a day helping Habitat for | | | | life and your guests will love helping you fund it! |
| Humanity build affordable housing (speaking from | | | | 9. Hold Your Ceremony and/or Reception at |
| experience, no carpentry skills are necessary). | | | | Non-profit Venue |
| Volunteering a little of your time feels great and is an | | | | Yes, you could hold your reception at that fancy |
| excellent way to get in some lighthearted bonding | | | | banquet hall at the other end of town or at that |
| before the big day. | | | | country club down by the park, but you could also |
| If you want to go a step further and maximize your | | | | celebrate the big day somewhere just as elegant and |
| efforts, remember that many companies and | | | | help out your community. How? Choose a non-profit |
| organizations are willing to donate resources or | | | | location for your celebration! |
| funding to group charity events. Consider talking to | | | | Museums are perfect for this. Most museums have |
| your employer or a few of your favorite businesses | | | | banquet and conference areas that can be rented at |
| to see about getting some corporate sponsorship! | | | | rates comparable to or less than for-profit banquet |
| 3. Give Your Guests Charity Wedding Favors | | | | halls. Museums also have the advantage of |
| It's nice to give your guests a little treat on the big | | | | surrounding your celebrations with fabulous art or |
| day, but instead of a bag of mints, give them a | | | | timeless treasures from history. The decor at the |
| wedding favor that will help make the world a better | | | | country club may be nice, but it's doubtful they have |
| place! If you already have a budget set aside for | | | | an original JW Waterhouse or Andrew Wyeth |
| your wedding favors, consider donating that amount | | | | painting hanging up anywhere. Most museums survive |
| to a charity of your choice. Then, at each place | | | | on donations and special events like weddings, so |
| setting, you can leave a card explaining the donation | | | | selecting one for your big day is an excellent way to |
| you made in your guests' honor -- many charities will | | | | contribute to the arts and culture where you live. |
| even provide you with the cards, so be sure to ask. | | | | If you're not feeling up for a museum, keep in mind |
| But if you still want your guests to have a tangible | | | | that many community parks, churches, community |
| memento of your day, there are ways to give your | | | | centers, and civic organizations also offer spaces for |
| guests a take-home gift and help make a difference: | | | | weddings. Holding your ceremony, reception, or both |
| Some charities sell small favors like candy, ornaments, | | | | at any of these locations helps these groups help |
| or those ever-popular wristbands, and then use the | | | | your community. |
| profit to support their programs. No matter what you | | | | 10. Select Charities and Causes that Are Meaningful to |
| do, charity donation wedding favors are a guest | | | | You |
| favorite and will have everyone at your celebration | | | | Choosing a charity or cause to support through your |
| feeling better than they already do! | | | | wedding is a personal decision that should reflect |
| 4. Purchase Carbon Offset Credits | | | | your values and something you care deeply about. |
| Chances are you have guests who will be travelling | | | | Follow your heart, but remember to carefully vet any |
| to make it to your wedding, and the carbon dioxide | | | | charitable organization you're thinking of contacting. |
| emissions from all those miles will really start to add | | | | While the vast majority of charities are honestly |
| up. Even worse, many of the areas most affected | | | | committed to their respective causes, some are run |
| by the warming connected to carbon pollution are | | | | better than others, and some are much more |
| also among the poorest, increasing the hardships of | | | | effective at wisely spending donations and |
| many people who are already suffering. | | | | contributions. |
| What can you do? You can still invite those | | | | Any reputable charity will provide a financial |
| long-distance friends and relatives to your celebration | | | | accountability statement that breaks down how they |
| while helping the environment and the people of | | | | spend donations -- you can usually find this |
| developing nations by purchasing carbon credits. | | | | information on the organization's website. Try to |
| Carbon credits are a calculation that determines how | | | | focus on groups that apply a high percentage of the |
| much carbon dioxide a person, business, or event | | | | donations they receive (85% or higher) to their |
| creates over a set period of time (usually measured | | | | stated mission. |
| in tons of CO2). When you purchase carbon credits, | | | | Make Helping the World a Part of Your Wedding and |
| you are essentially donating the amount of money it | | | | a Part of Your Life |
| would take to offset that pollution through projects | | | | To say that the world around us could use some help |
| like reforestation or renewable energy development. | | | | is an understatement. The number of problems facing |
| Once your donation has been used you can become | | | | the planet today and the untold millions of people in |
| "carbon neutral" -- you've helped take as much | | | | dire need of assistance can overwhelm just about |
| carbon out of the atmosphere as you've put into it. | | | | anyone who thinks about it for more than a few |
| Sound complicated? It's actually much easier (and | | | | minutes. It's tempting to ignore these issues just to |
| cheaper) than you think. CarbonFund.org has a free | | | | stave off depression, but millions of wedding couples |
| calculator on its website that will help you figure out | | | | are showing us each year that there is a better way. |
| the carbon footprint of your wedding; the website | | | | When you make something like charitable giving a |
| also has tools that will help you make your big day | | | | part of your wedding, you make helping to fix the |
| carbon neutral. | | | | Earth a joyful experience rather than a depressing |
| 5. Plant Trees or Grow Flowers as Wedding Favors | | | | one. Indeed, by tying your wedding to a worthwhile |
| If you don't want to simply buy credits you can also | | | | cause you celebrate, not just your own life, but the |
| help the environment by planting trees in honor of | | | | lives of everyone living today. By giving back a little |
| your guests. Planting a tree is the single most | | | | each day, by making it a part of our routines and |
| effective way to remove carbon from the | | | | special events, and by making it fun, we can leave |
| atmosphere, and a single mature tree on average | | | | the world in much better shape than we found it. |
| removes up to 48 pounds of carbon per year. That | | | | So forget those reality TV shows; today's real top |
| may not sound like much, but keep in mind that each | | | | weddings are about all of us, not just the egos of |
| year a single tree also produces enough oxygen for | | | | the wedding couple. Charitable weddings have layers |
| two people. | | | | of beauty and meaning that will never, ever be |
| That's good news for all of us who breathe, and | | | | matched by fancy dessert pastries, exotic locations, |
| planting trees is an incredible way to establish a | | | | or titanic decorating budgets. Happy planning and |
| legacy for your wedding that will last for generations. | | | | good luck. |