Book Review: How To Get Married In Green by Suzan St Maur

When I turned 28 half my friends decided to get married, leading to a global wedding tour from here to Sydney. This year the other half have decided to get hitched and it looks as if I'm in for another expensive year.

At first glance, you might think that a book on Green Weddings is a bit faddish or a tenuous attempt to cash in on the issue du jour. Now I've always been the bridesmaid, never the bride, but I've been through enough nuptials to know just how much organisation these jamborees take. Trying to ensure that the perfect day doesn't cost the planet would take an awful lot of Googling and this book has all the bases covered.

From ethically sourcing the wedding and engagement rings through Stag & Hen nights, to the big day itself and on to the Honeymoon, Suzan St Maur's book is thorough while remaining thoroughly readable. For example, I never knew you could get hemp bras with bamboo underwiring! It doesn't preach, just suggests, and doesn't get caught up in minutiae either.

So, if you're going to get hitched, why not do it in green?

With this recycled ring...

Now I've always been the bridesmaid and never the bride, but with the average spend on nuptials rocketing, it is no surprise to see a rising interest in Green Weddings. According to the Independent yesterday, the average wedding is responsible for 14.5 tonnes of CO2 (the average annual output per person is about 10 tonnes).

While it is not exactly rocket science (use recycled/second hand stuff, source organic local food and try to minimise transport), green wedding tips can be found at:

Friends of the Earth, and,

Eco-weddings

Or, if you want someone else to sort it out, Green Weddings will be happy to relieve you of your cash...