With so many couples getting engaged over the holidays, wedding vendors are gearing up to sell sell sell. Before you dive into full wedding planning mode, have a plan! The first thing you should do is think and dream about what you want your wedding day to look like.

If you have visions of a lavish event at a hotel, you can still have a green wedding. If you are wanting a backyard bash with your dad's three hundred business associates and two hundred of your closest sorority or fraternity friends, you can still have a green wedding. If you are thinking about a small wedding with a ten course meal, you can have still have a green wedding.

The difference in planning an eco-friendly wedding versus one that is not green are the choices you make along the way.  You can have a light green wedding or an emerald wedding (just try to at least incorporate some degree of eco-friendliness).  If every couple made at least one "green" choice in their decision making process for their wedding, the environment would benefit greatly.

The main idea in having a plan of action before you meet with any of your vendors is to have your wedding vision in place. There will be multiple questions on both sides (both from you and from them).  Your first place to go for information is the internet (of course).  Here you will find a plethora of information about what makes a green wedding and what doesn't.  However, if a vendor is eco-friendly, they  will most likely be saying something about it on their website. Then, once you meet with a vendor, make sure you ask about what they are doing to make a difference in their community and the environment. Being green is not just about eco-friendly materials and supplies, it is about social justice as well.

Whether you are just starting your planning process or you're a week away from getting hitched, you can always make green changes to your plan. Have the mindset to make a difference with your wedding. If you start off green you will make a difference not only with your wedding day, but with how you live your life together as a married couple!

And by the way, having a green wedding does not mean the colors of your wedding have to be green or brown! You can have an eco-friendly wedding with bright or muted hues of any color.

Congratulations on your engagement!

Happy Green Planning!

 Written By Katie Martin, Owner of Elegance & Simplicity, Inc. - Eco-Beautiful Weddings 
All photos courtesy of Katie Martin

Katie Martin is the nation's leading eco-friendly wedding expert. She has owned and operated Elegance & Simplicity Wedding & Event Designers, Inc. since 1998. Her firm has designed thousands of eco-friendly events and has been heralded nationally by magazines, newspapers, blogs and other forms of media. Ms. Martin is also the Editor-in-Chief of Eco-Beautiful Weddings® Online Magazine & Blog.