Does planning a wedding need to be a nightmare

Planning a wedding whether it be a natural wedding or otherwise can be stressful but once you get your priorities straight, it really needn't be that way. We need to stop confusing weddings with crafty business. Weddings have become a linear experience in many cultures, when in reality it's up to you how it happens.  If you want a simple wedding, don't succumb to the pressure of society like the example of this video (funny though it may be) and make sure you only include what is important to you rather than giving in to societal pressures.

Of course you want to be considerate about the beliefs of your family and friends but as the video blatantly shows, it can be a losing battle if you don't take things into your own hands.

For more natural wedding tips and vendors in your area, check out our Natural Weddings website.

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Large Functions in Australia Contribute to 1.3 billion Tonnes of Food Wasted Each Year!

An Australian wedding calls for large-scale preparation of food with lavish menus being the order of the day, which can also result in large amounts of food wastage. When planning large scale events, whether it be for a wedding, private function or corporate event, choose a restaurant, function centre or venue that considers food waste, and reduces it where possible.

By working closely with caterers and event staff, your celebration can also be a an environmental success by reducing the waste simply by asking them to provide the leftovers to OzHarvest, Second Bite,FareShare, Food Bank or other organisations that support the homeless by distributing surplus food.

Planning food volumes with your caterer makes them aware of your concerns and together you will be able to minimise the amount of food wasted. It's important that you factor in the number of guests attending and communicate these details properly to your caterer. That way, they can get the number and quantity of food as close as possible.

A good caterer will know how to minimise portions not options. Most people can't eat more than 500g of food for dinner. A buffet with too much variety means that people can't sample everything whereas an a la carte menu can mean less wastage as the portions can be controlled and the options are limited.
When planning your menu consider sourcing lower environmental impact food choices, for example, you can use the Australian Marine Conservation Society’s Sustainable Seafood Guide.

Some other ideas are to plan your menu around what's in season at the time of your event and use local produce as much as possible which will help reduce the packaging and transporting the food vast distances.

Think Eat Save is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages you to reduce your foodprint. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted. At the same time, one in every seven people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of five die every day of hunger. Think Eat Save encourages people to become more aware of the environmental impact of the food choices they make and take informed decisions. Think Eat Save provides great advice on their website on how to reduce your food waste.

Another great resource is Love Food Hate Waste.

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Volunteer vacation honeymoon - for the intrepid couple

Once the wedding is over, of course you want to relax, but if you're the intrepid sort you'll find that a volunteer vacation for your honeymoon will be valued as a precious memory to start your marriage together and there's no better cultural immersion than to earn respect working side by side with locals who need your help.

The options are endless, pick a trip that you're passionate about and leave the land, animals or people better off than before you arrived. The bonus is you may find you take away more from your volunteer vacation honeymoon that you bargained for.

Thailand volunteer vacation & hilltribe treck - from $1742 AUD 15 Days

Asia -Thailand

Experience the diversity of Thailand on an adventure that includes hill-tribe trekking in the North, beach time in the South and life-changing volunteer projects on a pristine Andaman island. You’ll make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged children as you pitch in at the local school, and after a rewarding day, you can really immerse yourself in the island lifestyle as nights are spent in a beach side homestay. Then trade the beach for the hills and a chance to trek to resilient hilltribe villages.

Highlights: Giving back through a volunteer vacation with a school and community projects, experiencing local life in a homestay, blissing out in Khao Sok National Park, visiting a community tourism project on Koh Pra Thong, trekking small hilltribe villages and fields.

Explore & Cambodia Laos - from $1050 AUD 13 Days

Asia - Thailand, Cambodia, Laos

Spend time on your volunteer vacation honeymoon with one of our projects in Laos and Cambodia and you'll take away so much more than souvenirs or photographs—you'll engage the local community with building and education initiatives. And you’ll still have the opportunity to explore incredible ruins at Angkor Wat and experience French influences in riverside cafés. Whether you're marveling at stunning scenery, Buddhist monasteries or the face of a smiling child, this journey will allow you to dig deep into the people and culture of South East Asia.

Highlights: Volunteer vacations with New Hope Cambodia in Siem Reap, meeting workers of a local NGO in Luang Prabang, marvelling at the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat, enjoying a local homestay, relaxing in the riverside town of Vang Vieng.

Zambia volunteer vacation & safari - from $1599 AUD14 days

Africa - Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa

For travelers eager to give a little something back to the world that’s given them so much, Zambia needs you! This adventurous trip across three countries combines an authentic safari odyssey through national parks in search of the Big Five with time spent working on volunteer projects that benefit the people and animals of the region. Walk with rhinos and gain personal insight into the culture of the Shangaan people one day, participate in the Livingstone community volunteer program the next. Karma—it’s the ultimate travel rewards program.

Highlights: Your volunteer vacation at a Livingstone community project, Spotting the Big Five in Kruger National Park, gazing out across Victoria Falls, walking in search of rhinos and searching for wildlife from a 4x4 in Matobo National Park, witnessing Shangaan traditions, discovering the less-visited Zimbabwe.

Volunteer vacation in Peru Amazon - from $1399 AUD9 days

South America - Amazon, Peru

Experience the Peruvian Amazon on this exciting and hands-on jungle adventure. Travel by motorised canoe up the Tambopata River to the G Lodge Amazon. Spend five days of your volunteer vacation at a centre for the rehabilitation and conservation of wild animals. Work alongside staff to feed and take care of animals so they can be successfully released back to their natural habitats. Next, spend two days in the rainforest learning about traditional medicinal plants, spotting birds, cayman and monkeys.

Highlights: Your volunteer vacation in the Amazon with the rehabilitation and conservation of animals, exploring the jungle and searching for wildlife.

Voluteer honeymoon China – Pandas - from $1827 AUD14 days

Asia - China

This unique itinerary introduces the highlights of the Middle Kingdom — from the historic gems of modern Beijing to the ancient walls of Xi'an and cosmopolitan glitter of contemporary Shanghai while allowing you to give back to the community at the same time. From the palaces and temples of Beijing venture to the countryside to experience the grandeur of the Great Wall and work with intellectually challenged youth at a unique organic farm centre designed to offer employment opportunities and training to intellectually challenged people. In Xi'an witness the world-famous Terracotta Warriors, in Chengdu indulge in the culinary spice that is Sichuan cuisine and volunteer at the largest panda reserve in the world to help ensure these distinctly Chinese icons are around for future generations to admire.

Highlights: A volunteer vacatiuon at a rural organic farm and working with the local community, coming face-to-face with pandas at the Bifengxia Panda Center, exploring the bustling markets and streets of China's biggest cities, hiking along the Great Wall, standing in the middle of Tiananmen Square and meeting the Terracotta Warriors.

For even more adventurous volunteer vacation honeymoon ideas visit the Great Adventure website.

Don't forget to create your eco friendly gift registry at Biome Eco Stores so you are sure to receive eco friendly gifts that you actually want and that are useful to you.

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400,000 recycled cans to pay for a wedding

Love this story as reported in the Huffington Post.

"Some people ask their parents to pay for their wedding, or go into debt to pull it off. One couple in Spokane, Washington have decided to pay for their wedding by recycling aluminum cans. Andrea Parrish, 25, and Peter Geyer, 29 are trying to raise $4,000 for a modest wedding on July 31st by recycling. According to their website, weddingcans.com environmental responsibility plays a big part in their lives.


In an era of excessive consumerism and outlandish wedding spending, we at HuffPost Green admire this couple's initiative, gumption and care for the planet. The couple notes that after they recycle the planned 5 tons of aluminum, they will have offset 5 years of their own carbon footprints as well as the emissions from the wedding itself. Bravo!"

On 8 May 2010, the couple wrote in their journal that they are 86% on their way to recycling 400,000 cans to pay for their wedding.

"With 83 days left before our wedding, we’ve reached 86 percent of our can-collection goal. We are both incredibly excited about the wedding, and there are lots of plans that are being settled. Over the last week, however, we have encountered a hiccup in wedding planning that is proving quite significant. In short, our very-loved and very much looked-forward to venue of the castle in Hope, Idaho had to be canceled. We tried several times to work things out with the owner of the castle, but in the end, Peter and I didn’t want to risk almost 75% of our very hard-earned (and relatively small) wedding budget on an uncertain venue."

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