Finding green certified wedding vendors

June 16, 5:11 PMSF Green Weddings ExaminerPatti Lew

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It will probably be the biggest party you ever plan. So how do you go about planning to make your wedding less of an impact on the environment?

An easy, sure-fire way to ensure that you’re infusing green practices in your wedding is to work with green vendors.

The hard part is finding them.

But once you do, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that you are working with businesses that already follow sustainable guidelines and are as eco-conscious as you are.

San Francisco-based Green Wedding Providers is aiming to make the hard part easier. The company launched the first green certification program specifically for wedding providers in March. Founder Kevin Slovick says it is designed to recognize and promote businesses that go beyond minimum environmental standards, and ensure that no greenwashing is involved.

Slovick adds, “Our goal is to be a resource for eco-conscious couples who want to find local wedding providers that are green, and to be a resource to wedding providers who want to be more eco-friendly.”

Those wedding vendors who’ve been certified through the program are included in the Green Wedding Providers directory and are allowed to display the Certified Green Wedding Providers logo. The directory is divided into the following categories: cakes, caterers, florists, jewelers, photographers, videographers and wedding planners.

Currently, half of the 70+ listings are California-based, with other businesses located on the East Coast, and in Illinois, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Hopefully, the breadth and reach of the directory will grow in time.

Slovick believes it will and says their goal is to expand the certification programs and directory to include musicians, DJ’s, wedding officiants, and rental providers.

What is a green business?

Green Wedding Providers defines a green business as one who uses renewable resources (environmentally sustainable) and is accountable for the human resource aspect of their activities (socially responsible).

Slovick has his own green business certified business, Fun Photo Guys. He felt compelled to start a specific certification for wedding vendors because vendors like wedding planners or photographers are small niche businesses with only one or very few employees. Slovick says they “will have difficult time certifying that they’re a green business and meet all the criteria where you have to be audited because they may not meet the high business level requirements of other programs. We can help them achieve things that they can do that are specific to their general industry.” For example, a photographer must use rechargeable batteries and use local or online print providers, among many other requirements.

In general, evaluations are based on a number of factors, including the principles of the three Rs, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. They also ask vendors to add a fourth R — Rethink — encouraging members to constantly rethink their practices and continue reducing their carbon footprints.

There is no fee for the certification. The entire process takes about a month, and businesses are required to renew their certification yearly.

Different shades of Green

Slovick reminds couples to remember that, “anything you choose to do differently is going to benefit the planet. There’s different shades of green out there.You don’t have to be 100% green because that just adds more anxiety. Having a green wedding doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice on your wedding day. it just means you’ve decided to make certain choices.”