FASHIONABLY UNFASHIONABLE WEDDINGS


Now it's not just the groom going green, it's the whole wedding:

White weddings might have been the dream of fashionable brides of old, but the trendiest British weddings are now at least metaphorically green as couples seek to reduce the impact of their nuptials on the environment.

That means everything from recycled wedding dresses and guests arriving by bicycle, to home-grown flowers and locally produced food for the wedding buffet.

"A year ago there was nothing green at wedding shows. I was really struggling to get the message across that green weddings are about 'eco-chic', not lentils and hessian," green wedding planner Ruth Culver said.

Nope, no environment killing nuptials for these trend setters:

London-based Rebecca, a 35-year-old bride-to-be who posts on the ethical weddings site, is being helped by her father, who will be growing lettuces and tomatoes to help feed 150 guests at her wedding reception this summer.

Her fiance Doron, 36, said although some people have found the couple's choices unusual, the planning has paid off.

"For those for whom the environment is not a prime concern, it initially jars, perhaps ... but once everything is explained we've had 100 per cent support."

The couples say their wedding is not supposed to be fashionable.

"Fashion is of absolutely no concern to us ... we want to make it really memorable without exploitation," Rebecca said.

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