Weddings Redefined

Eco-weddings are on my brain recently.  I love them and am committed to being a green company and will soon be profiling green wedding expert, Katie Martin.

I was recently interviewed for an article and was asked if gay weddings were inherently more eco-friendly than straight weddings. 

Strange question, right?  I wonder if I was asked because there's an assumption that gay couples are more socially progressive and being more progressive equals more eco-friendly?  Here's my answer:

Why Gay Weddings are More Eco-Friendly:
The vast majority of gay wedding ceremonies do not occur in places of worship because many religions will not officiate gay weddings (another topic altogether).  The majority of gay wedding ceremonies occur in the same space as the wedding reception. This means less travel/fewer fossil fuels consumed = greener wedding.  (And that's before we talk about reducing paper, locally grown food, etc.)

And Why They are Not:
At this moment, there are currently four states where you can legally have a gay marriage:  Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Iowa. I've had gay couples come from over 20 different states to Massachusetts this year to work with me.  The fuel consumed for travel required for couples and their guests to go to a state where they can have a legal wedding cancels out any advantage gained by having the ceremony and reception in the same space.  Thus, marriage inequality = less eco-friendly weddings.

So truly, what is the best way to green a gay wedding?

How about purchasing carbon offset credits for your gay wedding?  Or supporting marriage equality?

For those who don't know, It's About Time makes a donation to a charity on a client's first anniversary.  Both carbon offset credits and a donation to HRC are options listed in our contract.