*By Kate Gill*
Some millennials are vowing to protect the environment along with their relationships when they walk down the aisle ー with "zero waste" weddings.
Given the potential for waste ー discarded florals, trimmings, and food ー an eco-friendly wedding is a lofty goal, but it can be done, according to Rachel Sylvester, a lifestyle editor at RealSimple.com.
What constitutes "zero waste"? The goal, Sylvester said, is to orchestrate an event that doesn't produce any trash in a landfill. In other words, a wedding made from recyclable materials.
Sylvester shared her tips with Cheddar to execute a zero waste wedding:
**Communicate with Vendors:**
Be transparent with your vendors about your environmental needs.
"I think you just need to be very open with your vendors about zero waste," Sylvester said.
**Focus on Florals:**
Keep your floral arrangements simple.
"There's always a focus on florals, and there's this idea that you need to have a ton of them," Sylvester said. Simplifying your floral decorations will help cut back on waste.
Most importantly, she said, ask your florist to forgo using foam blocks to structure the centerpieces.
**Keep Your Guest List Short:**
Stick to close friends and family. (Don't tell your third cousins you're getting hitched.)
"One of the biggest things to keep in mind is you're able to achieve that goal of a zero-waste wedding if you kind of cut down on your guest list. If you get your guest list down to under 100, it is definitely doable."
**E-vites:**
Go paperless to save trees ー and time.
"I encourage you to embrace the e-vite. Paperless is more and more common and lot of people are taking that approach and ultimately it's easier to track your RSVPs."
**Shop Vintage:**
Go on a treasure hunt for a vintage dress.
"Check out your local consignment shops and ask around. Maybe your grandmother is just dying to have you kind of re-purpose her gown or your mother or even a best friend who says, 'Take my veil.'"
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/saying-i-do-with-sustainability-on-the-mind).
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