MNN - Mother Nature Network

Danielle: So we’re at Housing Works for the book launch of Mireya Navarro’s new amazing book called “Green Wedding”. Hi.
Mireya: Hi.
Danielle: So great to see you.
Danielle: So this book is incredible. I’m very proud to say that I was interviewed for the book so I’m very honored to be a part of it.
Danielle: Yeah, it’s very exciting. Thank you. So tell us a little bit about the book and why this is a must have for any person planning for their green wedding ceremony?
Mireya: Well, you know, these days, everybody is very interested in you know, doing their part and, you know, a wedding is one the biggest celebrations we’ll ever have in our lifetime. So what I tried to do in the book is try to make couples consider the environmentally friendly alternatives to every traditional element of the wedding from engagement to invitations to the attire.
Danielle: Right.
Mireya: Reception and even the honeymoon and living happily green ever after.
Danielle: Right. Which I love. I love that there’s even this component of sort of it doesn’t end at the wedding. It begins at the wedding.
Mireya: Yeah. Because, you know, a lot of people, I think a lot of people who are looking to having a green wedding are already living a pretty green lifestyle.
Danielle: Absolutely.
Mireya: And if they haven’t, the green wedding is kind of a great introduction. And obviously they would like to carry that on. One of the questions a lot of the brides have is does it take longer to plan it? And one bride was telling me actually there’s so few vendors for certain things that it’s easier almost to choose.
Danielle: Right. You don’t have to make a decision.
Mireya: You don’t have 20 vendors to choose from.
Danielle: Right.
Mireya: You may have three.
Danielle: It’s an opportunity to say, okay, you know what? If I make this wedding fabulously beautiful then this is really gonna send a message. People are gonna understand, like, wow, that’s what a green centerpiece looks like? Those are local flowers? Or this is sustainable catering? This food is amazing. You know, it really gives people this opportunity to educate but not in a didactic bang them over the head with it.
Mireya: Right. And in fact, I mean, the wedding company is so gorgeous is that nobody needs to know it’s green. I mean, it’s the couple’s choice to advertise that. But you know, most times everything looks just as stylish and as gorgeous as any traditional wedding except that there’s a story behind every element and, you know, usually the story is about conserving resourcing, avoiding waste, avoiding excess. I just think there’s amazing hunger for information because people have heard about the problem right, global warming and, you know, everybody know there’s a sense of urgency. So people really want to do something.
Danielle: Yeah, they want to know solutions that that they can actually incorporate into their own lives that are maybe not dry or boring but are exciting and creative. So congratulations.
Mireya: Thank you.
Danielle: The book is absolutely stunning.
Mireya: Thanks.
Danielle: Along with Mireya Navarro “Green Wedding” book and of course, the green party series on eco-wedding there’s some other great resources for you out there as well. Emily Anderson wrote a book a few years ago called “Eco-chic Wedding”, and she has a site by the same name where you can find some really resources. And “The Green Bride Guide” written by Kate Harrison is another great tool for brides and grooms across the country planning their eco-wedding. She also has a website, thegreenbrideguide.com. Happy planning.