Green Wedding Facts
- The global wedding industry accounts for sales of $140 billion per year ($56 billion in the US).
- Weddings around the world use more gold than any other industry.
- A wedding in India, among it’s wealthy, can incorporate up to 4 lbs. of gold jewelry, an amount that caused up to 115 early deaths per bride wearing it, the loss of up to 6,000 tons of topsoil and earth in retrieving it, contamination of over 1,000 acres of land and up to three million gallons of water processing it.
- In Russia where diamonds are a prominent sign of wealth for brides and grooms, and “blood diamonds” common, for each diamond on a finger three individuals will die by the age of 20 in the retrieval process.
- In the US where a wedding for 350 people is given, up to 38% of the food prepared is thrown out, up to a quarter a ton of glass and metal cans and paper goes to landfills and the event can generate over 105 tons of greenhouse gases.
Estimated / Projected Weddings in the United States
Year Number
2007 2,206,600
2008 2,190,363
2009 2,215,754
2012 2,266,416
2014 2,342,469
Spending Actual and Forecast / US (All inclusive expenses for the wedding US)
Year Amount
2007 $28,732
2008 $21,814 (average)
2009 $20,398 (average estimated)
2012 $21,166
2014 $22,347
- The core group of weddings in the US are with couples ranging in age from 25 to 30
- This demographics coincides with one of the largest groups of environmentally and socially conscious individuals
- Comparisons to green homebuyers and green renters in this same demographic group indicates that over 64% are highly aware of green products, homes and the need to be sustainable
$ Difference Between a Green and a Traditional Wedding
- Green weddings have been reported to cost 20% more than a traditional wedding
- Green weddings have been reported to cost 30% less than traditional weddings
- It is how the wedding is planned and what resources you have available that makes the difference
Source: The Wedding Report