Eco-Friendly Budget Wedding

Green is the new white — at least when it comes to eco-friendly weddings. Even better, going green can save you money. That’s always a plus if you’re planning a budget wedding. Even though some green wedding products and services are pricier than the traditional ones, others cost far less than you’d expect. The following list tells you how to save some green on your green wedding:

• Eliminate paper. Bypass printed invitations, response cards, and maps in favor of Web-based versions. Provide maps and driving directions on your wedding Web site, issue save-the-date info and invitations via e-mail, and keep track of your guest count and meal requests with Web-based forms.
• Choose a green dress. To find an inexpensive dress that’s environmentally friendly, shop vintage stores, peruse eBay, or consider renting your gown.
• Think locally. Using caterers and florists who work with local producers can save you money, and it reduces the environmental impact of your wedding by cutting down on transportation emissions.
• Go for green gold. For more eco-friendly (and potentially more budget-friendly) wedding rings, look in pawn shops and at estate auctions for vintage rings that can be updated. Or collect your unused gold jewelry and hire a jeweler to melt it down and make your wedding bands out of it.
• Opt for reusable decorations. Rent potted plants or silk flower arrangements that can be used again. Or pot your own plants or flowers and incorporate them into your new home after the honeymoon — you’ve just cut down on your interior decorating budget!

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Chocolate Nut Butter Cups

"These are the epitome of sweet decadence. You cannot achieve greater perfection than creamy nut butter wrapped with raw dark chocolate, sprinkled with cacao nibs and sea salt. I chose to use three different kinds of nut butter because, simply put, on countless occasions, variety is the spice of life. You can use whatever kind you want—I decided on sesame seed butter, almond butter and jungle peanut butter [Jungle peanuts are larger and more bitter than regular peanuts. They taste more like tahini than normal PB]."

Makes: 10 to 12 

CHOCOLATE CUPS 

⅓ cup (79 ml) melted coconut oil

2½ tablespoons (50 g) pure maple syrup

⅓ cup (40 g) cacao powder 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FILLINGS

About 3 tablespoons (45 g) sesame seed butter (tahini)

About 3 tablespoons (48 g) raw peanut butter

About 3 tablespoons (48 g) raw almond butter

Sea salt, for garnish 

Cacao nibs, for garnish

Mix together the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Get about a dozen cupcake papers (use smaller liners for mini butter cups) and brush the inside with the chocolate mixture so the bottoms and sides are evenly coated with chocolate. (If it is too runny and doesn’t stick, let it chill and thicken for about 10 minutes.) Put these in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until hardened. Fill each with about 1 teaspoon of one of the nut butters, and then pour the remaining chocolate on top. (You may have to melt the chocolate again so it can be poured.) Put back in the fridge for 20 minutes, or until hardened. Sprinkle with sea salt and cacao nibs and serve with nut milk. Mmm . . . there is no better treat.

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