Ethical Destination Weddings: Saying “I Do” With a Clear Conscience – Conclusion

The Ethical Destination Weddings series of blogs was intended to give you some ideas on how to have a wedding in Mexico while giving back to the Mexican land and people. We hope you have found our tips helpful with this process. Our goal is to get couples thinking about Mexico not only as a wedding destination, but as a beautiful country worth preserving and supporting. In conclusion, we have summarized all five tips:

Tip #1 - Choose a Responsible Hotel
Choose a hotel in Mexico that is committed to helping the country’s environment, local communities, and historic sites. Hotels can do many things to help the environment, like using bulk soap or shampoo dispensers, having recycle bins, reusing sheets and towels, and paying staff fair wages, to name just a few. The World Heritage Alliance promotes responsible tourism by protecting world heritages sites. Several Mexican hotels have joined this Alliance, all of which offer luxurious accommodations and make excellent wedding locations. View full article Tip #1: Choose a Responsible Hotel.

Tip #2 – Hire Locally
By hiring a local Mexican business for your wedding, you can help the Mexican people benefit from the destination wedding business. Mexico is home to some incredibly talented local photographers, wedding planners, and musicians. You can find a wedding directory on http://www.strayweddings.com/. View full article Tip #2: Hire Locally .

Tip #3 – Give Mexican Favors
Giving Mexican favors to your wedding guests is another great way to give back to the local Mexican people while saying “thank you” to your guests for their participation in the event. Some ideas include CDs of Mexican music, Mexican art and folk art, Mexican pottery, Mexican wedding cookies, hot sauce, vanilla, tequila, coffee beans, Mexican chocolate or cocoa, Mexican spices, maracas, and pinatas. View full article Tip #3: Give Mexican Favors.

Tip #4 – Ecological Ceremonies & Receptions
Having an ecological ceremony and reception in Mexico will ensure that you preserve this beautiful country for everyone to enjoy. There are many easy ways to be ecologically minded. You can use recycled paper for wedding invitations and thank you cards, use candles instead of lights, reuse your bouquet flowers to decorate the reception area or honeymoon suite, and give your guests ecological favors like reusable water bottles or biodegradable sunscreen. View full article Tip #4: Ecological Ceremonies & Receptions.

Tip #5 – Give Mexican Wedding Invitations & Thank You Cards
You’ll likely have to get wedding invitations and thank you cards for your guests, so why not be creative and do something good with them? One option is to purchase Mexican wedding stationery and help support local Mexican businesses. Alternatively, you can purchase thank you cards and gifts from non-profit organizations such as Unicef or Ten Thousand Villages, where proceeds go either to charity or to help Mexican and other artisans make a living. And of course, whenever possible use recycled paper. View full article - Tip #5: Give Mexican Wedding Invitations & Thank You Cards.

Ethical Destination Weddings: Saying 'I Do' With a Clear Conscience

• Introduction
• Tip #1 - Choose a Responsible Hotel
• Tip #2 - Hire Locally
• Tip #3 - Give Mexican Favors
• Tip #4 - Ecological Ceremonies & Receptions
• Tip #5 – Give Mexican Wedding Invitations and Thank You Cards
• Conclusion