If you are interested in having your wedding in a lovely outdoor setting like the Hoyt Arboretum, you may be interested in ideas for a "green" wedding -- in other words, an event that doesn't come at the expense of the environment.   Few events offer as many opportunities to make caring choices than a wedding.  At an average cost of $25,000 to $30,000, weddings can have significant effects, and these need not be harmful to the environment .  Here are some ideas for alternative choices  which may be more eco-friendly than many of the more traditional wedding elements:

 ~ Use local and seasonal flowers for the bride's bouquet and decorations instead of burning fuel transporting flowers from other states or countries.

 ~ Design the menu using local, organic foods in season.

 ~ Search for web sites offering biodegradable plates and napkins, organically grown flowers and food, and use tablecloths made from organic cotton.

 ~ Find vintage clothes to avoid the waste of wedding gowns and suits that will never be worn again.

 ~ Find venues and caterers who recycle.

 ~ Decorate with potted plants that can be transplanted instead of thrown away after one use.

 ~ Use soy-based candles, rather than those made of petroleum-based wax.

 ~ Purchase locally brewed beer and organic wine.

 ~ Look for rings that are 100 percent reclaimed, recycled, ecologically responsible gold.

 ~ Use mass transit or shuttle buses that run on bio-diesel fuel to move guests between sites.

 ~ In lieu of traditional gifts, ask guests to sign up for renewable energy and reforestation projects.

 ~ Purchase small, native plants to give as favors to guests.

 ~ Calculate the mileage guests will travel and offset their carbon emissions by donating to places like Hoyt Arboretum that plant trees or preserve rain forests.