Eco-savvy invitations are the perfect way to celebrate love for each other and the planet, because recycled and tree-free paper options are just as pretty as their virgin-pulp paper counterparts. Local office supply stores carry eco-paper sheets for customizing, and several online companies offer alternative papers in easily individualized packages.

GreenFieldPaper.com offers handmade paper cards, envelopes and sheets, made from a blend of recycled paper and hemp. Their gourmet line is infused with hemp threads, roasted coffee chaff, garlic skins or recycled junk mail, for a custom look. Green Field’s Grow-A-Note paper embeds wildflower seeds, so that guests can plant the paper and watch the flowers grow. They print invitations, too, using nontoxic, soybased inks.

TwistedLimbPaper.com offers wedding, commitment and anniversary invitations, envelopes, and reply cards, made of 100 percent post-consumer waste fibers. Artists handcraft the paper from recycled office paper, junk mail, grocery bags, flowers and grass cuttings, for an artistic look. No new dyes are used; colors come from recycled materials, and the company prints with soy-based inks. Couples can work directly with a Twisted Limb Paper artist.

For a truly green option, forget paper and use email instead. Evite.com provides a free electronic invitation service, complete with RSVP tracking.

Source: CoopAmerica.org