Wedding planning covers every last detail. From seating charts to centerpieces, you’ve thought about everything. But what about the environmental impact of your big day?

It may not be high on your wedding to-do list to think green, but some of your plans may be trending that way (by opting for a smaller guest list or booking an outdoor venue), and a few more thoughtful decisions can really make a difference.

The average wedding produces 400 pounds of garbage and 63 tons of carbon dioxide, according to “The Green Bride Guide” by Kate Harrison. Meanwhile, the national average cost of a wedding soared to $35,329 in 2016, according to The Knot Real Weddings Study. The survey of 13,000 couples found spending increased across all reception categories, including catering, cake, flowers, photographer, entertainment and the venue itself. Increased spending often means increased waste.

“The biggest impact on the environment comes from your venue and your food,” said Carlene Smith, owner of Naturally Yours Events, an eco-friendly wedding and event planning company based in Chicago. “I like to encourage clients to think of venues that are already beautiful on their own. Maybe they have a lot of natural light or windows. That cuts down on cost and waste.”

Smaller guest lists, which are trending, according to The Knot study, also lend themselves to backyard ceremonies and mixed-use event spaces such as restaurants and retail shops. For a bigger wedding, eco-conscious couples should look for buildings that are LEED-certified, which means they have been evaluated for sustainability and environmental performance.

“If green is a priority, LEED is great,” Smith said. “They already have the AC systems, lighting and plumbing in place that are more efficient.”

Smith also suggests looking into nonprofit spaces such as the zoo or park district sites. “When you give them your dollars, you’re giving back to the community,” she said. Plus, there is the added benefit of a tax write-off.

“The other biggest cost of a wedding, and where you can really be more mindful and green, is in the food,” Smith said. “That doesn’t mean everything has to be organic. Think local and think seasonal.”

The average American meal travels about 1,500 miles to get from farm to table, according to the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture. Transporting food requires fossil fuels and, often, processing to ripen or preserve.

“If you’re getting tomatoes out of season, you’re flying them from California,” Smith said. “One of my caterers grows tomatoes in a local parking lot; the carbon footprint is so low, and they probably taste better.”

In-season, locally grown foods may lower catering costs. When looking for a green caterer, ask about local ingredients, seasonal menus, recycling and composting. Same goes for vendors like bakeries and florists. Of course, hiring a green wedding planner can help you navigate your choices. For a few vetted options, the Green Wedding Alliance’s website offers a list of approved eco-friendly vendors.

The Green Wedding Alliance was started in Chicago in 2010, said co-founder Lynn Fosbender. She is also the owner of Pollen, a floral design studio specializing in locally sourced and sustainably grown flowers.

When it comes to eco-conscious bouquets and centerpieces, she said flexibility on flower types is key. Finding a local grower also is favored, but it depends on what is available in your area.

“We don’t have a lot of growers of cut flowers in the area, and we can’t grow year-round,” she said. “We usually do a mix of locally grown and nonlocally grown flowers to achieve the look our clients want.”

Pollen’s other green practices include choosing domestically grown flowers and staying away from single-use items like floral foam, which is said to be toxic. Pollen also repurposes event flowers and donates them to local nursing homes and charities.

A few other wedding details include hair and makeup, invitations and favors. These are areas where it’s simple to incorporate green thinking into a wedding.

Chroma K8 Beautique is the only hair and makeup vendor affiliated with the Green Wedding Alliance. Owner Kate Jotzat said her salon is also part of the Green Circle Salons network that recycles and reuses hair color and clippings.

“For hair and makeup, the biggest thing is the products we use,” she said. “The Jane Iredale (makeup) brand is very clean but still has longevity. I was very specific in choosing this makeup line and finding one that is perfect for brides.

“For hair, we strictly carry the Eufora hair care line,” Jotzat added. “We look at all the ingredients and look at how it’s going to affect myself, my clients and the environment.”

Most paper products from weddings end up in the trash, so Smith of Naturally Yours Events asks clients to think about limiting invitations to one main piece and maybe an RSVP card. “We also like to suggest directing guests to a wedding website for more information,” she said.

Another option is Botanical PaperWorks, which makes plantable seed paper wedding invitations.

“With our biodegradable, seed-infused paper made from post-consumer materials, wedding guests can plant the paper in soil to grow wildflowers or herbs instead of tossing the paper out,” Botanical PaperWorks spokeswoman Kelly Caruk said.

And perhaps the simplest way to green your event is by eliminating wedding favors. “People don’t really want them, and they get left behind at the venue,” Smith said. Alternatives include something edible or a charity donation on behalf of your guests.

“A green wedding really just means being conscious of all those decisions that you make along the way to try to minimize waste,” Fosbender said. “By selecting vendors that already operate in an eco-friendly way, they’re doing the work for you.”

Emily Perschbacher is a freelancer.