MY BIG FAT ETHICAL WEDDING - FINALIST
USA

The average wedding in the USA costs over $22,000. This equates to a national total of $70 billion per year - about the same as the GNP of Pakistan. The 'I Do' Foundation arose from a desire see at least a part of this vast expenditure used to help good causes. The Foundation helps couples to raise funds at every stage of their wedding planning. For example, through a partnership with several leading retail stores, the Foundation offers couples the option that up to eight per cent of the money spent on their wedding presents will go to charity. For older people or second marriages, couples can ask for charitable donations as wedding presents instead of domestic goods that all too frequently end up hidden in basements. In addition to raising donations, the 'I Do' Foundation suggests ways to ensure a more eco-friendly approach to wedding planning. The Foundation's website provides information on ecological issues surrounding wedding day waste, food production and even diamond mining. Information is also given on how to recycle wedding leftovers, from excess food to the wedding gown itself. After three years in operation, the Foundation has raised over half a million dollars for a number of organisations, from children's charities to environmental pressure-groups. With 18,000 couples registered for its various services, it is planning to raise another million by the end of this year.