Planning a green wedding: Make sure diamonds are conflict-free

Being green and eco-friendly is a huge trend in various aspects of life nowadays. Many people are conscious of doing things to save the planet in their daily living. Whether you bring reusable bags to the grocery store, recycle paper and cans or take public transportation to reduce your carbon footprint, being green is important to you.

This can translate over to your wedding as well. There was a proposal, a tearful exclamation of "Yes, of course" and much celebrating. Now it's time to begin planning for the big day. Part of making sure the wedding is planet-friendly is by ensuring that the diamonds chosen for the engagement ring, and maybe the wedding rings, are conflict-free. Whether you design your own custom engagement ring or opt for pre-set rings, you can make sure they use only ethical diamonds.

What is a conflict-free diamond?

A conflict-free diamond is the opposite of a blood diamond. Blood diamonds are mined in war zones and used to fund insurgency or warlord activity. The mining devastates the earth and the sale of the diamonds is unethical. Conflict-free diamonds, on the other hand, are mined in neutral territories and not sold for immoral purposes. The sale of these diamonds doesn't promote further damage to the earth.

How can you know if a diamond is conflict-free?

Conflict-free diamonds will be certified through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. A reputable jeweler, like Brian Gavin, will be able to tell you about the diamond's history and show you its certification. Requirements must be met and trades must be legal to ensure there are no blood diamonds.

When shopping for diamond rings, don't hesitate to ask about certifications. If they are ethical diamonds, you should have no problem finding out information about the diamond, where it came from and if it's certified.

Celebrating your marriage and the earth

Making a wedding eco-friendly can involve recycled paper invitations, an outdoor location and green decorations. No bride and groom wants to have any bad feelings around their wedding. If you're working on making your big day as green as possible, not knowing whether you're wearing blood diamonds could put a damper on the celebration. Ensuring that the diamonds set into your rings are conflict-free will help you truly enjoy every part of your wedding and reception.