on March 1, 2024
Weddings are meant to be the greatest day of everyone’s life.
While it’s tempting to think of a wedding as a one-day event, your D-day could have a great impact on the environment. With leftover flowers tossed in the garbage, excess food thrown away and dumped paper goods, it often turns into the most wasteful event.
We do not ask you to forgo the gorgeous details or skip the party. Instead, we mean to say that you should host a wedding that is as eco-friendly as possible.
A green wedding is a sustainable or eco-friendly wedding in which couples try to reduce a lot of the impacts of the wedding on the environment. If you’re interested, check out the 7 ways mentioned here on how to plan a wedding that’s sustainable.
Did you know that one of the easiest ways to have a wedding sustainably is to pick the right venue? Picking a ceremony as well as a reception venue that takes sustainability seriously will lower your wedding’s carbon footprint.
When hunting for a venue that prioritises sustainability, online resources can be of great help. Opt for event spaces and hotels with Energy Star ratings and Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certifications. With so many locales going green, you won’t have to go sustainable at the cost of style.
Or, perhaps, you can celebrate your sacred union outdoors. A picturesque vineyard, rolling hills or a lust forest- there are numerous stunning locations where you can tie the knot. By hosting your wedding outdoors, you’ll also reduce a lot of the energy costs, while the natural light will produce stunning pictures.
Remember, your guest list has a significant impact in deciding the amount of invites, venue, menu, wedding favours, and other aspects of your wedding.
Inviting a lot of guests to the wedding will produce more waste, so if you want to make your wedding more eco-friendly, keep your guest list small. Limiting it to your family and well-wishers is the only way to reduce carbon emission at your wedding.
Plus, there’s no point in meeting strangers who don’t really care about your big day, right?
Instead of sending run-of-the-mill cards, go green with the invitation. Opt for cards printed on recycled paper or look for sustainable alternatives to paper such as wood, leather, and upcycled fabrics. That’s because they do not use as much water or energy as paper.
For the most earth-friendly stationery, opt for seed paper for printing menus, programs and invitations. Moreover, a few vendors plant a tree for every order they receive. And quite a few vendors offer a whole line of items on plantable papers, so going for them will be a win-win situation!
To make your wedding sustainable, say no to invites with too many decorations. No matter how fancy wedding invites are, people ultimately throw them.
In such instances, e-invites are the best way forward. You will also cut down on printing and delivery costs, using the money for planning more fun but sustainable activities.
Irrespective of how scenic your wedding venue is, you’ll need some decor for the backdrop of your reception and ceremony.
Fresh flowers, candles, picture frames, mirrors, centrepieces and signs are fantastic decor ideas. You can also use lanterns and votives to set the backdrop of your venue, or later you can use these items for your home decor.
Wedding favours could either be a great souvenir or a waste of money.
Your sustainable wedding won’t lower your carbon footprint if you gift single-use items packed in fancy wrappers. Instead of giving items that would probably lie in the corner of a closet, why not give something that your guests will use or enjoy?
People often prefer something sweet like a doughnut, savoury midnight snack, or burger engraved with your wedding date. Giving something edible is the key to reducing the carbon footprint on wedding favours.
Support the regional economy by buying snacks from local merchants. Another idea? Many couples have completely forgone the idea of wedding favours to donate to a charity in the name of their guests.
If you intend to do the same, declare this charitable act on the menu card of your green wedding. Or put up an elegant sign to announce the good deed.
When it comes to an eco-friendly wedding, your beauty drawer is as important as the decor and the venue.
In this regard, what you can do is try getting your hands on locally sourced products or those that are cruelty-free. When you have no idea about eco-friendly beauty products, asking your makeup artist and hair stylists will be the best bet.
If you think choosing eco-friendly wedding attire means sacrificing style, we urge you to think again! Though wedding dresses are designed as “fast fashion,” you aren’t out of luck. With so many designers out there, finding one that specialises in ethical practices isn’t impossible.
Even pre-loved items are eco-friendly alternatives to expensive gowns sold by designers. You can also grab your mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress, upcycle it and re-use it on your D-day to look one-of-a-kind.
A sustainable and eco-friendly wedding requires careful preparation at every stage only then will you be able to minimise its adverse effects on the environment. From the guest list to food, choose everything with utmost care.
But things don’t end there; making sure your honeymoon is ethical is equally important. Instead of a long-haul trip, consider a local getaway or a backpacking trip nearby.
Even if you and your fiance cannot completely give up on the idea of a lavish marriage, a bit of effort can go a long way. Through these subtle ways, you can make a world of difference.
© 2020 Trunnk In Love. All rights reserved | Crafted By Vishakha Sodha
