Celebrating A Memorable Eco-Friendly Wedding

Millennials are twice as likely as baby boomers to change their habits to reduce their impact on the environment, and that means that they are not only more willing to pay for sustainable products but also to embrace eco-friendly practices when celebrating events such as weddings.

If you are already an ace at composting, recycling and upcycling at home, you may wish to support companies that do pay heed to these principles when planning your wedding. To ensure your big day is as green as possible, ensure you cover all bases – even the tiniest of details.

Sustainable Venues

When selecting a venue and catering company for your reception, look into the sustainability policy of your providers. If you will be holding your celebration in an outdoor dining spot of a local hotel, for instance, check out their published information on aspects such as irrigation, recycling, water-saving, and renewable energy.

To express your love for the environment, just a few ideal spots include outdoor gardens, wedding barns, and rainforest wedding venues. Any company that organises an event in these spots should respect the local flora and fauna and, ideally, do their share to support green measures in the area the venue is located.

Sustainable Fashion And Jewellery

When it comes to wedding fashion and accessories, top brands like Stella McCartney, Reformation, and Sanyukta Shrestha are paving the way for luxurious yet eco-friendly looks made with materials that are recycled, upcycled, and/or non-chemically-enhanced. You can, of course, always opt for a vintage dress belonging to a member of your family, altering it so it reflects your personality and tastes more.

Sustainability is also booming when it comes to wedding jewellery, with most brides and grooms prioritising the purchase of blood-free diamonds and other gems.

The tradition surrounding wedding ring purchases sees brides and grooms choosing wedding bands – after all, it is the one item of jewellery they will probably wear all day for many years to come.

When jewellery shopping, ensure your rings are kind to the people who source them as well as to the environment. When selecting the metal for your wedding band, consider a recycled ring to reduce the environmental cost of mining for metals like gold, palladium and platinum.

Sustainable Decoration

When decorating spots like tables and interiors of wedding venues, consider avoiding cut flowers in favour of living, breathing plants and flowers of all colours, still contained in their pots. Many commercially available flowers hail from far-off countries, meaning they have racked up several travel miles by the time they make it to your corner of the world.

For your table set-up, consider using bamboo plates, eco-friendly straws, cutlery made from sustainable materials like bamboo fibres and sugar cane starch, and mismatched and vintage cutlery your family may own.

For centrepieces, consider making your own pieces out of vintage jars, dried flowers, stones, and other elements you already have at home.

Tiny Details That Add Up

Everyone who arranges a wedding has as first priority the entertainment of their guests. Decisions like hiring live wedding bands like Fraudio’s, can turn your event into the great party you always wanted.

However, there are many other smaller smaller decisions you can take to make sure your wedding is sustainable and environmentally-friendly at the same time. For example, you can send out digital (instead of paper) wedding invites, writing the names of your guests on leaves and using these as place cards. Other decision, is to arrange a bus for guests so that the number of vehicles that attend your wedding is cut dramatically.

You can also consider making your own favours – edible ones are one of the best choices, since visitors may feel like a nibble on their way home, and, provided the goods are packaged in eco-friendly packaging, no waste will be produced by your thank-you gift.

Hosting a truly green wedding is a multifaceted goal that involves both large and small aspects of your wedding. Start out by selecting providers that are known for being truly committed to sustainability. Continue their work by finding a myriad of ways to reduce waste and unnecessary expenses.