As incredible a day as a wedding can be, they often cause a lot of unnecessary landfill waste from food to single use décor and plastic throwaway cutlery. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Here are 11 tips for a more sustainable and eco-friendly wedding:
Compostable balloons
It’s probably best to avoid balloons, but if you have your heart set on some then at least check they are biodegradable. There’s nothing worse than single use décor items ending up in landfill.
Hire décor
Instead of using throwaway décor, why not opt for something a bit more classy and permanent? If buying a bunch of ornaments and décor is too costly, then consider hiring some from a wedding event hire company. Sharing is caring when it comes to the environment.
Ditch the plastic
Single use plastic is one of the biggest problems today. It’s also so unnecessary. Use real crockery and glassware if possible or at least use paper plates and cups instead of plastic. Keeping the kitchen eco-friendly at your wedding is pretty easy and a lot more glamorous than plastic too.
Buy a second-hand wedding dress
The wedding dress is probably the least worn item of clothing ever bought, so if you buy one second-hand it’s pretty much like buying a nearly new item. It may only have been used for a few hours! Not only will choosing a second hand dress save you a ton of cash, but it will be much more eco-friendly and save a new dress from being manufactured.
Pass on the wedding dress after
Many people keep their wedding dress in a closet or in a box in the attic gathering dust forever. Instead, it would be much more eco-friendly for it to have as much use as possible! By donating it to a charity shop or selling it will stop the production of one more dress at least, or several more if it’s passed on again and again.
Stay local
The best way to reduce the carbon footprint of everyone travelling to your wedding is to keep it local. That’s if your friends and family live close to you of course! Choose a venue that has recycling facilities and a good connection to local suppliers to prevent items from travelling from afar. You can click here to browse some beautiful outdoor or even barn wedding venues that are perfect to host your eco-friendly wedding.
Keep it small
Whilst you may want to invite everyone on your Facebook friend list, have a good think about who you really want there. Who is most important to you? Do you really want your second cousin there who you haven’t spoken to since you were seven and will unlikely ever see again after the big day? Reducing your guest list to those most important to you will not only make the day cheaper, but it will also make it more intimate, special and of course, less wasteful. There will be less guests travelling and less waste at the end of the celebration.
Use biodegradable confetti
Many venues have ‘no confetti’ policies nowadays, so do check with the venue first. If you do use confetti the ensure it’s a 100% biodegradable version or use natural dried rose petals, for example.
Give a favour that helps the environment
One wedding I went to had sunflower seeds as the favours in paper envelopes with a short poem about growing these as their love grows or something or other. This is a great idea as there was no plastic at all. The envelope can be recycled or kept as a memento and the seeds can be planted to enhance the natural environment and encourage bees.
Use seeded paper for invites
Check out Etsy for plantable wedding invitations that are made with 100% recycled paper and wildflower seeds. There are companies using nontoxic vegetable based inks.
Organic flowers
Choose organic flowers from a local florist. This will ensure the flowers have not been sprayed with dangerous chemicals and that the flowers do not have to travel far.
Once you start thinking about it, there are loads of ways to make your big day more environmentally friendly whilst still having a stunning venue, décor and dress.
See more eco-friendly blog posts here:
Eco-friendly home improvements for a greener home
The benefits of an organic fruit and vegetable box delivery
How to always recycle your old clothes (even if ruined)
5 simple ways to reduce waste in the kitchen
