It's A Nice Day For A Green Wedding: How To Make Your Big Day Eco Friendly

 

There is no escaping it; weddings are renowned for being expensive and wasteful. From travelling to the amount of food that is wasted and the flowers that are ordered months in advance. Confetti and wedding favors that are scattered or left by the guests. We often don’t think about the impact our weddings have on the environment, so if you are trying to live your life more sustainably, is it possible to create a big impact, green wedding? 

It all starts with the location. While getting married on a beach with all of your family there to support you does sound lovely, the emissions spent getting everyone to your location makes the whole affair pretty damaging to the environment! It’s unlikely all of your friends and family are going to live in your local area, but finding a venue which involves the least amount of travel for everyone is an excellent way of reducing the emissions and cutting back on your wedding’s carbon footprint. 

You also need to speak to the venues and find out how they work. Do they recycle? How do they deal with food waste? If they are catering for you - do they source local ingredients? If they don’t already, then you may be able to ask them to make a few changes to your wedding, so the eco-friendly theme continues. If you want to really add some eco points then find out what cleaning products the venue uses too. It’s going to be hard to hold an utterly sustainable wedding, so find out the small details may allow you a little room to move on more tricky supplies. 

Flowers are a huge part of your wedding day, and while most bouquets and table decorations get taken back and used in your home, you still need to consider where your flowers are coming from. Ask your florist if all your wedding arrangements can be made from local flowers that are in season. They will be able to provide you with plenty of options. Wild meadow flowers look stunning in a bouquet, and you could use leaves from shrubs or even trees to fill it out. Another option would be to use potted flowers and herbs for your table arrangements. These can then be reused or planted in your home—a beautiful memory from your big day. 

Most brides will want to buy their own wedding dress. This is so personal to a wedding that often you need to go with a completely new design. However, you could talk to a wedding dress designer about creating something from a vintage dress. Alternatively, after the big day, you could sell your wedding dress. This will mean someone else could share in the beautiful memory of your wedding day and it helps to recycle something instead of holding on to it in a cupboard. If you aren’t keen on the idea of saying goodbye to your beloved dress, why not look at having it made into pillowcases or cushion covers. Decorative pieces that will be a lasting memory but repurpose one of the most significant wedding expenses.

If you are looking to reduce the environmental impact of your wedding, then the meal you serve on the big day, matters. While many would argue that a full vegan menu would be the ultimate eco-friendly offering, some of your guests might feel you’ve gone a step too far. Instead, make all of the ingredients locally sourced and also look at local vineyards for your wine. It may cost you a little more, but if you keep the courses simple and let the food showcase itself, then you could end up with something extraordinary. 

Finally, you need to look at how you decorate the wedding. It was in fashion to let off sky lanterns, but these are terrible for the local wildlife. Balloons being let off are also damaging to the environment. Treat the venue like a set design; you could use old wooden pallets with non-toxic candles and beautiful potted herbs. Adding some colour with eco-friendly throws and rugs. 

Don’t forget the confetti and wedding favours. You can buy seed bombs from your local flower shop. These can be taken home and planted in the garden. Allowing your guests to have a memento of the day and enjoy it for years to come. For confetti you could use birdseed, while this may sound like a strange thing to have thrown at you after you tie the knot, it’s actually a fantastic way of enriching the environment. 

*Photo via Pexels

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