Green Weddings: Your Guide to an Eco-friendly Wedding
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Are you planning a wedding, but self-conscious about the impact it will have on the environment? Planning a wedding can often be overwhelming in itself with the number of decisions you have to make. However, making the best day of your life an eco-friendly one may be easier than you think. These 11 tips will give insight into creating an eco-friendly wedding.
“Guest writer Harper Reid truly cares about the environment and protecting it, which is why she thinks of various ways to keep it sustainable. Continue reading for some great ideas on how to have an eco-friendly wedding!”
Reach out to local suppliers
Choosing local suppliers preserves our Earth’s precious resources. Less energy, fuel and time will be wasted transporting your decor. Do some research and find local caterers that place importance on using organic and local produce. Not only will you be supporting local businesses, but the food will also be more delicious!
When deciding on flowers, try and find florists in your area. You’d be surprised at how often flowers are flown in from overseas to create a perfect bouquet. Not only will you be able to choose organic flowers in season, but your flowers will have an added personal touch! Be sure to request that floral foam is not used as it is not biodegradable. Instead, opt for eco-friendly options like chicken wire or selecting suitable vases.
Hire a wedding planner
This isn’t a tip specifically for an eco-friendly wedding, but a wedding planner will make your life a whole lot easier. They’ll listen to what you want for your big day and source the best eco-friendly vendors in the industry. They’ll save the day if there are any last-minute hiccups, so you can just worry about you. It’s your big day, after all.
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Choose a convenient location
Travelling will be one of the biggest contributors to your wedding’s carbon footprint. Choose a location close to you and your guests to reduce travel time. For a beach wedding or ceremony located near a river, enquire whether you could arrive via boat. What a unique way to make an entrance!
Another option is to choose an eco-friendly form of transport. You can hire a coach to transport all your guests from the wedding to the reception venue to reduce fuel consumption. For those who enjoy a drink or two, this will be super convenient. There will be no need to nominate a sober driver.
Lighting
If you want to avoid lighting altogether, opt for a daytime wedding, and make use of the sunlight. As an added bonus you’ll be able to take some stunning photos using natural light. If you prefer having an indoor wedding, look into venues that have a lot of natural light and windows- this will save having to turn on lights during the ceremony.
Pick an interesting venue
One great way to have an eco-friendly wedding is to go alfresco. Set up both your ceremony and reception outside. For indoor weddings, there are plenty of great choices. For something unique, choose a venue with built-in decor such as an art gallery or a botanic garden. This will save you from having to buy décor. If the venue allows it, you can even take some stunning photos with the art.
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Rent everything you can
The decor will be the biggest causes of physical waste, so renting is a great alternative. Opt for pot plants as table toppers and rent your wedding dress, jewellery, table linens and pitchers.
Go paperless
With technology nowadays, there’s no limit to what you can create. Substitute a wedding invitation for an e-invite. Send guests a short video as an invite to your wedding.
For a menu substitute, write on a chalkboard and place it outside the reception area. For an alternative to a program, project lyrics onto a wall.
Eco-friendly guest registry
Choose a company that supports your mission of sustainability. Request sustainable items with recyclable packaging. Some great products include reusable straws, coffee cups and cupcake liners.
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Eco-friendly wedding favours and name cards
Switch out sweet wrappers and cellophane gift bags for recyclable paper bags. Giving guests a seedling is a great way to give back to the environment. Your guests will appreciate your favour for years to come. The seedling also symbolises a new beginning- so it’s a great symbolic and eco-friendly way for guests to have a reminder of your big day.
Other great ideas include gifts in a reusable glass jar. Homemade jams, body scrubs and brownie mixes are excellent options. Instead of a name card, you could bake a cookie for each guest and write their name using frosting! What a creative and delicious way to tell your guests where they’re sitting!
Creative writer Harper has done various works for blogs and sites, including Kiwi site About Giving. Harper is an advocate for sustainable living, and loves to see the innovative ways people incorporate eco-friendly living into their special events and occasions! Say a quick hello to Harper on Tumblr.