A dress as white as snow and a green celebration focused on your love for each other and the planet. Learning how to plan a sustainable wedding involves using eco-friendly methods and rejecting less green wedding inspirations. For instance, even if fireworks are grand, their effects on air pollution and wildlife (especially in more natural venues) say otherwise.
So, it’s a praiseworthy wish to host a more sustainable reception, and we can inspire you through multiple eco-friendly wedding ideas!
What to focus on: sustainable wedding planning tips
The motto of all ethical wedding planning hopes to achieve a few things:
- Reduce the environmental impact your wedding has (such as waste and emissions).
- Focus on supporting local vendors and services.
- Showing a good example to your children, family, and friends.
- Making your wedding a celebration of your values, next to your commitment.
Let’s see how to plan a sustainable wedding without feeling overwhelmed (or over budget). If you have already started planning, you can also use the carbon footprint calculator to estimate the environmental impact of your celebration.
Local celebrations vs. destination weddings
One of the best eco-friendly ideas is to keep your celebration nearby and support local providers. This will help your community and reduce the environmental impact of having guests or food/drinks travel great distances.
Expect sustainability from your vendors
Another priority might be picking eco-conscious wedding vendors that source materials locally and reduce waste. The exact sustainability can differ based on your needs. For example, one couple might require a plant-based or low-impact menu, while another might question florists about their imported blooms.
Even the bride’s gown and groom’s suit allow for some sustainable wedding planning tips. These could include vegan clothing brands and creating items from organic or recycled materials.
Generally, when dealing with vendors, follow these eco-friendly wedding ideas:
- Sign documents digitally instead of using paper.
- Pick local providers that support local farms or other institutions.
- Consult about reusability, like renting certain items instead of buying, supporting the more eco-conscious attitudes.
- Consult about their waste sorting and recycling/composting opportunities.
You can also look at the certifications that your vendor or provider has to prove their dedication to greener initiatives.
Smaller venues for fewer guests
Bigger celebrations require more of everything, including reception space. Shorter guest lists mean you can reduce waste and create your desired celebration more comfortably. That includes fully embracing low-waste wedding ideas and not dealing with less familiar guests who might not feel satisfied with your decisions. Supportive guests are the best!
When picking the home for your wedding, sustainable wedding venues stand out with their renewable energy sources, onsite composting options, and attention to preserving nature’s gifts. It also helps to find eco-friendly venues without having to quiz each one. You can find such information on official websites or platforms like Wedding Spot or The Knot. If you want an easier option, you could use Breezit AI Planner to have the venue marketplace quickly generate suitable options. You can provide your requirements and expectations; the tool conveniently presents suggestions.
Reusable decorations and eco-friendly favors
Many eco-friendly wedding ideas involve choosing local, seasonal flowers, potted plants, cloth napkins, and renting china. Also, try to buy items you can reuse, like fabrics for table decorations or wooden signs that you can move to your home after.
For more eco-friendly wedding favors, consider their origin and reusability. Some examples include seeds, organic tea, soaps, tote bags, bath salts, jams, or home-baked goods.
Rent or thrift instead of buying brand-new
You can pursue environmentally-friendly wedding decor by renting or thrifting instead of buying. So, scout sites like Tradesy, Facebook Marketplace, Wedding Recycle, or Wedding Swap App to give items another moment in the spotlight. After your wedding, you can continue this green wedding inspiration and resell decorations to another happy couple.
Go for dinner options instead of a buffet
Learning how to plan a sustainable wedding regarding food can be tricky. Besides picking local catering, you should reduce waste; a buffet is typically a wasteful addition. Instead, provide guests with multiple options for dinner and have some snacks and appetizers ready for them. To avoid running low on food, consult the expert: your caterer. They have tons of experience feeding a particular number of guests.
If you go with a buffet, consider what to do with leftovers. Some caterers can preserve them and distribute them to people in need. Besides being one of the zero-waste wedding tips, this decision should feel right in all aspects!
Handle wedding planning online
Avoid big binders or notes that are easily lost and inconvenient overall. Instead, plan your wedding digitally using different tools. Many apps and websites offer such services, letting you manage guest lists, seating charts, vendors, budget, and deadlines. Even your wedding invitations can be distributed digitally instead of printing for each guest. If you still want those physical copies, consider recycled or seed paper.
Finally, ethical wedding planning and embracing green wedding inspiration are ways to start your marriage right! After all, you’re celebrating your love and appreciating the environment. So, be more conscious when picking your vendors, venue, and decorations. Focus on reusability, recyclability, and thrift instead of shopping!
Images from Ssense Returns to the Aisle with Bridal 3.0 Collection – see full article here.
