When sitting down to plan the wedding of your dreams, having a sustainable wedding might not be the first thing on your list to consider. But weddings are an incredibly polluting industry, which can have truly devastating environmental consequences. Did you know that the average wedding produces over 400lbs of rubbish? Not only that, but the estimated Co2 output of just one wedding is 63 tonnes, which is more than 5 people produce in a year. (Source: The Green Bride Guide).
It is not fair or realistic to expect that every couple will have the budget and planning flexibility to have a perfectly sustainable wedding. However, there are several swaps you can make during the planning process to offset a little bit of the associated waste.
This article is not intended to make any couple feel guilty about the choices they have made for their wedding, but to show planning couples what options are out there if they want to be a little greener. Even if you choose to implement just one or two of these sustainable swaps, the overall impact on the wedding industry will be huge!
Keep it Local
While it is tempting to have all your guests fly to a stunning chateau in the South of France, the environmental impact of a destination wedding is huge. Before saying yes to a wedding abroad, have a look around local venues as they might surprise you!
It is easy to forget that couples from across the globe want to travel to the UK to marry in one of our gorgeous stately homes or castles, so why not keep these options in mind for yourself.
Choosing a local wedding venue not only negates the extra Co2 costs of flying, but will also save you and your guests a lot of money in travel costs. You are also guaranteed to have a more fully fleshed out guest list as people won’t be put off coming by the distance. Finally, you can avoid the added stress of trying to liaise with suppliers who do not share your native language or time zone: who says a sustainable wedding can’t be simpler!
Choose a Sustainably Minded Venue
Sustainable wedding venues are cropping up more and more these days, and the variety of what is available has skyrocketed.
Of course, the classic sustainable options are things like glamping in protected woodlands; utilising eco mega-venues like the Eden project; or environmentally conscious dedicated wedding venues like solar panelled luxury barns. All of these options provide such a broad palette for what your sustainable wedding could look like, without compromising on any of the luxury you expect from a wedding.
Recently there are also more unexpected sustainable venue options appearing. There are even stately homes which boast carbon offsetting, renewable energy and environmentally minded menus with their wedding packages.
Opt for Local produce
A fantastic way to ensure that your wedding feast is kind to the planet is to make use of what is around you. Locally sourced ingredients have the lowest possible carbon footprint, and have the added benefit of being the freshest possible.
You could also consider offering more plant-based options on your menu, as when these are locally sourced they will boast an even lower carbon footprint still.
Plenty of bakeries now offer sustainable wedding cakes, with locally sourced ingredients and plastic free cake toppers.
This is a great opportunity to celebrate the area in which you are getting married, and to experience the skills of your chosen chef.
Limit Stationary
Perhaps the easiest way to lower the environmental impact of your wedding is to take the majority of the lead up online. While receiving a save the date in the post can be exciting for guests, the paper, envelopes, and postage miles can really add up. They are also an expensive addition to your wedding budget when you have a large guest list!
You can limit the impact of your invitation suite by moving some or all of it online. We would suggest an emailed save the date and RSVP form, and then a splurge on a paper invitation if that remains important to you.
Sticking to one printed menu per table, or a menu handwritten onto rented blackboards or mirrors would save a large amount of paper at your reception.
You can also choose to purchase invitation and stationary suites made from recycled materials, which is a great way to limit their environmental impact.
Rent Your Gown and Suits
This one might be sacrilege to some of you, but you don’t actually need to buy a wedding dress. Think about it, generally they only get worn once, and unless you are absolutely dead set on keeping it as an heirloom it feels wasteful to purchase a multi thousand pound dress for one event.
There are so many fantastic options for wedding dress rental, ranging from bridal classics to designer gowns. This is not only the more sustainable option, but much more affordable. You could even rent multiple dresses for a real wow factor on the day.
Other sustainable wedding dress options are repurposing a gown you already own, or purchasing one second hand. And if you are dead set on buying yours new? Well we won’t hold it against you!
Ditch Traditional Blooms
Flowers are one of the most environmentally damaging aspects of a traditional wedding. This is particularly true when couples opt for exotic blooms, or out of season flowers. The amount of water it takes to ensure a fresh floral arrangement on each table and in your hands is staggering.
If you are willing to compromise on florals, you can mitigate the environmental impact by choosing local, seasonal flowers. There are also plenty of organisations such as care homes and hospitals who will come and pick up your floral arrangements after the event as donations.
If you would like to go for a more sustainable option, why not choose dried floral arrangements. These actually have a much lower impact due to the lack of water and quick transportation needed to keep them fresh.
Another fantastic option is to use potted plants for centrepieces and decorations. These can even double up as gifts for your guests after the wedding!
Choose Biodegradable or Reusable Décor
From confetti to balloons, wedding decorations can have a high plastic content and huge environmental impact. A great sustainable wedding option is to choose traditional confetti such as rice or dried flower petals. This way you can avoid littering, and still enjoy the romance of being showered with confetti!
For the image or Instagram conscious couple, there are so many sustainable ways to create a perfect backdrop at your reception. Replace balloon arches and OTT flower walls with thrifted arrangements, borrowed mirrors, or rented props. You can even choose your venue based on its background appeal, as the right venue won’t need any more décor than some strategically placed candles and a potted plant or two.
Shop for Recycled Wedding Rings
While rings may seem like a minimal aspect to some, they are the one part of your wedding that you will physically keep with you for the rest of your marriage. The impacts of precious metal and stone mining on the environment can be catastrophic, so choosing to shop with a jeweller who uses Fairtrade, recycled metals and gems is a must.
Consider a Charity Registry
If you have already been living together for several years then the chances are you do not need a new toaster or a set of crystal champagne flutes. One option for a wedding registry is to set up requested donations to a charity of your choice. Of course, you can go for any cause which is close to your heart, but a great way to carbon off-set your wedding is to opt for a charity which focuses on planting trees.
Skip Favours, or Make Them Edible
We hate to break it to you, but that personalised wedding coaster that you are putting on each guest’s place setting at great expense is more than likely to be discarded after the event. While personalise favours look flash and seem like a great idea at the time, wedding memorabilia from your wedding is likely to only have long lasting meaning to you and your closest family.
A better option for wedding favours is to go for something edible like a beautifully iced biscuit, or the traditional sugared almonds. This way you can ensure they won’t be wasted and you won’t have contributed a lot of non-recyclable waste to landfills.
Honeymoon at Home
For those who are committed to lowering their carbon footprint, there is no more sustainable way to honeymoon than by keeping to the UK!
There are so many fantastic places across the UK for honeymooners, ranging from cultural hubs to areas of outstanding scenic beauty. Boasting some of the best hotels in the world, and many of the world’s highest rated restaurants, the UK is a perfect honeymoon destination.
