Weddings are wasteful. We hate to be a spoilsport, but there is some truth to this statement. That is not to say you should not celebrate your big day. But without proper management, a wedding is just one of many other events that contribute tremendously to set back our efforts to save the planet.
From the fossil fuel burned on air and road travel to your wedding destination, to the wasted food, plastic decorations, and gift wrapping there are plenty of ways regular weddings are wasteful and bad for the ecosystem. To further put things in perspective, it is estimated that a typical wedding may contribute the same level of CO2 emissions as five adults would in a whole year.
So what’s the way out for those who are conscious about protecting the environment but still want to have their wedding in Grand style. The trick is to plan a sustainable wedding. By making a few changes, you can reduce the negative impacts of your event on the environment.
You don’t have to be a genius to know that transportation, whether by air or road contributes significantly to environmental damage. Thus, one of the biggest ways you can make your wedding environmentally ethical is to reduce how much transportation will be required by guests.
You can start by reducing the number of guests you have on your list. You may also rethink the idea of a destination wedding if it means many of your family members will have to hop on a plane. Try to find a location that is proximate to a larger percentage of your guests.
If your event venue has a sustainability culture already, following the remaining tips we’ll cover in this piece will be a lot easier. However, if their stance on sustainable events isn’t clear, you can ask a few questions about how they operate and see if any adjustments can be made for your event.
This is another area where you can make your wedding as green as possible. As with the venue, it’ll help if your caterer already follows the basic principles of eco-friendly event planning as this will make it easier to curate an eco-friendly menu. You should also plan the number of guests as accurately as possible to reduce food wastage.
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The ingredients for the food should be ethically sourced and purchased from local farmers. Consider getting a baker that can bake a sustainable wedding cake too. Such a cake would include organic ingredients that are locally sourced.
Another way to reduce the carbon trail of your event is to go paperless. Instead of wasting paper on correspondences, send them digitally instead. You can also reach printed signage and paper menus with some digital alternatives. If you’ll be using paper at all, opt for recycled paper.
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There are simple ways to make the wear for the bride, bridesmaid, and groom sustainable without losing all the glamour and beauty that everyone desires. For instance, instead of buying a brand new dress, you can get a vintage dress or even a second-hand one passed down from a matriarch in the family.
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Also, most people never wear their wedding dress after the big day, you can make yours special by opting for a reusable design. You may also opt to sell, donate or have it recycled after the big day instead of retiring it forever. Some bridal dress designers also follow a sustainable approach. Ask your designer to use locally sourced fabrics. You should hire designers like this to glam you up for your day.
A good number of things used to add colour to events end up defacing the environment directly and indirectly. You can consciously avoid this by making environmentally-minded decisions for all the little things that go into your wedding decor. For instance, potted herbs and greenery are preferred over cut flowers. However, if you must use flowers, go for seasonal flowers or living plants.
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Certain wedding decor trends should be avoided entirely if possible. Consider the environmental impact of every decor decision you make. For instance, plastic products like balloons and sky lanterns should be avoided as much as possible because they adversely impact the environment.
You should also consider what happens to all the decor items after the event. You can make arrangements to have them donated, recycled, or reused. Also, instead of buying certain items, consider renting them instead.
The truth is, it is impossible to make your wedding perfectly sustainable. But attempting to plan one shows your dedication to helping the environment. No matter how insignificant it might seem, making eco-friendly choices for your wedding will ensure that you are playing your part in solving the problem rather than contributing to it.
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Hi, I’m Anna, an educational freelance article writer promoting the importance of higher education, Assignment Geek, and Business education for several years now.