Weddings tend to be quite high up on the scale of extravagance, with all that expense, time and energy dedicated to one wonderful day. You've already decided against single use plastics (of course) and you've decided to forego a James Bond-style helicopter ride (think of the emissions!), but what else can you do to reduce the environmental impact of your big day?
1) Choose eco-friendly suppliers
It makes sense to pick green suppliers who prioritise the planet; think locally-sourced catering menus, solar panelled, local venues, and using organic materials where possible. By choosing a sustainable florist, you can follow their guidance on seasonal blooms, to reduce the carbon footprint of your bouquet. Instead of buying tonnes of decorations, you could hire them from a sustainable wedding décor company, to ensure they will be reused.
2) Promote car-sharing/ book group transport for your guests
This is especially important if your venue is located some distance from the place where many of your guests live. On your wedding website, you can promote car-sharing as an option and encourage guests to give others a lift to your wedding. You could also hire a bus as transport for your guests; saving on emissions, but also giving your guests a chance to chat and get to know each other onboard the party bus.
3) Skip the single use wedding favours for something greener With wedding favours, you have two options: choose planet-friendly items such as a packet of flower seeds/ candles or skip them altogether. Wedding favours do tend to end up in the 'bits and bobs' drawer in the kitchen along with all the old phone chargers and spare batteries, so bear that in mind. Is it something your guests are going to make use of, or is it likely to end up in the bin/ landfill?
4) Choose a charity and/ or honeymoon donations for your wedding list
Instead of asking wedding guests for material gifts, you can set up an online donation page for your favourite charity. You can also use a gift page to ask your guests for cash contributions towards your honeymoon. Much more useful than random bits and bobs from the Marks and Spencer homeware department!
5) Opt for pre-loved items
Why not save some cash and the planet? You can shave thousands off your wedding expenditure by delving into the world of pre-loved items. Wedding dresses (Oxfam, StillWhite , Bride2Bride), decorations (Facebook marketplace!), cutlery and glassware (charity shops!), the possibilities are endless.
6) Digital invitations
Save some trees by sending out digital invites and setting up a wedding website. You can use free website templates, such as The Knot or Hitched. This is also a great way to reduce the amount of messages you get from guests asking wedding-related questions, as you spell it all out on the website. You can customise your site to give it the right look and feel to match your wedding vibe, without needing to be a technical whizz.
With a bit of planning, you can have an incredible day that doesn't harm the planet.
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