HAVE AN ECO-FRIENDLY WEDDING DAY

There is no longer any section of our lives where we are not being urged to consider the environment and make a stand against wastage, and that goes for your big day too.

There is an increasing move amongst couples to have a sustainable wedding, and that doesn’t mean that you have to scrimp and cut back; it just means that you adjust your thinking.

It will probably not be possible to have 100% sustainable, but let’s just have a look at some of the ways in which you can be kinder to the environment, but still have the big day that you have always dreamed of.

Recycle

You can start being eco-conscious right from the start with a number of essential items that can recycled. There is a huge tradition for mother and grandmothers to give engagement and even rings to their children and granddaughters and that is actually fast extending to wedding dresses too. This can not only save on some pretty big costs but older dresses and rings tend to be far superior quality to many newer items. Or alternatively if you wasn’t aware, Oxfam do some great bridal dresses. From strapless to lace, vintage bridal wear to ex-catwalk, you can find your perfect wedding dress with Oxfam

Rent not Buy

So are you considering a Dry Hire venue with a BBQ or a Hog Roast? Continuing the theme of not spending out, there are an increasing number of wedding elements that can be rented rather than bought outright. You rent a venue, a car and a reception site, so why not go further than rent glass and chinaware along with cutlery for your wedding breakfast and evening banquet rather than buying paper plates and plastic glasses that will only add to landfill. Not only may you save yourself a few pounds, you will have a much classier looking wedding too.

Pick Your Venue

If you want to fully embrace and eco-friendly wedding then why not try looking for both a wedding and reception venue that is naturally photogenic and doesn’t need to be filled with flowers just to make it look good. There are many historic and architecturally-rich places that will look good in your pictures without the need for expensive bouquets of flowers. Look for something a little off the wall like a winery or a stately home with extensive gardens that can become an exciting and colourful backdrop that has lots of natural flora.

Wanted to stay smack bang in the middle of London with accommodation for your overseas guests, then opt for somewhere like the @KimptonFitzroyhotel that has the most stunning of rooms that really needs little florals to make it look the part and every wedding comes with the free loan of beautiful silver candelabras, so all you have to do is source some non-toxic candles for them and you have a beautiful look whilst being eco-friendly.

Other things to consider are to have your wedding day ceremony and reception all within the same place to save on fuel emissions travelling from one venue to the next. You could find somewhere with a lot of natural light to save on using lights as much as possible.

Use Sustainable Food Sources

Do some research and source your foods from suppliers who pride themselves on being environmentally friendly in their production methods. You could also be really bold and not just offer a vegan dish, but go vegan with the whole menu and offer sustainable plant-based cuisine throughout; people will applaud your eco-credentials. Also, try and opt for plated food rather than dished up on the spot to reduce food waste.

Eco Friendly centre pieces

Why not opt for a beautiful fruit creation in the middle of your table, we have enough of a selection to be able to match up your colour theme and can be eaten later, plus will work even better if you opt for a fully vegan wedding. Why not google fruit farm weddings ideas to get some inspiration.

Stationery

So many trees are lopped every minute of every day to make our paper products all of which the process will pollute our environment so why not opt for paperless post or build your own free website with the help of wix templates which you can design yourself with ease, so you no longer have to buy physical paper products,

Be Careful What You Throw

Biodegradable confetti and similar materials have been around for some time but even this can still muck up the serenity of a church or historic venue. Many venues only allow biodegradable confetti, but generally all my couples this year have turned towards dried petals as their exit-throw materials that not only helps create mulch for growing plants, but have a spectacular shower of colour too.

Ditch the Jet

Okay, so if you are a jet setter, this is going to be a big consideration but the Honeymoon is a traditional part of your wedding, and you can still do this, but entire idea of it is spending time with your new spouse, and realistically you can do that almost anywhere. Don’t be tempted to fly to some far-off island; you can show them just how much you love them in the lushness of the UK, and reduce your carbon footprint significantly as well. We have some amazing beautiful places in the UK.

So that’s a handful of ideas to get you started. Don’t get me wrong, organising an Eco-friendly wedding will take a little more time, effort and energy from you than that of a traditional one, but you will find that you will not only save money, but are likely to help save the planet too and you can’t get any more rewarding that than.

Want to help the planet but live busy lifestyles? then why not get in touch with us where we can help you plan your perfect sustainable wedding day.