Wedding Planning

6 Ways to “Go Green” on Your Big Day 

By TBC on April 22, 2022
Sustainable Wedding Planning
Wanting to be mindful of the environmental impact of your wedding day? You’re not alone! With all of the materials and preparations that go into making your day so special, it’s not surprising that the carbon footprint of your wedding might be larger than you suspect. Don’t fret, there are options! Here are six earth conscious decisions to plan a sustainable day.
Sustainable outdoor elopement wedding
  1. Pick an Eco-friendly Venue

This is an easy first step in limiting your wedding’s environmental impact. Many wedding venues offer sustainable amenities, such as solar panels, recyclable cocktail cups, or even something as simple as having their own compost. Depending on the venue, it could also lessen the need for additional decor. Some of the most stunning reception areas are strategically placed for their location to feature mossed walls or beautifully arched trees to set the tone.

  1. Rent Florals

Not only is this great for the environment, but it’s also easier on your wallet! Renting florals is a great way to reuse materials and reduce what you take from the earth. Fun fact – even vases can be rented! While we’re on the topic, another minor yet important tip is to avoid floral foam. Floral foam often contains toxic chemicals and is not biodegradable. Check out this article by Brenda Silva at FLOWER Magazine that discusses alternative options to floral foam!

  1. Donate Your Materials Post Celebration

This might be the easiest way to reduce waste and make sure remnants of your wedding don’t end up in landfills across the country. There are a plethora of things that can be donated, including flowers, tableware, decor, and even food. Many organizations will make good use of wedding flowers and/or decor to upcycle into a new product. 

  1. Sustainable Diamonds

Another small detail is the shiny rock we wear on our hands. Opt for a lab grown diamond to reduce global mining efforts. Lab made diamonds consist of the same chemical elements, but as their name suggests, they are made in a lab instead of in the earth. They also exhibit a similar look and optical appearance to ensure you don’t lose that special sparkle (in fact, sometimes they emit even more light than natural diamonds). As if you needed another excuse to buy a lab grown diamond, they cost a fraction of the price! Rockin’ (hehe, get it) a sustainable gemstone is a great way to reduce the harmful environmental impact of mining. This just might be the biggest help yet!

  1. Eco-friendly Invitations

Invitations utilize a huge amount of resources and aren’t necessarily a piece of wedding planning you can choose to forego. Luckily enough, there are tons of alternative ways to ‘get the word out’ about your wedding! Find a printing company who utilizes recycled paper, biodegradable paper, and even plantable paper – how cool is that?! Additionally, there’s always the option to go paperless by sending an evite. The options are truly endless!

  1. Elope

And of course, you can always opt to elope! No decor, no venue cost, no wasted food. Just two people in love, a photographer and occasionally, the family dog. We might argue that your pup will be the most important guest there 🙂