I’m not going to lie, I had a bit of climate anxiety when I was getting into the nitty gritty of planning my wedding. There is just so much potential for waste and it felt extremely challenging (not to mention expensive) to keep a sustainable mindset. The Green Bride Guide states that the average wedding produces 400 lbs of garbage and 63 tons of CO2. With an estimated 2.5 million weddings per year, that is about 1 billion lbs of trash. Say whaaaa?! If that stat blew you away as much as it did me, all the more reason to see what you should consider making your wedding more sustainable.
The wedding industry is wild and expensive and there are a lot of “traditions” worth rethinking. As with everything, I encourage you to rethink what has always been done and consider how you can do it in a way that works for you and the planet! Although I wasn’t able to manage a zero-waste wedding, here are a few things I considered when planning my wedding.
Consider shopping second hand
Just because you’re being earth conscious doesn’t mean you don’t get to customize your big day! Whatever you’re thinking of implementing, try looking for it second-hand first. I found a lot of my items at the local ARC thrift store and then used my Cricut to help make them into what we wanted.
Consider things you don’t need
For me, this included things like not purchasing a cake and knife kit, or ordering special toasting champagne glasses because we would never use them again. The venue had a few things we could pick through to use for our wedding, and so we did just that. The day went by so fast that I don’t think I would have even remembered to pull out the special champagne glasses or cake knives even if we did buy them.
Consider your stationary choices
A lot of waste for weddings is generated through all the literature that comes along with a wedding. Your save-the-dates, invitations, info cards included with the invitations, the envelopes, day of programs and menus, etc. The list could go on and on. This is why choosing a paper vendor that’s just as passionate about our planet as you are is so important.
Another idea is to opt for digital invites and save the dates. Digital invites like Paperless Post deliver beautiful digital invitations straight to your guest’s inbox. This might even help you pinch a few pennies.
Pro tip: tell your guests you’re going for an eco wedding on the invite and bring them on this journey with you!
Consider renting your materials instead of buying and returning them.
I’m not naive enough to think that brides don’t buy things on Amazon, use them, and then return them. This is often referred to as wardrobing and typically happens with clothes. However, returning goods can have a greater impact on the environment. Unfortunately, a lot of our returns do not get resold and most often end up in burn piles producing immense amounts of CO2.
By renting your items you can ensure those pieces will get used over and over again instead of just one single use for your wedding. On that same note, it is so much nicer to have a company take care of your decor afterward instead of you…
Consider lax bridal party rules or no bridal party
Finally, opt out of bridal party wardrobe specifics. I wish I would have done this, but it didn’t even dawn on me until I was one month out from the big day! By implementing this no one will need to buy clothes to be in your wedding. Make it a point to have dedicated time with the people closest to you, so you don’t miss out on that element.
Consider local sourcing for florals and food
I know some wedding venues are sticklers for catering, so I encourage you to voice your concern and see if they are willing to assist with this. However if you do have the freedom to bring in your own food, check out local sources to minimize the amount of travel it will take to provide you with your resources. Same goes with your desserts too.
In terms of flowers, you want to think nearby and in season. Use the elements of the area you are in. We ordered flowers from a local greenhouse in our mountain town and also asked for dried flowers so they could last longer and not require imported freshness. These turned out so cute AND we got to keep them!
We did what worked for us. Our wedding was still just as fun even with these simple touches. We skipped most traditions and had a laid-back party. Sweet. Low-stress. People-focused. And as low-waste as possible.
What are some things you’re incorporating into your wedding to be more planet-friendly?
