How to keep your wedding green at every stage of the process

Written by Sofia Avery

Your wedding is a chance to celebrate your love and commitment to each other in front of family and friends. Your partnership is front and centre, and as such, your wedding dayshould be a reflection of your story and values.

If you’re passionate about preserving our planet, then it’s only natural that you’ll want to make your big day as eco-friendly as possible. The good news is that there are plenty of ways you can make your nuptials greener without compromising on style and quality, from seasonal menus to plastic-free decor. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can keep things sustainable from the start.

Set out your intentions from the beginning

If being environmentally friendly is really important to you, then make sure that you establish this from the beginning stages of the planning process. Doing this early can help you make decisions along the way, keeping that green ethos in mind when you look at decor, menus and outfits.

Your wedding venue will also have a big impact on how green you can be, as you’ll need their staff to be on board with your decision. So when you’re viewing venues, make sure that you mention this, so they can let you know what measures they have in place. If you’re using a wedding planner, you should also make sure that you mention this important factor to them too.

Talk to your suppliers

Your wedding day is made possible by multiple people – not just your loved ones, but your suppliers who work hard to create the day you’ve been dreaming of. If you’re hoping for a sustainable wedding, then mention this before you book, so that your suppliers can be upfront about whether this is something they can help with.

Remember that being eco-friendly is a relatively new concept for some industries, including weddings, so supplies can be more expensive. You may need to be prepared to pay slightly more for an eco-friendly product, so consider this when creating your budget. Whilst this might sound offputting, if you’re being considerate about the amount of things that you buy in order to reduce waste, you may not find that your overall spend is impacted too much.

Think about waste

Once you’ve got all the details sorted for the big day itself, you might think that your work is done. But don’t forget about the final step of any green celebration – waste disposal.

A lot of this will come down to the venue, so make sure you speak to them ahead of time to understand the processes they follow. Some questions to ask include:

● What is your recycling policy?

● How do you reduce food waste?

● What happens to any excess food after the day?

● What happens to anything that can’t be recycled?

You can also play your part by reducing the amount of personalised decor you purchase for your day. Whilst there are some things that need to be custom made (for example, the order of service or the seating plan), general decor like bunting, centrepieces and chair covers can be colour themed instead.

Doing this will allow you to sell or give away the items after your day, giving them a new lease of life in someone else’s celebration rather than going to landfill or sitting in a cupboard.

A thoughtful day

Sometimes, being eco-friendly can feel like a chore. But taking the time to carefully curate your day will mean that you can enjoy it to the full, knowing that you’ve been considerate about your impact on the environment. Plus, sometimes, less is more – keeping things streamlined can give your day a classic, timeless elegance.