If you are conscious about how your behaviours affect the environment, then why should you view your wedding any different? There are so many ways to have a green wedding which means that you can enjoy your day all the more, knowing that you have made every effort to make your day eco-friendly.
Check out our tips below!
Eco friendly wedding venues
You may be hard pushed to find a venue that ticks all your boxes PLUS runs from solar powered energy alone, however, by choosing a venue that is located closer to home and most of your guests, you will be reducing emissions. In addition, you could encourage your guests to car share in favour of taking a car each.
Keeping your guest list small is another way to reduce your carbon footprint, as well as for opting for a sustainable venue.
At Fennes, we are proud to offer outdoor as well as indoor weddings where you will be surrounded by 100 acres of tranquil countryside and can enjoy a tasty BBQ menu (with vegan options available) under our fully licenced gazebo.
As a responsible wedding venue, we are happy to discuss any ideas with you regarding how to keep your day as green as possible!
Eco-friendly wedding favours
Wedding favours are a bit of fun but if you aren’t careful then they can be damaging to the environment. To avoid too much plastic waste, you should ask the business providing your favours how items will be packaged before placing your order. If creating your own wedding favours, then you may want to research appropriate eco-friendly materials to use.
Don’t forget to indicate that the favours are fully recyclable, if applicable because this will trigger your guests to think about the environment and positively encourage them to be conscious of their own footprint both at your wedding and beyond!
Eco Friendly Wedding Dress and attire
TStyles come back around and it is so wonderful, therefore, that vintage clothing is so celebrated by the fashion industry. But you don’t have to opt for a forty-year-old wedding dress to save the planet!
Choosing to buy a pre-loved dress, or equally hiring one, is just as good an option because you are giving the garment a new lease of life.
‘Throwaway fashion’ is where clothing is made with sub-standard materials, worn a couple of times and then thrown away. Wedding dresses, of course, are special items and are often made using high-quality materials which means they can withstand being worn more than once and will still look absolutely amazing!
What’s more, by buying pre-loved then you could afford something that is of a much higher quality than if you were to buy one new. To read more on the pro’s and con’s of hiring your wedding dress Hitched has written a really thorough article.
You could also think of buying your wedding party garments that they can wear again, that don’t go out of style and have longevity. Allowing your bridesmaids to choose a dress in your colour but a dress that they will love, and wear again and again is a great option. This is currently on-trend too, so you’ll be ahead of the curve 😉
Eco friendly wedding invitations
Most companies are not trying to go paperless – bank statements, receipts, birthday cards… so why not design your very own e-wedding invitations and save on printing?
Electronic invites will not only save you time but going paperless will make it much easier to collect RSVPs and to send updates to your guests (setting up a wedding website will also be helpful for this). Better still, you will be reducing energy usage and waste!
You can still create a stunning design, with the added option of making it interactive or ‘live’. We found this informative blog by Hitched you might find interesting or if e-stationery is for you check out Paperlesspost.
And it e-stationery is totally not your thing then consider printing on recycled paper, there are lots of lovely options or on handmade paper with seed within the parchment, so that your guest can plant your invites and enjoy, the blossoms in the future.
Eco-friendly wedding bouquets
It may surprise you to discover that many species of flowers are not grown in the UK all year round, so wedding flowers are often imported from other countries to ensure couples get beautiful blooms for their bouquets.
With this in mind, you may prefer to use seasonal flowers in your bouquets and displays which can be locally sourced. If you ask your florist, they can suggest seasonal flowers that will match your theme and will be available for your wedding.
Another option is silk flowers they look just as beautiful as real flowers, you can hire either from your venue or from a silk flower florist we recommend Jades Flowers.
Another idea is to consider potted plants, orchids, herbs, daffodils in spring or trees that can be planted in your or your guests’ gardens after the wedding.
Non-polluting wedding transport
Finally, when it comes to transport, you can find a few friendlier ways to arrive at your destination than by petrol or diesel-powered car. Electronic cars, for example, might be an option as well as a rickshaw or a horse-drawn carriage.
However, if you’re keen to find unique alternatives then imagine using public transport methods to reach your venue like a traditional red bus or a London tube – your grandkids will love hearing stories about the day you took the bus in your wedding gown! Plus this iconic vehicle would look brilliant in your wedding photos.
Don’t litter on your exit walk
Consider what “confetti” option you will use for your walk down the isle or exit. Go plant-based, lavender, rose petals, fresh herbs or a mix of micro flowers which are biodegradable and can give the added benefit of stunning colour in your wedding photographs.
For more sustainable ideas, Hitched again wrote a really lovely article with ideas for smaller unique ideas. We all know that big changes need to happen in order to slow down global warming but even if you adopt just one or two of the above solutions, you can safely say that you contributed to saving our planet.
Fennes would love to help you reduce your carbon footprint. Download our brochure or get in touch with our team today to find out more.