How to make your wedding more sustainable
Sustainability is very much on everyone’s mind as the world wrestles with the challenges of climate change. It has even become an issue with wedding planning – especially if and eco-friendly lifestyle are important to you and your partner. The inconvenient truth is that a wedding is a one-off event so, by definition, somewhat wasteful. Rather than cancel the whole thing (don’t do that!) here are some tips on how to minimise waste, lower carbon footprints, and recycle more. You might think that you’ve got enough on your wedding planning plate already but there is one very good reason for reading on (apart from tying the knot with a clean environmental conscience) – many of these tips will make your budget go further.
Clevedon Hall - a gorgeous natural setting
Look for a venue with green credentials
This is a bit of a no-brainer. It means you can lower the environmental impact of your wedding day without having to actually do anything yourselves! At Clevedon Hall we take sustainability seriously. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and continually improving our environmental performance as an integral part of our business strategy and operating methods. If you’d like full details of our environmental policy click the link in the panel at the bottom this page (and all our web pages). We’re also members of the Green Tourism scheme, currently awaiting our grading.
Keep it local
This one is kind of obvious too. The more travelling involved to more emissions, it’s a simple as that. So, if most of your guests are based in the West Country it makes sustainability sense to pick a venue in this region (as well as being more convenient and less costly for everyone). That means a wedding abroad is not really an option if you are serious about sustainability – too many air miles. Of course, if one of you is from overseas, with a lot of relatives on the other side of the world, it may make environmental sense to tie the knot over there – you’ll just have to work out where most guests are located.
Clevedon Hall - perfect for weddings large or small
Limit the guest list
This is a tough one but the fact is fewer guests means a smaller carbon footprint. The upside is it will reduce your expenditure as well. And fewer guests will make the occasion more intimate.
Eco-friendly invites
Another obvious one…once you think about it. Switching to digital stationery will save large amounts of paper, ink and energy. It’s probably cheaper too. Email your save the dates notes and your invitations. Ask people to RSVP electronically too, either by email or through your wedding website.
Photo by Cherie Birkner on Unsplash
Recycle and rent
Going vintage or pre-loved with your choice of dress is a great eco option. The same goes for bridesmaids dresses. Hiring suits for the groomsmen, rather than buying them, is also a smart (and popular) idea. All of these ideas are also great for saving money too. Trashing your dress by jumping in the sea or wearing it horse riding while capturing the moment with a photographer is a growing trend. Resist the temptation - handing it down to the next generation, or selling it on, is a much more ethical and eco-responsible way to go.
Do you have any friends or family who are getting married around the same time as you? Could you share bunting, fairy lights, name place/table number holders and signage?
Another way to cut wastage is to utilise the collective DIY skills of your family and friends. Pinterest is full of great ideas when it comes to recycling/upcycling stuff for your wedding celebrations – much more eco-friendly than buying new.
Make your menu eco-friendly
Whether your venue is providing all the food and drink, or you’re hiring caterers, try to find a team that prioritises sustainability. At Clevedon Hall we make every effort to source ethical and fair-trade products from local suppliers (and there’s no shortage of the highest quality ingredients available in the West Country!).
Our talented Head Chef at Clevedon Hall creates a feast for the eyes!
Choosing a vegetarian menu will also reduce the environmental impact of your wedding meal and any other food you provide. Having a sit-down meal rather than a buffet gets the sustainability thumbs up too – there’s a lot less waste food left after the event.
Choose seasonal and local flowers
Ask your florist what flowers will be blooming around the time of your wedding in this country. Many bouquets and displays are created with flowers that have been flown half-way around the world – and that’s very expensive, both to your pocket and the planet.
Another increasingly popular option, for bouquets and decoration, is dried flowers. The fact they last for years means you’ll have a memento to take home and cherish long after your wedding day. On the other hand you could gift dried flowers to your wedding guests.
Rethink your wedding favours
Choose your wedding favours with care to ensure they are eco-friendly. For instance, give flower bombs. These are little biodegradable boxes filled with wildflower seeds. When your guest gets home, they can simply throw the bomb on their garden and over the coming months, the box will completely decompose, the seeds will be released and the flowers will begin to grow! Every time your guests look at their garden, they will be reminded of their special day.
Biodegradable confetti
In the past a lot of confetti was made from plastic but that’s definitely a no-no now! Luckily there’s a wide choice of biodegradable confetti available (often made with real dried flower petals) so make sure you ask guests to use the eco-friendly sort.
Any other questions?
Hopefully this article has given you some useful food for thought with regard to making your wedding day as ecologically friendly as possible. If there are any other aspects of your wedding you are not sure about just give our team a call – if we haven’t got all the answers you need we probably know someone that has!