Florals & Sustainability
We love flowers! They add so much romance, style and personality to weddings, but they are also a HUGE area of waste within the wedding industry. We love our earth and want to protect it as much as possible. As event planners, we’re very conscious of the footprint that each events makes. Because of that, we strive to instill eco friendly and sustainable practices. We support local businesses, minimize our waste and only recommend sustainable vendors.
In an ideal world, all florals and greenery would be composted after an event, vases would be reused, and no florist would use floral foam. Unfortunately, materials oftentimes are thrown out instead and toxic, non-recyclable foam goes into the landfill. Even when guests are able to take flowers home after the wedding, they end up in the trash a few days later.
Fortunately, there are plenty of florists who are dedicated to practicing sustainable floristry, and we love working them! All of the florists we recommend are sustainable focused, source local, and super eco friendly.
We asked one of our favorite NYC florists, India of IndyFASO, for some of the best questions you can ask florists to make sure you are choosing a sustainable florist:
Where do your flowers come from? What percentage of your ingredients are locally/regionally grown on average? (You want to know they source locally and aren’t importing most of their flowers)
If I'm interested in using 90-100% locally/regionally grown flowers, is this possible for my event date? And if yes, what types of flowers and foliage are both seasonal as well as in line with my overall feeling and color palette? (Depending on your location, some flowers may have to be imported in the winter)
What sustainable methods do you use when creating arrangements and floral installations like an arch, chuppah or mandap? Do you use floral foam? (Floral foam is a big no-no, you want to hear chicken wire or other products that can be reused at the next wedding)
What do you do with the post-event floral waste? Do you compost?
Do you reuse vessels and candle holders?
What can I, as a client, be more flexible with to better help you carry out a sustainable floral order?
Once you’ve picked a florist that you feel comfortable with, here are some things you can do to help your wedding be as sustainable as possible:
Focus on overall color and feel rather than specific types of flowers. Trust your florist to bring the right vibe to your wedding with locally grown & in-season flowers.
Use vessels and candles from their rental collection so they can be reused for future events.
Listen to the guidance and expertise your florist is offering you!