How to Have a Sustainable Wedding
With the rise of social media and wedding publications, it can be very easy for engaged couples to get swept up in the overabundance of weddings. While going above and beyond on all things wedding might make for nice photos, it’s not always the most sustainable option. Read on to get our top tips on how to make sure you’re having a wedding that is as sustainable as possible.
Choose a Sustainable Florist
Florals are potentially one of the biggest areas of waste in weddings. To combat this, opt for a florist that composts, doesn’t use floral foam, and sources the blooms based on what’s locally in season. All of these methods reduce carbon footprint and adding to the landfills. If you’re considering a florist that says they can get your favorite flower at any time of the year, this is a big red flag! Using blooms that aren’t in season means sourcing them from other parts of the country, or world, which is incredibly unsustainable.
If your florist doesn’t compost, consider bringing in a company to compost at the end of your event. In NYC, companies like Garbage Goddess exist specifically to make sure your florals aren’t going to waste. While composting is ideal, you can also consider donating them to a hospital or nursing home to give them a second life.
Photo by Chaz Cruz Photographers.
Choose a Sustainable Caterer
Catering is another big area of potential waste, so choosing a sustainable minded caterer is also super important! How do you spot a sustainable caterer? Similar to florists, sustainable caterers will rotate their menu seasonally. If you want lobster out of season, a sustainable caterer will tell you it’s not possible rather than using unsustainable methods to source it.
Other tell-tale signs of sustainable caterers are smaller menu offerings focused on locally sourced ingredients, a focus on plated meals rather than family-style or buffet, and a dedication to composting any leftover food items that are compostable.
Photo by Cadence Kennedy Photography.
Rent Anything That Can Be Rented
Many of the specific items that you’ll need for your wedding day can and should be rented from rental companies. Renting tableware rather than buying disposable plates, silverware, and cups is a far more eco-friendly option. Need easels for your signage or table number holders? Add that to your rental order rather than getting them on Amazon.
There is lots of unnecessary garbage and waste at the end of each wedding of little items that you don’t necessarily need to buy.
Photo by Elvira Kalviste Photography.
Go Paperless
The amount of paper that is thrown out before and after a wedding is very surprising. From your save-the-dates to invitations to menus to table numbers, a lot of paper product goes into wedding days. To combat this, opt for online save the dates and invitations. It will save you hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars and lots of environmental waste. Still want the paper? Consider recyclable or biodegradable paper. There’s even edible wafer paper for those really wanting to be creative and eco!
Also consider: does each person need their own menu and place card or can they be combined? Do you really need signage for everything? While signs for the guest book or bathrooms might be cute, they’re usually unnecessary.
Photo by Chaz Cruz Photographers.
Choose a Local or Convenient Venue
The less transportation guests need to get to your venue, the better! If most of your friends or family live in one area, picking a venue there will greatly limit the amount of flying and driving that needs to happen to participate in your wedding. If that’s not an option, choosing a venue like a hotel where all guests can attend all events without having to drive is a great sustainable option.
If driving is necessary to get your venue, consider arranging group transportation like vans or busses. 2 busses to go to and from your hotels to the venue is a far more eco-friendly option than having 100 guests driving themselves.
Photo by Sarah Bode-Clark Photography.
