If you are eco-conscious and want to limit your wedding day environmental footprint, then this blog is for you! Weddings and any big event naturally have a lot of waste and have a larger carbon footprint but there are ways that you can reduce your waste. Having an eco-friendly wedding isn't just gorgeous but also so much better for our Earth! PLUS, a lot of time being eco-friendly will save you money! Below are eight ways to keep your wedding as eco-friendly as possible!
Use environmentally friendly invitations.
There are so many amazing invitation options out there from ones printed on recycled materials to ones that are made with flower seeds and can be planted! There are also options for digital invitations and invitations with soy based inks that produce less pollution. Even something as simple as switching to a RSVP postcard will save having to use another envelope (and save on postage too!). Invitations don't have to be something that causes a lot of waste.
Limit paper.
Limit paper where you can for your wedding. Do you really need a program printed for each guest or would a program per group suffice? Do guests really need a printed menu on their plate or would a sign be more sufficient. Opt for linen napkins that can be washed and re-used vs paper napkins that will be tossed.
Rent what you won't use again.
There are a lot of one time use items for wedding days from outfits, to decor, to linens, etc. If there is something you want for your wedding that you don't think you'll be able to use again, see if you can rent it! This will not only save you money but will be a lot more eco-friendly. Check with rental places in your town, state, and online and chances are, you'll be able to find what you want!
Upcycle.
For anything that you can't rent but that can be reused in the future, look into buying used. Most wedding related items are only used once so they are in great shape. Look at the local wedding groups on Facebook/in your community and you will find lots of past couples selling lots of great, almost new wedding decor. If you still can't find the perfect item you want used, you can still upcycle it by selling it after your wedding!
Choose organic fabrics, when possible.
Opt for organic and sustainable fabrics for items that you may be purchasing such as your attire. These fabrics not only look nicer and will last long but they are also manufactured in a way that's better for the Earth.
Make sure your venue/caterer/bar services recycle.
This is a big one that a lot of folks don't think about. So many venues, caterers, and bar services don't offer recycling and recycling should be way more common place. Having a couple recycling bins around for guests to toss their empty beer bottles, soda cans, and paper waste into can go along way. Check with your venue and see if they can offer this. Along with that, check with your caterer/bar services to make sure they are recycling cans and bottles as they use them.
Use reusable dinnerware and serving sets vs one time use items.
There is no need to use one time use plates, silverware, and serving utensils. When you think about a 200 person wedding and each person has a salad plate, dinner plate, cake plate, and a set or two of utensils then that's sooooo much waste that is just going to be thrown away and put in a landfill. Plus all of your caterers serving wear that may be one time use. Make sure your venue, caterer, etc are limiting using one time use items and opt for multi-use items. As a bonus, they always look nicer too!
AND linens such as tablecloths and napkins can be multi-use too and rented!
Offset your carbon emissions or see if your vendors purchase carbon offsets.
As eco-friendly as you may be when planning your wedding, there will still be some waste and carbon emissions that happen that just can't be avoided. You can purchase carbon offsets to cover those emissions and help give back to the Earth. There are a lot of companies that offer this but if you are looking for one, I use CarbonFund.org for my business! If you are using eco-friendly vendors then they may already be purchasing carbon offsets to cover their part of the carbon emissions. Jasmine Norris Photography is proudly a carbon neutral business so when you book your wedding photography with me, you can be sure that all the photography emissions from your wedding will be offset!
