Planning a wedding but worried about the environmental impact? Spread the love and have an eco wedding.
Have a read of ecostore’s tips of how to celebrate your love for your partner and your love for the environment at the same time:
The invitations
Traditionally, there are two wedding invitations sent, a save the date and a formal invitation, as well as menus, and other information that guests will need for the day. When you multiply this by the amount of guests, the paper use adds up. Instead, consider going digital. Create a website for your wedding where guests can RSVP, view the menu, schedule, venue information and more. Facebook is another tool you can use. Create a group or event so you can send updates to all your guests at once.
Setting
Summer is the season for weddings so pick a day, pick a place (outside) and hope for the best weather. Outdoor weddings are not only beautiful but save on power and venue costs depending on where you choose to have it. If possible, holding the ceremony and reception in the same place will save on transport and fuel costs – both environmental and financial.
Ambience
To save on lighting costs, and the environmental costs associated with powering them, candles and solar lanterns are a couple of great options. You could put candles in jars you have collected or in paper bags filled with sand to create a beautiful flame-lit ambience.
DIY decorations
Get creative! There are so many cheap, easy and beautiful decorating ideas for weddings online. Try upcycling, recycling, DIY and borrowing as much as you can and if you can’t, check out your local op shops, you never know what you might find.
Here are just a few ideas to spark your imagination:
• You could use wine bottles or jars to hold flowers on the tables. Let your guests know and start collecting now.
• Instead of paper seating tags and individual menus, write the table layout and menu on blackboards.
• Make buntings out of old shirts or scrap fabric.
• Use stones, shells, plants, candles or driftwood for table centerpieces.
Why not invite your friends around for a DIY decorating session? With wine and nibbles of course and this way everyone will feel included in the wedding process too.
Food, drink and flowers
Source organic, local produce where you can. This will save on fossil fuels burned to transport it but also supports sustainable growing practices. This goes for your flowers too. A nice idea is to use potted plants or flowers on the tables and then guests can take them home when the wedding is over.
Another thing you can do, is to choose your catering company carefully and check out what sustainability initiatives they have in place. When it comes to cups, cutlery and napkins, go for the reusable kind. It may be a little more effort but it will stop much plastic waste ending up back in the environment.
ECOSTORE, 1 Scotland Street, Freemans Bay, T: 09 360 8477, www.ecostore.co.nz
The Guide to Sustainable, Zero-Waste, Ethical Weddings
This guide contains plenty of helpful information such as:
An in-depth look at sustainable and ethical weddings - why they are important and how choosing a green wedding helps reduce the strain on the environment.
Eye-opening facts and figures about the carbon footprint and waste generated by weddings and the wedding industry as a whole (did you know that around 4,910 tonnes of unrecyclable plastics are used up by weddings annually?)
How to plan a sustainable wedding - including plenty of tips on finding green wedding planners and suppliers, eco-friendly wedding venues, organic and zero-waste food and catering, and other helpful resources.
Other useful green wedding resources, organizations, and zero-waste tips and advice to help make weddings more ethically conscious and environmentally friendly.