Your wedding is supposed to be the most joyful occasion - but it can also be one of the most wasteful. It begins with single-use décor and ends with throwaway wedding favours; most weddings produce hundreds of pounds of waste and leave a big carbon footprint. But here's the thing: planning a beautiful and unforgettable wedding does not have to come at the planet's expense - it's all in your hands!
With thoughtful choices and creative solutions, you can have a wedding that's both stylish and sustainable, reflecting your values without sacrificing the magic of your perfect day.
🌱 Step 1: Sustainable Intentions.
The first step to planning your wedding is sitting down with your partner and discussing your shared values. To plan a sustainable wedding, Pinterest board and all, you need to keep sustainability at the core of your planning, making it a guiding principle for all decisions regarding your wedding. Having a guiding principle as such does not only help you make decisions, but can also keep you grounded when planning gets busy.
Ask yourselves:
- What aspects of our wedding are most important to us?
- How can we create beauty without creating unnecessary waste?
- Where can we rent, borrow, or reuse instead of buying new?
💌 Step 2: Digital (or Low-Waste) Invitations.
Paper invitations are beautiful, but often tossed after a few weeks. Here's some stylish, sustainable alternatives for you:
- Send out digital invitations to your friends and family by using online services. This way, you're already reducing waste in the beginning of the wedding process.
- Send out invitations that are printed on recycled paper or use seed paper invites that can be planted after use, bringing your loved ones joy for years!
- Go minimal and only send out the cards with sustainable inks and ditch the plastic wrapping.
If you love the tradition of a paper invitation, you could consider sending printed invites only to your close family and friends as keepsakes, sticking to digital versions for the rest of your guests.
🪩 Step 3: The Guest List.
While this may seem far off, your guest list does have a lot to do with sustainability and is an important factor to consider. Smaller weddings are naturally more sustainable - there will be less food waste as there are less people to plan for, you need fewer materials to decorate, and less people will travel to your wedding destination.
Having a smaller wedding can make the whole experience more intimate for you and your loved ones, as you actually get to spend time with everyone. Smaller doesn't mean less special as it often allows for more personal touches and meaningful interactions.
🌸 Step 4: Local and Seasonal Flowers.
Flowers add beauty to any wedding, but traditional arrangements often involve plastic foam, imports, and chemicals. Speak to a local florist and ask them which flowers will locally be in season at the time of your wedding. When choosing your flowers, skip floral foam and opt for reusable vases, jars, or baskets. You can even collect jars over the year to use for your wedding decor, giving them a second life.
👗 Step 5: Say Yes to Secondhand (or Ethical Fashion).
When choosing your wedding dress or suit, it does not necessarily need to be brand new for you to feel radiant. Try browsing secondhand boutiques, online marketplaces, or rental services. This could also save you lots of money!
Also make sure you are choosing designers that use ethical production practices and opt for sustainable materials. And for your bridesmaids: pick dresses that they can truly wear again or let them choose their own, only giving them a colour palette to stick to.
🖼️ Step 6: Gorgeous and Green Decor.
Stylish decor does not have to be disposable. Try renting décor such as candle holders, signage, and linens that you can return after you do not need them anymore. Vintage or thrifted items also make for unique centerpieces!
When decorating, opt for reusable banners, fabric garlands, or natural decoration elements such as dried oranges, pinecones, or branches. Furoshiki also make great decorative items and can be used to wrap wedding favours sustainably.
🥂 Step 7: Choosing Food & Drink.
There is no wedding without good food and delicious drinks. However, food waste is a major issue at weddings. You can avoid this by choosing a caterer experienced in zero-waste practices or offering a buffet-style service with clear portion guidance. If you have leftovers, make sure you let your guests take them home so nothing goes to waste!
Serving local, organic, and seasonal foods is a great way to reduce the environmental impact of your wedding as well.
For drinks, provide bulk drink options (wine on tap, local beer kegs) instead of individual bottles or cans. If you're doing individual bottles, make sure they are made from glass, as they can be recycled infinitely.
🎁 Step 8: No Single-Use Favours.
Wedding favours are way too often unused and end up in the trash. To be more sustainable, avoid single-use favours and think of things that people will truly cherish. For instance,
- edible treats: local honey, artisan chocolates, or tea blends - this will make your guests think of you while enjoying some great food
- mini plants or seed packets: something to give to your guests that will bring them joy for years to come
- a donation to a meaningful cause in their name.
Of course, you can just skip the wedding favours altogether and focus on making memorable experiences with your guests instead.
🎊 Step 9: The Right Venue.
When choosing a venue, you are setting the environmental baseline for the event as well. Venues that use reusable energy and offer composting services are a great choice. You can also be more sustainable by checking if they have reusable dishware and linens provided that you can rent along with the venue.
Outdoor venues like gardens, parks, or eco-resorts often align naturally with sustainable weddings.
🩷 Step 10: What Matters Most.
When it comes to your wedding day, the most stylish thing is the love you're celebrating - not the stuff. A conscious, waste-reduced wedding can feel even more beautiful because it reflects your values, your community, and your care for the planet.
Sustainable weddings are not about perfection and not all the points above need to be considered, let alone fulfilled. After all, sustainability is often more expensive, too. Each small decision adds up to your unforgettable celebration and you can find simple and small ways to give back to the planet in that.