Sustainable Weddings: How to Plan an Eco-Friendly Wedding
Venue:
Rent your sustainable venue
Photographer: Elizabeth Laduca
The Green Building Information Gateway is a website that connects people to green buildings all around the world where you can host all your magical events like an eco-friendly wedding. With hundreds of amazing green buildings there is no need to stress about finding the perfect venue, there are amazing styles and locations for everyone! Sustainable can be fun and beautiful.
Outdoor Weddings
There's nothing better than the great outdoors and natural sunlight to enhance all your wedding day photos. Outdoor weddings are a great idea when planning an eco-friendly wedding. Ideas for outdoor wedding venues include; backyard weddings, beach weddings, vineyard weddings, national park weddings, and so many more unique locations. Not only can you reduce your weddings carbon footprint with an outdoor wedding but you also create more space for your guests, better lighting for photos, more freedom for personalization of decor, the possibilities are endless.
p.s. - It is better to use a venue that offers all inclusive options which will require less external vendors and reduce your footprint in terms of shipping and transportation.
Eco-Friendly Stationary:
You can use eco-friendly options for your stationary. Use a vendor that prints on recycled paper or biodegradable material such as seed paper. Choose vendors that donate and plant a tree for every order for instance.
Paper Culture
Paper Culture's mission is to inspire people through their quality products and actively working towards finding solutions for climate change. With every purchase from their website they plant a tree! They have planted over 100,000 trees in honor of their mission.Botanical Paper Works
Botanical Paper Works is best known for their eco-friendly seed paper. The company is committed to running their business in a way that helps the environment and benefits the community. Their products leave wildflowers and no waste! Each year you can have a little special reminder of your wedding day growing right in your yard!
Sustainable Flowers:
Flowers are an amazing touch of decor at every wedding. However there are many ways to choose flower arrangements in an eco-friendly way. By choosing seasonal blooms or sourcing your flowers locally, there are many tips and tricks for picking beautiful and sustainable flowers for your special day! Listed below are two of our favorite eco-friendly options:
Something Borrowed Blooms (rental)
Did you know that rentals have made its mark all the way to the flower industry? With Borrowed Blooms you get to "own the memories and rent the flowers." Borrowed Blooms is revolutionizing the wedding flower industry with their specialization in premium silk wedding flower collections. Couples are saving up to 70% with renting instead of tradition flower shops. Cost efficient and sustainable!
AFloral
AFloral is always in bloom. Beauty will never fade with artificial flowers. AFloral is transparent with their sourcing of ethical vendors and packaging including biodegradable and compostable options as well as sourcing products that are natural or made from recycled materials. Working towards a lower carbon footprint they have been working with small local farmers in order to produce for their dried and preserved flower selection.
Eco-Friendly Outfits:
One of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to rent you wedding day outfits. From tuxedos, mother of the bride, bridesmaids, wedding dresses and beyond, secondhand renting is the way to go! More people need to be made aware that "9 billion is the estimated number of clothing items that are hardly worn or sitting idle in consumers' closets" -Globaldata. As consumers we need to be the change towards a more positive and sustainable fashion world.
Generation Tux Rental
Generation Tux is shopping made easy. Everything can be done right from your home! Generation Tux offers free samples for customers to be able to feel the fabric and match the colors perfectly to the aseptic of your wedding. Create your look, share with the wedding party, wear, and return.
Photographer: Katherine Brackman
Secondhand Wedding Dresses
Sustainable fashion is in and here to stay! There are many outlets when searching sustainably for wedding dresses, whether it be vintage second hand fashion or wedding dresses that are made to order and produced ethically. View our latest blog post "Sustainable, Second-Hand & Rental Bridal Fashion [All Things Weddings]" to check out some of the most amazing sustainable company's in the bridal fashion industry.
Photographer: Elizabeth Laduca
Rent Your Accessories
Borrowed by La Jolie Bride is here to add all your finishing touches to your wedding day look! From veils, floral head crowns, wedding dress sashes, high-end jewelry and more, Borrowed by LJB is here to help you shop sustainable. Borrowed by LJB's team is curated of professional bridal stylists. They even offer a "Style Me" service where you send in a picture of your wedding dress and the professional team styles you!
Sustainable Jewelry:
When most people think about ways to be sustainable for their wedding, they rarely think about jewelry. However, there are many alternatives for high-end jewelry. Shop vintage or sustainable diamonds (ethically sourced, lab-grown diamond, or a recycled diamond).
VRAI
VRAI is a high-end jewelry company that creates all their diamonds from greenhouse gas crystallization. Their mission is to preserve luxury while also preserving nature. No mining. No emissions. No guilt.
Registry:
Your registry can also be more sustainably conscious. You can choose stores that support environmental initiatives or consider a charity registry. Guests can donate to a cause close to your heart.
Charity Registry
Photographer: Stephanie Vegliante
Sustainability matters more than ever. The pandemic also accelerated changes in the way we consume. And weddings are no exception.
We see a big change with the new generations - millennial & Gen Z brides in particular – are becoming more conscious consumers.
According to studies, 70% of weddings incorporate sustainable practice (up to 90% by 2025).
There are many ways we can incorporate sustainability into a wedding. Look for vendors that give back to the community. Certain vendors donate money to charity. Look for products that are eco-friendly, socially conscious and ethically made.