Eco Friendly Weddings 7 Ways To Make Your Day More Sustainable

Weddings are back and while we're more than ready to let our hair down and put our dancing shoes on, we've got to admit that weddings can be wasteful as well as costing a fortune. The travel, the invites, decor and food alone can have a huge impact on our carbon footprint. We've rounded up 7 ways to give you the day of your dreams without sacrificing the things that matter most to you and that won't cost the earth. 

Where to Wed

There's no doubt destination weddings can create the wow factor for your special day and almost guarantee the perfect weather however lots of people travelling far and wide means lots of aeroplane emissions. We have so many beautiful wedding venues in the UK now with something to suit every style from super formal to festival style relaxed affairs. If family and friends are spread around the country consider a venue that is central for most. 

Eco-friendly Wedding Outfits

Everyone wants to feel like the star of the show at their wedding and choosing a more sustainable outfit definitely doesn't mean you won't feel extra special when saying your I do's. Check out sites such as Vinted and Recycle My Wedding, you'll be surprised at what you can find, often never worn when someone has changed their mind or worn for a few hours and in perfect condition. It's a great way to save money too with loads of bargains to found. 
If that's not for you, check out the designers eco credentials before you buy and buy from a UK manufacturer where possible. 

Sustainable Wedding Stationery

Save the dates, Invites, RSVPs, Order of the day and thank you cards all add up to a lot of paper use. One way to save on the amount of paper you use is to set up a free wedding website. Not only can you save on sending invites etc (more money saved too!) it means you can communicate much more information to all of guests without having to relay every piece of info such as accommodation details to individuals. Check out Hitched who have an extremely easy website builder that you don't need to be a tech wizard to use. 

Eco Friendly Menu

Food plays a huge part in any celebration, not least your wedding day. You want to wow your guests with stunning food and great drinks but you also want to keep it sustainable. An easy way to do this is to check with your caterer that they source local, ethical and sustainable ingredients. Sourcing your alcohol from local wineries and breweries is also a great way to reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding day. 

Seasonal Wedding Flowers

Ask your florist for advice on locally grown, native and in season flowers. There's an array of stunning blooms available that grow in a sustainable environment right here in the UK. You can go one step further here and use living plants for decorations rather than cut flowers and give them as gifts to your bridal party afterwards, giving them a keepsake of your day too. 

Eco Friendly Favours

It's a tradition that has grown to extremes in recent years with couples opting for elaborate gifts to leave a lasting memory of their special day however all too often these gifts have either got unsustainable packaging or are simply left behind unfortunately. Consider giving native wildflower seeds in compostable packaging or even forgoing the tradition entirely and give to a charity on their behalf. It will be just as appreciated. 

Sustainable Wedding Decor

Huge flower arrangements or balloon arches no doubt create show stopping displays but aren't great news for the environment. Instead use recycled items such as vintage candlesticks, books, baskets and jars used with rescued pieces of ribbon, string or hessian strips as well as eco friendly candles and solar lights to create romantic looking displays that will wow your guests. 

However you choose to make your wedding more eco friendly we'd love to hear or even see your ideas over on our socials.