Weddings can be very wasteful. There are a lot of purchases being made specifically for the occasion.
Take the wedding dress, for example. Brides spend thousands of pounds for the perfect wedding dress, only to use it once. While there are stores that rent out wedding dresses, most choose to buy or have one made for their special day.
Couples are allowed to spend as much as they want on their wedding, but some people want to step back and consider how this one event, although very important, will impact the environment.
People are growing more concerned for the future of the planet. A 2019 survey revealed that 85 percent of all adults in the United Kingdom worry about climate change and its consequences.
And, this has led many couples to make more sustainable choices for their big day.
It is not easy to have a wedding that has a minimal negative impact on the environment, but it is possible. Some couples have managed to do it. Here are a few tips that will make the event eco-friendly.
Carefully Choose the Venue
The wedding venue is a major part of the event. It is where couples spend the majority of their budget. Moreover, it can affect the environmental impact of the event.
Some locations are considered green. They adopt strategies that will reduce their carbon footprint without compromising the experience they provide their clients. Weddings remain special, and knowing that the event is not contributing to the planet’s destruction, couples remain guilt-free.
It is also better for the environment to remain local. While destination weddings have always been a trend, it is not sustainable. Traveling across oceans to an exotic location burns fuel which leads to emissions and warming.
Aviation is responsible for about 12 percent of all transport sources of carbon dioxide emissions. CO2 is a greenhouse gas. If the couple and their guests have to travel by plane to the venue, it will add up to the carbon footprint of the wedding.
Minimize Waste
Weddings create so much garbage. From flowers to invitations, a lot gets used once and then thrown away immediately after. Some items do not get thrown away but eventually are stashed in storage, never to be used again.
The wedding dress is not the most wasteful item in the event, but couples spend a lot of money on it. A wedding dress can go for well over a thousand pounds. It will be used once and then forgotten.
Brides are rocking eco-friendly dresses. Sustainable brands offer brides an alternative to dresses that are usually made from synthetic fibers or created in a factory somewhere else in the world.
In addition, brides ask their wedding entourage to do away with the bridesmaids’ dresses and instead wear something that they can use again for another event.
Keep the Party Small
A small wedding has a small environmental impact. The shorter the guest list, the less waste will be generated. Moreover, fewer people will have to travel to the location, keeping the carbon footprint of the event low.
More intimate weddings have been gaining popularity, even before the pandemic. The decision to invite fewer people significantly lowers the cost of the event. Moreover, it makes the event more special because only the closest people in the couple’s life will be present to witness the milestone.
Source Locally and Ethically
Weddings use a ton of flowers. From the bouquet that the bride carries down the aisle to the venue decor, many flowers are used and become waste.
Part of the sustainable movement is a commitment to be ethical. Couples should ensure that they are getting their flowers from a local farm that pays their workers a decent wage.
Then, plan for where the flowers will go when the wedding is over. Some couples donate the flowers they used during the ceremony, including the bouquet, hospitals, nursing homes, and churches. It will bring happiness to other people. Couples can also ask the florist directly if they have a recycling program. This will reduce the waste significantly.
Weddings can be very wasteful. Couples want to make the day special, but many also are concerned with how the event will impact the planet. People in the UK, especially younger generations, value the environment. As a result, they make decisions that reduce the waste they generate and their overall carbon footprint.
