If limiting your carbon footprint and saving the planet is up your alley, then you’re in the right place! Sustainability-conscious couples, today we’re sharing a ton of oh-so-simple ways you can make sure you’ve got ethics at the heart of your Big Day.
Listen on Apple podcasts here!
Episode Breakdown
Shop local
Buy your wedding cake from a local wedding cake maker. Order your flowers from a local wedding florist. Or get married at a venue that’s local to you!
Not only will you reduce your carbon footprint by limiting travel, but you’ll be supporting a hardworking and independent business. This is a fantastic way to boost your local community!
Related: Take a look at our fabulous Irish wedding suppliers
Choose locally grown flowers
Judi Roche from Balla Florist shares her expert advice:
The mindsets in 2022, with many couples opting for Locally grown blooms and foliage. Silk flowers and dried flowers are beginning to increase in popularity too, with couples looking for more ways to reuse their wedding details.
There’s also been a big movement in the wedding and floral industry on foam-free installations and arrangements. While floral foam is extremely convenient to work with, more and more florists are trying to educate on its potential harm to the environment and creating designs that are more sustainable for our planet.
Be thoughtful with food and drinks
Consider the source of your food. Is it from a local farmer or is the food being shipped from across the world? Are the ingredients organic and less harmful to the environment? If you are choosing a caterer or food truck, find one with ethics at the heart. Choose somebody who selects seasonal ingredients, sourced locally. Then find out what their plan is for leftover food. Will they donate to a local charity or homeless shelter?
Sustainable supplies
When it comes to decor, instead of buying everything new, why not consider hiring as much as you can? There are brilliant companies who also hire out things like crockery, cutlery and glassware!
See if you could go paper-free with your wedding invitations, or hire a stationery designer who is passionate about creating something your guests can display in their home (no more invitations ending up in the bin!)
Eco-friendly confetti ideas
- Dried flowers
- Seed paper
- Bird seed
- Lavender
- Leaves
- Leaf cutouts
- Fragrant herbs
- Fresh petals
- Bubbles
Reuse and recycle
Consider what you’ve already got at home before purchasing or hiring in new decor items. Have you already got beautiful vases, glass jars or bunting you could use?
Alternatively, when making a purchase, consider how you might use it in your home after the wedding. Once your wedding is over, sell what you can to couples looking to buy preloved items (you can do that here!). This includes decor, attire and anything else that’s still in good condition.
Related: Our Facebook Group for Buying and Selling Preloved Wedding Items
Gifts and favours
There’s nothing worse than giving your loved ones a gift that they end up leaving behind or throwing away. You’d be surprised at how often that happens! Instead, why not donate to a charity in their name? Other great eco-friendly wedding favours include wildflower seeds, succulents, lovely edible treats or reusable items like coasters or tea towels.
