10 Tips for An Environmentally-Friendly Wedding

As you navigate the countless decisions involved in wedding planning, remember that your big day can also be an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to our planet. In this blog post, we’ll explore 10 sustainable wedding choices, providing practical insights, tips, and inspiration to help you create a beautiful and eco-conscious celebration. Even embracing just a handful of these ideas can create a significant and lasting impact!

Tip 1: Choose a Sustainable Wardrobe

When crafting your wedding attire, prioritize sustainability to minimize your wedding’s environmental impact. Explore second hand stores for pre-loved dresses, consider renting tuxedos, support local and ethical designers, and opt for eco-friendly accessories. For a sustainable shoe choice for you and your bridal party, we recommend HEYDUDE, a stylish wedding shoe that prioritizes comfort. By choosing HEYDUDE shoes for your big day, your feet can look and feel good from the morning wedding preparations, to the time they close the dancefloor. Whether you’re looking for a white pair to match your dress, or a patterned style to gift the wedding party, there’s a perfect pair for everyone. Bonus: you’ll also be able to wear these long after your wedding day, making them a more sustainable option over a pair of shoes you’ll only wear on your wedding day!

Tip 2: Choose Local Ingredients

Your caterer is likely open to the idea of incorporating local ingredients into your menu, and they might even embrace the opportunity if it’s not already a standard practice for them. Opting for locally sourced ingredients not only guarantees the freshest flavors but also reduces the environmental impact of transportation. By choosing local, you’ll help minimize the need for extensive journeys by planes, trains, and automobiles to bring the finest ingredients to your beautiful event.

Tip 3: Choose Local Flowers

While peonies may be your absolute favorite (and who can blame you?), consider skipping them if you’re tying the knot in November. The environmental toll of shipping flowers like these  across the globe during the off-season just doesn’t add up. Instead, explore using locally grown flowers, which you can undoubtedly find wherever your wedding is taking place.

If local blooms are in short supply, another option worth considering is the use of satin or faux florals. You’d be amazed at how convincingly they mimic real flowers, and the added benefit is a reduction in waste, as you won’t be discarding old bouquets and arrangements. This choice combines sustainability with lasting beauty for your special day.

Tip 4: Drink Local 

Ask your bartending or catering service to seek out locally sourced ingredients for fresh mixers and garnishes in the cocktails at your wedding. Elevate your bar experience further by stocking local beer and wine, enhancing the sustainability of your event while delighting your guests with the flavors of the region. Don’t forget to include a recycling bin for bottles and cans to ensure responsible waste management throughout your celebration.

Tip 5: Reuse

When it comes to your wedding decor, instead of going for brand new items or DIY projects, why not explore borrowing or purchasing from others? Check out Facebook Marketplace and join local Facebook groups where brides often share items they’ve used once for their own weddings. This way, you can create an eco-friendly and budget-friendly atmosphere for your special day, no DIY projects required!

Tip 6: Go Paperless

While your grandma might cherish a physical copy of your wedding invites for her scrapbook, the traditional route of printing and mailing invitations isn’t the most eco-friendly choice. Step into your eco-conscious era by going paperless for your wedding invitations and programs. Opting for digital invites not only adds a modern and convenient touch to your wedding planning, complete with easy RSVP tracking, but it also dramatically reduces your event’s environmental footprint. By skipping paper production and transportation, you’ll make a sustainable choice that’s kind to our planet. It’s a great way to keep your guests informed while saving a few trees along the way.

Tip 7: Explore Ecotourism for Your Honeymoon

Take an unforgettable honeymoon that not only celebrates your love but also the wonders of our planet. Ecotourism, a travel trend dedicated to exploring exotic and often threatened natural environments, offers the perfect opportunity to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife. Costa Rica, a trailblazer in ecotourism, boasts an abundance of protected lands to explore, making it an ideal destination for eco-conscious honeymooners. But the beauty of ecotourism doesn’t stop there; other remarkable destinations like Norway, Kenya, the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, and Brazil are also great destinations.  Immerse yourselves in the magic of nature while creating lasting memories together.

Tip 8: Consciously Select Your Location

Opting for an eco-friendly wedding venue or using nature, such as a national park, as your backdrop is a unique and thoughtful choice that combines love with sustainability. By selecting a venue with eco-friendly practices or exchanging vows in the beauty of the great outdoors, you can reduce the need for elaborate decorations. Nature itself becomes your decor, offering a stunning backdrop that not only lessens the environmental impact but also showcases the natural world’s beauty. 

Tip 9: Carpool

Promote eco-friendly transportation by encouraging your guests to carpool or use ridesharing services like Uber or  Lyft for your wedding. A convenient way to convey this option is through your wedding website, a printed insert included with your wedding invitation, or a note within your electronic invitation to save paper. Additionally, consider carpooling for meetings with family or your wedding planner – it not only reduces carbon emissions but also creates extra productive car time to discuss all the exciting wedding details.

Tip 10: Pick a Greener Registry

Why not embrace a greener approach to your registry? Choose Honeyfund to register for gift cards or unforgettable experiences for your honeymoon instead of traditional gifts wrapped in excess packaging. Simplifying not only minimizes waste but also aligns your celebration with eco-friendly values, while also encouraging your guests to contribute to your epic honeymoon plans!