With people becoming more conscious of their carbon footprint and how they can be eco-friendly in all aspects of life, sustainable weddings are on the rise. From reusable decorations to environmentally friendly confetti, there are plenty of ways to be kinder to the planet with your wedding celebrations. Whether you want to have a totally green wedding or just make a few ethical adjustments, we have some tips below to give you some ideas on how you can make your event friendlier to the environment.
Everlasting Flowers
Most couples feel that their wedding flashes by so fast and wish they had spent more time savouring it. With dried flowers, you can hold on to a keepsake from your big day at home for years to come. Eternity Blooms in Falkirk make beautiful floral bouquets and these everlasting flowers can be used in your bouquets, boutonnieres or corsages for your wedding. The plants need no water, just handle them like they are fresh flowers and keep them away from direct sunlight and heat to continue admiring their natural beauty.
Image credit: Eternity Blooms
For those who want to take a special part of their big day home with them, consider using decorations made from long-lasting natural materials. Albi Fluer in Falkirk create gorgeous, dried flower decorations which can be held onto and turned into homeware after your wedding. The hoops are perfect for repurposing around mirrors or picture frames, and they can also make a lovely sentimental souvenir of your wedding day to hang above your bed or in your baby’s nursery room.
Image Credit: Albi Fluers
Wildflower cards
For another sustainable twist at your wedding, Eternity Blooms make place cards which double as stylish table décor that can be planted after the wedding. The cards have tiny seeds inside which create a gorgeous pattern and texture, and will bloom into beautiful native flowers, perfect for supporting local wildlife. Virtual thank you cards are becoming popular by people seeking to reduce wastage for their event, however, a unique but still sustainable alternative is this wildflower seed paper which can be made into tokens of thanks for the green-fingered among us, allowing couples to cut down on paper wastage whilst creating a fun opportunity for your guests to plant their own wildflowers.
Image Credit: Eternity Blooms
Sustainable confetti
Throwing confetti is a wedding tradition said to have originated during the Middle Ages in Italy and has been common in the UK since Pagan times. Guests used to throw items like rice or grains before paper confetti became common but all three are known for negatively affecting the local environment and wildlife. Luckily, Your Confetti creates bio-degradable confetti which offers an ethical alternative for guests to celebrate the happy couple. The confetti comes in ranges of colours and shapes, allowing the couple to customise their choice to match the colours of their wedding day. They also come in a choice of eco-friendly packaging from bamboo pots and cones to glassine envelopes.
Image Credit: Your Confetti
Food and drink
Consider using a local supplier for your food and drink, with an eco-friendly mission statement and produce from local farmers. Making the decision to shop local for your wedding can also boost the local economy! Get involved in discussions about the food and drinks, aiming for seasonal, local produce which will have the lowest carbon offset. Eden Mill in St Andrews use almost 20% less glass than other industry standard bottles, and theirs are lighter and more easily recycled, making them a great choice for holding celebrations with a low impact.
Image Credit: Eden Mill
Candles
Candles are commonplace at weddings and perfect for adding some ambiance to the event as the day continues into night. Replacing your candles at the table with cruelty free vegan options is one way to make a small change with a powerful impact. The Smelly Cow Co in Glasgow create products which are vegan and cruelty free, right down to their labels and packing tapes. With an ethos of reduce, reuse and recycle, these wax melts, candles, reed diffusers and essential oil blends can be taken home and refilled by the couple or act as party favours for guests to take home. They even have a dedicated page on their website for wedding gifts and favours for requests to make big batches for special days.
Image Credit: The Smelly Cow Co
