Six tips for planning a stylish, sustainable wedding day
Environmentally friendly weddings are on the rise, especially with more people choosing to have smaller more intimate, conscious weddings. For many it’s a daunting task, but planning a sustainable wedding really doesn’t need to be.
Sustainability isn’t a style, it’s a choice, a way to plan your wedding in a conscious and environmentally friendly way.
Your wedding should be a celebration of your life as a couple, your union and the coming together of your friends and family.
In this article, wedding planner Michelle Miles from Fusion Events and Weddings gives us her top tips for planning a sustainable wedding in a stylish, stress-free way!
Start with a sustainable wedding venue
Wedding venues come in all shapes and sizes and that’s no different when you’re looking for a sustainable one. Sustainable doesn’t mean it has to be on a farm, or in a rustic barn. It could be a city centre townhouse, a private home or even a yacht. Be open minded and look for a venue that fits your personality and style.
With so many elements of your wedding are influenced by your choice of venue, finding a sustainable one can make such a difference to your day. Think about the location, do people need to travel by car, or could they take public transport? Is there any accommodation onsite, or nearby? Do they have an inhouse caterer? Do they provide any décor or props? Create a list of your priorities and look out for them when shortlisting.
It’s common for sustainable wedding venues to be using renewable energy with many generating it themselves. They might have a rain water harvesting system in place to water the gardens, or even flush the toilets, and have a waste management plan in place, ensuring that minimal waste, if any, goes to landfill.
We have featured a few on our website, and there are some great wedding venue directories that showcase sustainable venues too.
Be bold and ask the question
It’s not always easy, but asking your suppliers the right questions will help you to understand if their ethos aligns with yours, and whether or not they’re the right supplier for you.
A few questions we always suggest asking are:
- Do you have a sustainability policy? If so, can we see it please?
- What sustainability accreditation or certificates do you have?
- Do you have a waste management plan?
- Where do you source your products/ingredients from?
Building a trust with suppliers is pretty important when you’re planning your wedding. You will be working with these people for many months, and it’s important you have a good working relationship.
Hire it don’t buy it
You may be tempted to buy those 35 brass candle holders for the centre of your tables, but before you do, I would recommend looking to see if there is a local hire company that you could hire from. Not only would it save you money, it would mean that after your wedding you wouldn’t have 35 brass candle holders that you don’t know what to do with!
There are hire companies across the country that can provide pretty much any décor you need for your wedding, everything from vintage velvet sofas to glass charger plates and so much more.
Stick to your season
Without doubt it’s the most sustainable way to plan a wedding. Think about your favourite foods, when local produce is in abundance, flowers are looking their best, how much day light there is.
In the UK we’re really lucky to have four very distinctive seasons each with their own pros and cons when it comes to planning a sustainable wedding. If you want to find out more, check out our recent blog post.
There is also a renewed interest in outside weddings, with plans being made for weddings in private gardens in hired tents with fairy lights to create a romantic ambiance. After a period of reflection couples are leaning towards fresh air and nature in ways they did not in the past.
Be mindful about your menu
One of the simplest changes you can make is to add more plant-based foods to your menu. Talk to your caterer and ask them what the options area. Have you considered incorporating more plant-based dishes into your wedding breakfast? Vegetarian canapés, side dishes, or vegan desserts maybe? It’ll have a lower impact on the planet, without sacrificing the taste as plant-based foods, on average, consume far fewer resources to produce.
Have a post wedding plan
It might sound a bit unusual but ensuring you’ve made a plan for the waste after the wedding is key. You will have already talked to your suppliers about what they are doing with the waste they produce, but you should also think about anything that you’ve purchased. You’re probably going to find yourself with things that you’ll probably never use again… why not sell them on one of the pre-loved wedding marketplaces – Sell My Wedding, Recycle my Wedding or local selling sites.
Michelle Miles is a leading wedding planner based in Berkshire, working in and around the Home Counties.
Specialising in creating ethical and sustainable weddings, Michelle will help you to bring your dream wedding day to life – supporting you to plan an environmentally conscious wedding.
Check out her website for more information and to get in touch.
Website: www.fusionliveevents.com
Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/fusioneventsweddings/
If you are looking for a way to introduce your sustainability to your bridal look then our veil restoration design service might be perfect for you. Breathing new life into precious family heirloom veils.
