How To Make Your Wedding Day Eco-Friendly | How To Have A Sustainable Wedding | Green Wedding Tips

Top 10 Ways To Have A Sustainable And Eco-Friendly Wedding

In honor of Earth Day, here are 10 tips for a sustainable and ecofriendly wedding! There are so many ways to go green on your wedding day! Big and small, all way 

​1. Sustainable Wedding Venue
This is usually the first choice you make when planning your eco-friendly wedding. Try having your wedding at one location so guests and vendors don't have to travel between two places.
You can see if a venue is green by checking out this site!

• ​Is it designed with energy efficiency or sustainable power?
• Do they pay workers a living wage? 
• Is there a lot of built in decor or natural outdoor space that doesn't require a lot of extra sprucing up?
• Do they give back to the community?
• Is there a lot of natural light so you can cut down on power?

​2. Ethical and Ecofriendly Wedding Clothes - Wedding Dress, Wedding Jumper, Wedding Suit
The fashion industry is surprisingly a top polluter due to the amount of water consumption, fabric waste, micro-plastics, chemicals and dyes, soil degradation, and green houses gasses emitted during production. Also, many working conditions are not ethical and many are not paid a living wage. The good news is there are tons of amazing options for a sustainable and eco friendly wedding dress and suit!

• Buy from one of these ethical approved wedding dress stores
• Or one of these Dude approved ethical suit stores
• Buy a used wedding dress
• Borrow a friends outfit 
• Rent an outfit 
• Thrift an outfit
• Support a local maker 
• Choose a material that's more sustainable like bamboo 
• Sell or donate outfit after your celebration

​3. Sustainable Catering

• Support a caterer who support local & organic farmers 
• Ask if the staff recycles 
• Ask what happens to the food waste
• If they include plates, cups, & cutlery, see if they can use glass or another washable material 
• What kind of straws do they use? Maybe go without straws!
• Include a vegan option to cut down on meat's massive carbon footprint  

​4. Sustainable Florals

• Reuse florals throughout the wedding, like ceremony decor to reception. Saves you money too!
• Choose locally grown flowers and flowers that are in season 
• Pick flowers that are VeriFlora certified - meaning they are grown without harsh chemicals & with ethical treatment of workers 
• Donate to a local hospital, community center, or elderly care home 

5. Cut down on plastics & waste 
Think of all those DIY projects and see how you can cut down on plastic.

• Shipping - opt out of plastic when using Amazon, consolidate orders, recycle boxes and wrapping
• Switch from paper napkins to reusable cloth napkins
• Use old wood for signs instead of new wood or plastic signs 
• Buy pre-used wedding decor (Facebook Marketplace was great for my sister's wedding!)
• Use more natural elements like leaves for table assignments instead of paper

​6. Transportation

• Ask guests to carpool, ride share, or rent a shuttle bus
• Consolidating driving is safer, easier, and more fun for your guests! Have fun with it too! If y'all met in school, see if you can rent a school bus! If you like an elegant feel, find a vintage trolly! Encourage ride shares by having a code guests can use for a free ride.

7. Buy local, support small businesses 

• When possible, find a local Etsy shop for decor or favors
• Pick a local brewery 
• Buy local flowers
• Have rehearsal dinner at a non chained restaurant
• Pick a local vendor vs. flying one in
• Tell your guests all your favorite local and small business they can visit while they're in town

​8. Eco Friendly Wedding favors 

• Chose to donate to a local cause or charity in your guests name
• Give out flowers seeds or small plant
• Make jam from local fruit made in glass jars
• Give a custom wedding glass guests will use all night 
• ​Give a reusable straw guests will use all night 
• Edible treat packaged with zero waste 
• Custom tote/grocery bag
• Reef friendly chapstick 
• Fair trade coffee or organic tea

9. Zero Waste Wedding Exit 
Biodegradable is key! Easy to clean up is crucial. 

• Bird seeds
• Dried lavender
• Flower petals
• Cotton pompoms
• Seed paper confetti 

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10. Ring Shop Ethically 

• Choose a conflict free diamond
• Buy an antique ring, go antiquing with your loved one!
• Ethical supplier 
• Family ring passed down
• Consider lab grown diamonds
• Ethically and locally sourced stones and gems, Etsy is a great option! 

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