A wedding day is the stuff of dreams, with families united as a couple declare their everlasting love for one another, set to a stunning backdrop and formalised with a party that will be remembered for the rest of their lives. Though often thought of as the most significant day of your life, it can also be one of the most wasteful…

While you can’t single-handedly save the world with your wedding, you can always strive to make good, ethical and eco-friendly choices that can see you do some good on your wedding day, and which might just inspire others to do the same. 

Location, location, location

There are several ways in which your location can be more sustainable, with the most obvious aspect being to choose somewhere local. Covid-19 might have persuaded quite a few couples to forego the Destination Weddings which involves air travel – which is never good for the environment. A venue in a remote location can mean more car journeys. While its important to get the aesthetic that you’ve been dreaming of, a location close to home can also make a big impact. If you are torn between a few options, take a second look at the guest list and figure out which one requires the fewest journeys.

Being somewhat strict with the guest list is another easy way to reduce waste and the amount of people who need to travel there, though this by no means implies that you can’t have a grand location. A smaller wedding party equals an intimate wedding, which doesn’t only save you money that could go to the dress, food or decorations, you’re also helping the environment.

Saying thank you

A great way to thank guests for joining you is to give out wedding favours, though this can be unnecessarily tricky and often leads to waste. Instead of splashing the cash, consider these more sustainable alternatives.

Serving up some tasty treats are a popular choice for wedding favours. Rather than providing guests with something that they’ll look at once and forget about, cupcakes, brownies or biscuits with quirky designs are a great way to show off your bond as a couple and give your guests something sweet to munch on.

Consider also a small plant, such as a succulent, that guests can take home with them and remember the occasion by. Or you can eschew the physical favours altogether and donate to a charity on their behalf. Such a gift is always meaningful but is especially so if you choose a charity that means something to you, personally.

It’s all about the look

Whether you’re hunting for the wedding dress to dazzle them all, or picking out what your wedding party should wear, there are ways to ensure that the sustainable theme is kept to.

Choosing a vintage or pre-loved wedding dress isn’t just an ideal way to reduce the cost of the wedding, it’s also a great eco-option, which is only made greater if you were to pass the dress on again afterwards.

If you’re devoted to the idea of having a dress made specifically so that you can treasure it for a lifetime, you’re not alone. Commit to seeking out designers that use environmentally-friendly fabrics and ethical production, including the use of sustainable materials and choosing British-made, local designs or a designer. Check on the provenance of the material you choose to use, where a dress is made and by whom.
Making sure that your bridesmaids are comfortable on the big day is important, and what better way to ensure that than allowing them to choose their own dress? 

By giving them a colour scheme to stick to but letting them pick their own design, not only will they feel infinitely more comfortable – which will shine through in any wedding photos – but you’ll also be avoiding the throwaway culture of wearing a dress once and then never looking at it again, since your bridesmaids are much more likely to wear their dress more than once if it’s a design they love. 

Save the date

Getting the word out about your wedding is crucial if you actually want people to attend, but it can present a bit of a problem. Sending out invites that are ultimately destined for the bin can only ever be wasteful.

Focus on paperless invites, such as e-mailing your guests, so guaranteeing that it won’t end up as waste and saving you a substantial amount of money. You can also go for a more creative paperless invitation such as sending a link to a video, setting up a wedding website or designing an e-card with a picture of the happy couple.

If you do go for paper invites, make sure that they can be recycled. Glitter, ribbon, glue and other embellishments can make that impossible, so check. You could also include a line in your card gently requesting guests recycle the invite after your wedding.