5 Ways to Make Your Wedding More Eco-friendly

We’re really into weddings around here and we’re also really into offering green choices whenever possible, so it only seemed right to marry the two (see what we did there?) in this post. Weddings tend to get a bad rap for using a lot of resources in a very short period of time. All of that planning and all of those little details come together for a single day and even though that day is incredibly important, you don’t have to throw away your eco-consciousness in the process of throwing the party of a lifetime. Weddings actually provide a ton of opportunities to make sustainable choices!

1. Choose a Sustainable Venue

The wedding industry has come a long way in terms of offering sustainable options for couples wishing to tie the knot. If including as many eco-friendly elements as possible is a priority for you, make sure that you start with your wedding venue. Your venue dictates a lot of the day, so choosing one that also prioritizes sustainability is the biggest way you can make sure that your wedding aligns with your values. Look specifically into their food sourcing and their waste practices.

2. Go Vintage

We’ve heard a lot of people say that they struggle with eco-friendly choices if it feels like they need to sacrifice style or design. The great thing about vintage is that you have unlimited choices for fashion and design with the added benefit of not buying new! When you give a dress or décor element a second life, you’re already doing something sustainable. Start hunting around at vintage stores or markets and then relish in the fact that your wedding will be one-of-a-kind. If you do go with a vintage wedding gown, make sure that you bring your dress into a trusted wedding gown cleaning and preservation specialist (like us!) so that it’s clean and ready for the big day.

3. Eliminate One Time Use Items

Your wedding day is a big day. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of day. That being said, the items you incorporate into this one, big day don’t need to be single use. We’re thinking of things like place card holders, centerpieces, and seating charts. Choose place card holders that double as favours (like adorable succulents) or a chalk seating chart you can clean and sell later. Not only will this cut down on waste, but it will mean that you’re not stuck with a bunch of wedding décor in your attic.

4. Support Eco-friendly Local Businesses

A wedding has a lot of moving parts. You’re working with caterers, photographers, calligraphers, and loads of other businesses to pull off a wedding. Take the extra step of checking out each of your vendors and choose someone who shares your love of the earth. Maybe your wedding favours could come from a sustainable tea company or your invitations could be printed on recycled paper. The possibilities are endless, especially in 2018!

5. Green Clean Up

Once you’ve had your last dance of the night, you’ve paid the caterers, and you’ve taken off those heels you really should have swapped for flats around midnight, there’s some cleaning up to be done. Hopefully, you’ve made arrangements and can head off to your honeymoon without even thinking about the aftermath of the celebration, but when you’re making those arrangements, there are a few things to consider. Inquire about whether your clean up crew can use eco-friendly cleaning supplies. Also, make sure that your clothing will be cleaned with an eco-friendly method. At Parkers Custom Clothing Care, we offer numerous green cleaning options, so don’t forget to schedule for your dry cleaning pick up service so that your gown and tux are being cleaned while you’re lounging on the beach. As a side note, Parkers also contributes to Carbonfund every time we clean a wedding gown!

BONUS TIP:

Register for gifts with sustainability in mind. This serves the double function of receiving amazing gifts you’ll feel awesome about having in your home and possibly introducing your guests to new, eco-friendly brands!