Getting help with planning your sustainable wedding

It’s normal to get help with the planning of a wedding, whether it’s eco-friendly or not. Let’s take a closer look at help you can get in the planning stages, as well as advice from experts.

Finding green wedding planners and suppliers

There are dedicated companies who work to ensure events are kept as green as possible. Here’s what you need to know when looking for and working with sustainable companies.

Green wedding planners

There are several wedding planners who specialise in providing a service for people looking to host a green wedding. They’ll take everything we’ve looked at into account, while also helping you to make sure your wedding falls within budget.

The Wedding Planning Institute currently offers a certified course for green weddings. While you shouldn’t look for this as a requirement when making a decision, it’s worth asking about it.

Finding sustainable suppliers

From caterers to furnishers, you’ll want to work with companies who share your eco-friendly vision. Make sure to ask them questions like:

Green venues

We’ve already looked at the kinds of venues which are able to host your special occasion. When it comes to choosing your location, you can use platforms like Venuefinder to narrow down your search.

You can specifically look for green venues, and even specify the type of event, the maximum capacity needed and the location. Always make sure to visit a potential wedding spot before making any decisions. Ask them if they’ve hosted a sustainable wedding in the past, and find out if any special measures need to be taken to accommodate this.

Budgeting advice for your sustainable wedding

Saving for any wedding can be a challenge. The Green Union provide a useful breakdown of roughly how much of your budget you should dedicate to each aspect of planning:

50% – towards food, drink and reception

15% – on your outfits and dress

10% – on flowers

10% – on photography

10% – on entertainment

Think about setting yourself a cap for each area of your wedding. If you find yourself overspending in a certain area, consider how you could cut costs, while remaining sustainable.

For example: growing your own flowers, or renting a suit instead of having a new one made. There are always ways around needing to fork out a fortune, without compromising on quality.

Additional tips and advice

We’ve looked in detail at some of the steps you can take to perfect every aspect of your special day. Let’s take a closer look at some smaller fixes which will help reduce your impact on the environment that little bit further.

Go vintage where you can

While not all vintage products were created with sustainability in mind, it’s better to repurpose them than letting them go to waste. Reuse vintage items of tableware, dress or decoration to cut out the need to have something new produced just for your big day.

DIY where you can

In any circumstances where it’s logistically possible, think about creating something yourself. We’ve already looked at the obvious example of flowers. It might also be possible to create handmade decorations, tablecloths and invites (all from sustainable materials). Think about what you can do yourself, or ask others to help you out.

Book a local photographer

Rather than asking someone to travel the breadth of the country to snap your big day, look for someone in the local area. It’s potentially a small touch, but it could make a difference when it comes to the wedding’s carbon footprint.

Have a post-wedding recycle plan

Set up areas where guests can recycle during the event. Also think about having a detailed plan in place for what you’re going to do with anything that’s leftover at the end of the day.

Weddings to support green nonprofits

Speaking of recycling your leftovers, this provides a fantastic opportunity to gift anything which hasn’t been used to a food bank or charity. You could even ask people to make direct contributions to nonprofits on the day itself.

Let’s take a look at a few ways you can help support charities and other green organisations at your wedding:

Gifts from your guests

Rather than asking for presents for you and your partner, instead consider how they can make a tangible difference to a worthy cause. Even if it’s just a cash donation, this is a great way to casually ask for donations en masse.

Charity-owned venues

Some charities are fortunate enough to receive funds from their own venue. Assuming they promote sustainability, think about hiring one of these locations. This helps make what can sometimes be a steep fee feel less like a drain on your finances. You know the money is being used to help others.

Make donations part of the reception

Whether it’s simply by posting donation boxes throughout the venue or having a cut of the bar takings go to charity, there are simple steps which can help you collect funds. Even a tip jar by the bar for loose change would make a difference.

Decorate to promote a nonprofit

If a cause is particularly close to you, consider decorating with their branding in mind. This serves as a constant reminder to attendees, giving your chosen charity free promotion. Encourage guests to follow the charity on social channels, and use banners to show them where they can donate directly.

Donate leftover food

Anything which hasn’t been eaten and won’t perish can be donated to a food bank. Talk to the venue about this beforehand. If you don’t, there’s a chance they might automatically throw the food away.

Planning an eco-friendly wedding isn’t easy. But if you follow the advice we’ve offered here, you’ll find it doesn’t have to be as much of a challenge as you may first suspect.

Eco-friendly décor

You don’t have to compromise on your perfect décor just because you’re trying to make your wedding as green as possible. There are a number of clever techniques you can use to remain sustainable without sacrificing the aesthetic appeal of your big day.

Lighting

Make the most of the daylight while you can. Setting up solar panels during this period can help to make a big difference later in the day. Collecting enough energy at this point could mean your entire evening is lit by a sustainable source.

Failing that, you could employ the use of hundreds of beeswax candles. These can hang from the ceiling and provide natural lighting for the reception.

Place cards

Any form of paper signage which you use can be sourced ethically, or even replaced altogether. When it comes to place cards, bamboo or recycled options are the best way to go.

For your wedding invites, think instead about sending out electronic save-the-dates, and asking people to confirm their attendance online. If you know particular guests are not computer-savvy, reach out to them via the phone.

Confetti

There’s a relatively easy alternative to traditional confetti that comes in the form of biodegradable, dried out petals. These not only retain the aesthetic appeal of the original product but break down naturally in the environment without doing any damage.

Other natural materials

From the tablecloth to your napkins, there are a series of decorations which you can find made from materials like hessian, hemp or pure linen.

When it comes to tableware, consider using rustic natural wood, sourced from sustainable forests. This extends to the likes of tables, bowls and even cutlery.

 

Eco-friendly wedding venues

Yes, even the decision of where to host your big day can have a big impact on how sustainable it is. Once again you have a selection of options to choose from.

Outdoors

Having your wedding take place outdoors means you’ll be able to make the most of natural sunlight. You’ll be able to find botanical gardens and refurbished barns, which offer the perfect venue for anyone looking to ensure their wedding locale is having the minimum impact possible on the surrounding ecosystem.

Centralised location for ceremony and reception

Hosting both events in the same place means there’s minimal need for guests to travel from one place to the next. It sounds simple, but it’ll make a massive difference to your wedding’s overall carbon footprint.

Green hotels

Some hotels are greener than others. They’ll have a strong recycling policy in place, use energy-efficient appliances and operate using a lot of biodegradable products. These are all questions you can ask a potential host venue before you make a decision.

 

Sustainable and organic food and catering

This is another factor we often overlook at a wedding. While it’s common to take guests’ dietary needs into account, not much thought is given to where and how our food arrives on the plate.

If food wastage and sustainability matters to you, you can find a catering company who keep all of the following in mind:

Locally sourced

We’ve already discussed the benefits of localised sourcing when it comes to mileage. But it also helps smaller farming communities to thrive. In the process, it increases the likelihood of others being able to get produce from their local community in the future.

Organically produced

While pesticides have their benefits, they also carry harmful chemical pollutants which can have a negative impact on the environment. Make sure to ask your caterer if their products conform to the certified standards.

Tableware offered
You can always provide this yourself, but if you are relying on a catering company for everything, make sure they offer sustainable products. That means their cutlery is reusable, recyclable and biodegradable.

Food waste policy
Ask them what their policy is regarding food that is either unused or not eaten after being prepared. Most sustainable catering companies should offer food that hasn’t been cooked to food banks or charities. Meanwhile, food that didn’t get consumed can be turned into compost.

 

Be sure to keep this in mind when choosing your caterers. Ask what their policy is on all of these factors before you make a final decision.

Unique Destination Weddings and Honeymoons With Terrasenses & Etica Events

Bahamas, Hawaii, Mexico … Destination beach weddings are super popular, and couples who go this route might have the difficult task of choosing which gorgeous part of the world to say their I Do s. †But there’s one country that is amazingly gorgeous that you may have not considered before: Ecuador.

Ecuador is a small country in South America that sits on the equator and has a tropical climate along the coast and a mild climate in the mountain areas. The language is predominately Spanish and the currency is the US Dollar, so there are no confusing cost conversions to deal with when budgeting for your wedding. †Ecuador is also the home to the Galapagos Islands, famous for giant turtles, Charles Darwin, and now, beautiful weddings.

 

For the last five years, Terrasenses and Etica Events have created luxury and environmentally responsible destination weddings and honeymoons in Ecuador for couples seeking something a little different and adventurous.  They take on a limited number of weddings every year so every event gets their full attention. They strive to create an event that is unique and personal to each couple, and they love working with DIY brides to bring their vision to life. Your wedding package includes everything you need for your big day, including your hotel stay, ceremony and reception venues, photography, food, cake, hair and makeup, and decor. Plus, we love Terrasenses and Etica Events for their commitment to the environment. Everything about your wedding is locally sourced in Ecuador – from the food to the flowers – and with certain locations you can even plant a tree in your name!

 

There are several wedding locations available, from the beach to the forest to the Amazon jungle to the Andes Mountains to the Galapagos Islands. AND, if you package your wedding event with a honeymoon in Ecuador, you can experience everything this diverse country has to offer. Take a look at their Destination Weddings and Honeymoons e-brochure on their website and gasp over the beauty of, well, everything. Seriously, every single wedding package looks like a fantasy. Choosing a wedding or honeymoon in Ecuador is the easy part – the hard part is deciding which location.

And because Terrasenses and Etica Events love DIY Bride readers, they have some special offers just for you:

  • Book a honeymoon with Terrasenses and Etica Events and receive†one massage or spa treatment of your choice per person at the Papallacta thermals + Turkish bath at the Thermal Steam Cave.
  • Complimentary hair styling, make-up, manicure, and pedicure if you book a wedding or vow renewal package over $10,000 (a $535 value).
  • Complimentary photography package (bride and groom getting ready, details, ceremony, and beginning of reception) if you book a wedding or vow renewal package over $15,000 (a $899 value).

Mention DIY BRIDE with your booking.

Be sure to follow Terrasenses and Etica Events on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date news about their wedding and honeymoon packages, and for the pretty pictures they post.

 

First and last photo credit: Juan Carlos Paredes Photography
Remaining photo credit: Terrasenses – JosÈ Luis Agualongo

 

 

DIY Bride has a financial relationship with Terrasenses and Etica Events, meaning we may have received compensation for this content and/or related content. We firmly stand behind our review and recommendation, and are committed to promoting only those companies we feel offer our community excellent products, ethical business practices, and outstanding customer service.

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