05 Jun How to Plan a Green Wedding
Many people don’t associate weddings with being eco-friendly; leftover flowers and stationery and thrown away decorations are just a few things which can add up quite quickly. But we wanted to let you know that with just a few minor changes, you can still have your big and spectacular day, whilst being environmentally friendly!
Here are a few small hints and tips which we have put together to help you plan your own green wedding.
Decorations
Cotton bunting – great for an outdoor green wedding. You can make your own out of old cotton fabrics (t-shirts, pillowcases….). You find a great article about how to make your own bunting on Hitched!
Use old glass bottles for your centrepieces – these look great when topped with a bunch of beautiful flowers.
Floristry – Opt for potted plants so you and your guests can take these home after the big day, to spruce up your gardens. When choosing flowers for your bouquet or decorations, speak to your florist about using locally grown seasonal flowers. This way you will know that they won’t have had to have been transported from another country.
Choose to rent any decorations rather than buy them, they won’t be disposed of afterwards and will be reused. If you do choose to buy anything, donate or sell them on afterwards where you can.
Stationery
Go digital with all your Save the Dates, Invites and Thank You Cards. This will not only reduce the amount of paper used, but also the carbon footprint for not having to post them. You can set up a wedding website or app to keep all your guests up to date with all the details for the big day, and you can even use this for everyone to share their photos.
If you want to keep it traditional, then look for stationery made from recycled paper or other up-cycled materials.
Venue
The most obvious venue for a green wedding is an outdoor venue! You can celebrate your day surrounded by the beautiful greenery that you’re trying to save. Our yurts and marquees are perfect for any outdoor wedding, and are all built using wooden structures and poles. By keeping all of our yurts, marquees and furnishings well maintained and cared for, we don’t offer any one-time use products, so we don’t have to dispose of anything after each wedding. A lot of marquee companies will use a single-use flooring as a cheap option, but imagine how much carpet will get chucked away after each wedding? Here at Yorkshire Yurts, we provide a durable and waterproof DandyDura waterproof matting. With regular cleaning and care, we can re-use these for a long time!
If you are going to opt to have your wedding indoors, then make sure you choose a venue which is committed to sustainability. Many hotels and locations like to show off any ‘Green Awards that they have achieved, so be sure to check for any certifications.
Favours
Personalised wildflower seeds, are a great eco-friendly favour. Your guests can take them home and grown them in their own gardens to help the bees.
Miniature Glass Jars are also a great alternative to plastic bottles. You can fill them with alcoholic spirits, or maybe a blend of tea leaves.
Look for some bio-degradable bags which you can fill with some baked goodies…yummy!
Etsy is normally a great place to start when looking for unique and eco-friendly gifts.
Food & Drink
Look for local caterers who source all their ingredients from local and sustainable sources. This applies to your cake maker too, ask them to use seasonal British fruits and organic ingredients.
Make sure all crockery and glassware is hired so it doesn’t have to be disposed of afterwards.
Look to have all the empty bottles and cans recycled.
Transport
This can be a hard one. Even if you choose a venue close to home, chances are a lot of your guests will still have to travel. So ask your guests to lift share where they can.
Wedding cars or limousines are often a nice thing to have to take you to your ceremony in style, but rather than using engine vehicles why not be a true princess for the day and choose a horse and carriage?
For any advice or help in planning your eco-friendly wedding, contact Yorkshire Yurts today!
Photos courtesy of Dominic Wright, Jade Maguire, Mr & Mrs Wedding Photography.