National Earth Day has been celebrated since 1970 but really, we should be celebrating our planet every day! Earth.day.org, the founding organisation, even claim themselves ‘It’s not a day, its a movement’ and now more than ever, we are becoming more aware of the current climate we are facing and how even small changes we make ourselves, be it at home or work, can have a huge impact!
But what about Weddings?
Making conscious decisions around your wedding and sustainability is becoming increasingly important to couples. Implementing some small tweaks can be really effective when you are looking at suppliers and venues! So from a Wedding perspective, how can we ensure we have our dream day whilst also doing our bit for the planet?
As a Wedding Planner of over 7 years, I'm certainly noticing emerging trends of ethically conscious couples worrying about the environmental impact of their day, here are some changes that I like to encourage, that perhaps you might like to consider too!
Invites
Show me a Bride that doesn't take exceptional care and consideration when it comes to their Wedding Invite! The invitation sets the tone for the type of Wedding you are having, not to mention carries a huge amount of important information for your guest. The colours, prints and fonts are meticulously considered and the aesthetic of your Wedding is set! Well, did you know this level of design is available online? A digital version if you will!
It may seem the obvious first choice but paperless invites can save time, trees and money (take that budget spreadsheet!) and can be just as beautiful as paper invites. Websites such as Paperless Post, Etsy and Bliss & Bone are pioneering the way for fashion forward, design-led invitations without the mammoth printing and posting costs.
Not to mention a digital RSVP Platform is a life saver for all you type A Brides to be out there (you can thank me later!)
Catering
If its the UK you're getting married in, then I highly recommend researching and sourcing produce from the UK. When looking at caterers you can look at who of those suppliers may source local produce to cut down the carbon footprint. Bonus points goes for those couples finding caterers who grow their own herbs, vegetables and fruits and who manage to source local and seasonal ingredients. This not only supports local farmers and reduces carbon emissions from transports but it allows a smaller carbon footprint, fresher ingredients and of course, deliciously tasty food.
Other important considerations are how to decrease food waste (know your numbers, cook to order and we encourage plated!), sustainable sources to procure products such as fish, meats and dairy, as well as cutting down on the use of plastic as much as possible such as cutlery, tableware & food storage.
Catering is a big chunky one when it comes to ways in which you can make responsible and ethical choices, we'd like to take this opportunity to give a big shout out to Lettice Events, if you havn't heard of them please do take a look! To be sustainable within the catering industry isn't easy and these guys have been recognised as a certified B-Corp company which is incredible! They are a catering company that put the social and environmental welfare at the forefront of how it operates, whilst creating beautiful and aesthetically pleasing looking food . . YUM!
Flowers
You all know we love an impactful floral display over at our luxury Wedding Planning company Bluebird Creative. Flowers are our love language and when it comes to beautiful abundant floral displays we've got you. We strive to work with like-minded, sustainable suppliers in the industry and florists are no exception!
Florist Antonia from Fleur Provocateur gives us her best tips on how to make your Wedding Flowers sustainable
Avoid Single-Use Toxic Floral Foam
Seek out florists who have banned toxic floral foam in their designs. These professionals adeptly use sustainable alternatives, such as chicken wire, moss and large metal mechanics, that are just as effective and (if not more) visually stunning. Prioritising sustainability doesn't mean sacrificing beauty—it's about celebrating it in a way that respects our planet.
Support Local Growers with Seasonal Choices
While planning your wedding, aim to use seasonal, British-grown blooms where possible. These not only showcase the natural beauty and variety available within the UK but also can reduce the environmental impact of your floral arrangements. There may be instances, perhaps due to specific colour schemes or the sheer volume needed, where flowers might have to be imported, often from Holland, known for its vast and quality flower market. In this case, your florist will prioritise those grown with Fairtrade certification, ascertaining labour, pesticide standards. However, prioritizing local growers when you can, not only supports the British floriculture industry but also minimizes your wedding's carbon footprint.
Living Trees, Shrubs and Plants
Innovative florists are increasingly turning to the use of living trees, shrubs, and potted plants as part of their designs, a practice that significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with traditional floral arrangements. This approach not only minimises waste but also reduces the demand for cut flowers, these can be reused at multiple weddings over the years, or gifted to guests and planted in the garden.
Repurpose Flowers After your Wedding
We advocate for repurposing your blooms to extend their life and joy. Whether that is gifting to your bridal party, wedding guests or even donating to local care homes (we love this idea!)
Eco conscious Florist Dorina, at Dorothy Seed whose core dedication is to synchronise with the seasons and conscientiously reduce ecological footprint creates beautiful and sustainable floral displays and encourages the use of dried materials. 'By embracing all life-cycles and using dried flowers, seedheads, and grasses will not only offer flowers that will last longer but also bring an interesting textural element to your design. It is worth considering adding dried elements to a winter wedding design, even mixing them with evergreen foliage and possibly some seasonal flowers (Narcissi is gorgeous during the winter months)'. Dorina also offers her brides preservation options by drying your bouquet or wedding flowers to create wall art out of them.
For further information about the impact of sustainable flowers, take a look over on the Sustainable Floristry Network.
Confetti
Spread joy sustainably by purchasing wedding confetti from Confetti Club London; who specialise in making dried petal confetti by recycling and repurposing used wedding and event flowers. Having already saved 100,000 flowers from the bin, the Confetti Club Team work with a network of florists around the country to find, collect and repurpose used flowers, pulling every petal apart by hand and drying them with no dyes, colours or preservatives added, it's all natural and smells divine!
And the best part - all profits from confetti sales are donated to Cancer Research UK! In the short time since they started, they have already provided confetti for hundreds of weddings, and have donated £4500 to Cancer Research so far. By repurposing fantastic quality flowers from such places as the Chelsea Flower Show, the quality of the petal confetti they make is stunning, and is completely natural and biodegradable.
Please use discount code BLUEBIRD10 to get 10% off your confetti order and please do get in touch if you have any used flowers you'd like to donate to the Confetti Club to repurpose.
Tableware
There’s nothing to say you can’t create a beautiful table display for yourselves and your guests whilst being mindful of the environment. Source recyclable or reusable items such as glassware, bunting, ribbon, books, and vintage items (we used suitcases on our Wedding Day to display our table plan), the majority of which you can hire!
On the day me and my husband got married, jam jars as flower vases were having their moment, it was a great sustainable way to showcase our beautiful flowers back then. Non-toxic candles, biodegradable confetti and dinner/glassware are all things you can consider making swaps for in order to create a more ethically sourced beautiful tablescape!
Second Hand
An increasingly popular place to source table decor, linen and extra touches is Facebook marketplace and Facebook Wedding groups, as well as sites such as Ebay & Vinted.
Second hand shopping is a great way to give life back to items that are pre loved! When Tash got married last year, she was able to find a beautiful glass Card box for under £10 that had only been used once, 15 unused pillar candles as well as baskets (for flip flops) and unused/opened decor bits such as fairy lights ALL on marketplace.
You can also make some money back on these when you have had your wedding *thinks of honeymoon fund*
Renting
The rental industry amongst weddings is huge! From linens, to furniture, glassware to props and decor but what about renting your Wedding outfits?!
With websites such as Hurr and By Rotation creating it’s very own bridal category, never has it been more fashionable to rent! The global carbon emission rate amongst the fashion industry is alarming, it is reported to contribute to around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to its long supply chains and energy intensive production eek!
Renting opens up a huge selection of brands and designers that otherwise might not have fitted in the budget, it’s ALSO a fantastic way to shop sustainable! If I had my time again, these bits are what I'd be adding straight to my basket!
Dress, Shoes, Hair Bow & Gown all byrotation.com
Talking of Dresses . .
Shout out to Magical Dorothy, a B-Corp certified company that use innovative technology as part of the cleaning process to reduce environmental impact. Sadly there are less than 3,000 B-Corp companies in the UK so these guys deserve some recognition. They believe that brides should embrace sustainable processes and they offer this through the professional cleaning of your dress!
The code BLUEBIRD10 can be used for anyone who places an order via their website
The wedding industry isn’t exactly known for it’s sustainability but I believe that starting small is far better than doing nothing at all!
For more information on the official Earth Day site, take a look here!
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