It’s not always easy to plan a sustainable celebration, but it can be done! And to make it that much easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite eco-friendly wedding ideas to get you inspired for your big day.
Eco-friendly weddings are becoming more and more popular as brides and grooms realize the importance of protecting the environment. From outdoor venues and natural decorations to re-usable favors and locally-sourced food, there are plenty of ways to organize an unforgettable wedding day while still being as green as possible.
Discover the most creative eco-friendly wedding ideas to make sure that you and your guests enjoy a sustainable day!
Dress & Accessories
1. Choose an Eco-Friendly Wedding Dress
Make your way towards the altar in a beautiful eco-friendly vintage dress. Consider a treasured family heirloom or a pre-loved designer piece. This will give your special day a sense of unique timelessness. On the other hand, there are also many designers who are focusing on ethical production and environmentally friendly fabrics, which is another great way to look stylish while being environmentally conscious. Make sure to focus on important ethical details such as the material used, excess stock, where the dresses are made, and working conditions.
2. Consider Second-Hand Dresses
Similarly, you can find second-hand wedding dresses by checking out the many different specialist stores, boutiques, and charity shops with dresses for brides looking to go eco-friendly. It’s also a fraction of the price compared to a new dress! You can then donate your dress to a future bride, and pass on the sustainable act.
3. Rent Your Wedding Dress
Another one of the most popular eco-friendly wedding ideas is to rent your wedding dress. You also don’t have to worry about preserving your dress or finding ways to store it carefully. It keeps costs down and makes sure that your dress is re-used in the future!
4. Consider Ethical Wedding Rings
It’s also important to consider your wedding ring if you want a sustainable celebration. There are environmental and social concerns associated with how rings are made. So for an eco-conscious option, make sure to look for conflict-free diamonds, antique rings, and lab-grown diamonds.
Wedding Venue
5. Celebrate Outdoors
If you dream of a wedding in the middle of nature, an outdoor wedding venue is perfect for you. There’s no better sustainable celebration than an outdoor wedding that embraces mother nature under the sunlight, surrounded by trees and flowers. And the best part? There are so many outdoor wedding venues that are perfect for an eco-friendly wedding!
6. Opt For a Sustainable Wedding Venue
Once you begin exploring venues, make sure you’ve researched or discussed how they ensure sustainability, especially if you’re planning a destination wedding. Those air miles will take a toll on the environment, so it’s best to find a way of compensating for this by making sure your venue contributes to environmental causes.
Lighting
7. Choose Candles
Candles are a beautiful and eco-friendly way to light up your venue. The flickering flames create a perfectly romantic and tranquil vibe. They’ll elevate any decor and can make a major impact in the smallest ways.
8. Opt for Mason Jar Lanterns
These charming decor elements are another way to include eco-friendly wedding ideas. Put candles or fairy lights inside and place them on your reception tables, or hang them around your venue. They’re also a cute detail for photo ops.
9. Consider a Daytime Wedding
Make the most of natural lighting with a daytime wedding. You won’t need to worry about artificial lights and you can enjoy the beauty of an outdoor ambiance.
Flowers
10. Select Faux flowers
Most brides dream of having beautiful flower arrangements to adorn their wedding day. But if you also want to be eco-friendly then artificial flowers are the way forward. Usually, faux flowers require less packaging, less transport, and are biodegradable. You can also use them as many times as you like!
11. Incorporate Dried Flowers
Recently, more and more brides have chosen this sustainable option for their bouquets and venue decoration. Not only are dried flowers cost-effective, but they save water, and energy and they’re biodegradable. The floristry trend comes in many shapes and sizes. It’s also perfect for any style of wedding from vintage to modern!
12. Choose Locally Grown Florals
If you want to go with fresh blooms, choose seasonal flowers that are grown locally. You can find sustainable florists that work with local farms or that grow their own flowers. This means that your flowers don’t have to be transported from far away. Once you’ve finished using the flowers, you can find sustainable ways to dispose of them, such as composting, or donating them to local hospitals.
Decoration
13. Use Leaf Place Cards
Use natural elements and forego buying expensive packaged items for your place cards. They’ll suit a rustic or backyard wedding perfectly. You can even use different types of leaves depending on the location.
14. Create Wooden Place Cards
Another eco-friendly alternative for place cards is to use wood. It’s simple, effective and a fun DIY project! Head to a local hardware store or find some log in the countryside. Afterward you can let your guests take them home for a lasting memory of your special day.
15. Choose a Framed Seating Plan
Repurposing old frames from family and friends to make your seating plan is a creative and eco-friendly ideas. Think of it as the ‘something borrowed part of your wedding’ and it’ll be a unique decor element that your guests will love!
16. Leverage Chalkboards
There are lots of functional ways to use chalkboards around your venue. They’re a great reusable piece and a money saver! For example, table numbers, welcome signs, seating plans, and order of the day.
17. Reuse Wine Bottles
Save bottles leading up to your wedding day to reuse as vases and candle holders throughout your venue. You can even ask friends and family to give you any they have if you have a larger venue. It’s an easy way to be eco-friendly and create a unique decor element.
18. Get Creative With Wooden Signs
Consider using wood scraps to create handmade signs for your reception. You can use them to direct your guests to different areas around your venue. For example, the cocktail area, dance floor, chill area, and the restroom.
19. Opt for Organic Materials
If you’re planning a sustainable wedding, then consider using organic materials. For example, linen table runners, bamboo plates, and organic cotton are just some of the few ideas you can incorporate.
20. Decorate With Potted Plants
Opt for decoration that will continue after your wedding day. Potted plants or herbs are easy to transport and make a great gift! You can give them to your guests to use as home decor at the end of your wedding, or you can even use some in your own house.
Wedding Favors
21. Bake Homemade Treats
One of the best eco-friendly wedding ideas is to make homemade favors. Your guests will love edible treats! It also requires minimal packaging. For example consider cookies or cake in a jar, in which all the ingredients are mixed together in a reusable jar.
22. Use Mini Bottles
Similarly, think of special mini bottles. This is a perfect option for a destination wedding, as you can gift your friends and family local specialties. For example, olive oil and limoncello are great wedding favor ideas!
23. Gift Handmade Soap
Natural handmade soaps are a perfect eco-friendly wedding favor. It’s a practical idea that your guests will be able to use daily. Find soaps with minimal packaging with essential oils. Make sure to avoid palm oil, artificial colors, artificial fragrances, and sodium laurel sulphate.
24. Share Seeds
Another wedding favor that your guests can take home and use is seeds. Gift them seeds that they can plant in their backyards where they can watch their favor grow in memory of your unique and special day.
Reduce your carbon footprint and save money while still having a happy, memorable time with your loved ones with these eco-friendly wedding ideas. For more inspiration head over to WedBoard. You’ll find more decoration tips including 16 Most Beautiful Wedding Ideas for Summer, 24 Italian-Inspired Wedding Decor Ideas, and 34 Stunning Ideas For A Rustic Theme Wedding.
Featured image: Eastlyn & Joshua
