Weddings are considered one of the most significant events in one's life and are often grant and opulent. According to the Green Bride Guide, the average wedding generates 400 pounds of trash and 63 tons of CO2. With an estimated 2.5 million weddings per year, that's around 1 billion lbs of litter and the equivalent of four people's annual pollution in just one single day. With the current state of the world and more couples choosing to have intimate, eco-friendly weddings, we'd like to share a few things couples should consider while planning their green wedding.

As wedding dress is a major part of the wedding, we will use the next blog to share options for "green" attire.

Location

Venues are usually one of the first things couples consider in the wedding planning process. For an eco-conscious option, if you decide to have the wedding indoor, consider a place with plenty of natural light and ventilation. You can also search for hotels and event spaces with Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certifications. With more vendors are going in green, you will have plenty of options to choose from.

Invitation

Paperless invitation has become incredibly popular these days. E-invitation has many benefits such as:

• quick respond and easy to remind for RSVP
• save paper
• save carbon emission on delivery 
• no room for postal errors or delay

If you prefer paper invitations, you can choose invitations that are printed on recycled paper or use alternative materials, like upcycled fabrics, leather, and wood. You can also consider vendors that give back to the communities or planting a tree with every order, such as Paper Culture. 

 

Flowers and Decoration

Fresh flowers are the go-to choice for any wedding; however, instead of flowers, you can also use plants or other decorations such as pieces of wood or books as a centerpiece for the tables. The point is to limit the fresh-cut flowers for decoration and reduce waste.

There are other ways to reduce waste, such as rent all the one-time use decors and donate what you don't need after the weddings. In addition, things like picture frames, mirrors, signages can be incorporated into your decoration for the house you share. Finally, if they don't fit with your home style, they can be donated to local Goodwill or other thrift stores. 

 

Mindful Favors

 

Beside getting a meaningful gift for your guests, here are a few things to keep in mind for favors

• choose sustainable/local source options (such as local honey)
• provide an option for charity donation
• make sure the wrapping is also eco-friendly 

 

Questions to ask before making decisions

 

In general, if you find it hard to make a decision about something, see if these questions can help you clarify.

1. Can it be reuse, recycle, repurpose?

2. Are you reducing waste by choosing the option?

3. Is there a more eco-friendly alternative for this purchase/service?