Should eco-conscious couples host a big wedding?
It seems that now more than ever, eco-consciousness has become intertwined with our everyday lives and decisions. For couples who live a green lifestyle and are concerned about their environmental impact, planning a wedding can be difficult – especially if the guest list is on the larger side.
As wonderful as they are, a single typical wedding can leave as much as 20 kg of plastic waste and an average of $950 worth of food waste in its wake! So, for friends of the Earth, once you begin to look into the shockingly big impact a lavish social event can have on the planet, the question arises: should eco-conscious couples host a big wedding? And, does the size of the guest list matter?
What is an eco-conscious wedding, anyway?
Before you can investigate and predict the environmental impact of your potential wedding, it’s important to clearly define what a green wedding looks like to you and your partner. You need to consider each element of a typical wedding, and agree on both what’s realistic and what would feel most aligned with your values.
Will you look for only ethically-made, recyclable materials for your wedding decor? Will the menu made from locally sourced ingredients? Thinking about each stage of the wedding planning process will help you to decide on clear parameters between which you feel most comfortable.
Be sure to factor in your overall budget, as well as which areas you’d be willing to compromise on in order to reduce the carbon footprint of your day. There’s also no shame in deciding to include a few elements that do carry some environmental impact; after all, hosting an entirely carbon-neutral wedding is nearly impossible.
When discussing which areas of your day you can make more eco-friendly, be sure to consider:
- Minimising waste by sending digital invitations
- Choosing reusable or compostable tableware for zero-waste dining options
- Looking for eco-friendly transport for your guests
- Selecting a venue with green certifications and recycling initiatives
- Supporting local vendors and artisans to reduce the carbon footprint of shipping and travel
- Opting for a plant-based menu
- Avoiding single-use plastic and non-biodegradable confetti
- Choosing ethical jewellery for your wedding rings and any wedding-party gifts
- Reducing the amount of flowers used for your wedding, and using only locally sourced, seasonal blooms
- Providing useful wedding favours/bomboniere, such as plants, reusable bags, coffee or tea, or even a donation to your favourite charity
- Opting for plastic-free activities for kids like wooden games, chalk drawings, musical instruments (at specific times!), or a props area for dress-ups
The impact of larger weddings
Big weddings are often synonymous with grandeur, extravagance and overindulgence. Yet while we’ve all been guilty of relishing in such events, they take their toll on the environment and automatically come with a larger carbon footprint. From increased energy consumption for lighting and temperature control, to more transportation emissions, greater food wastage, and higher usage of water, each detail of the day contributes to the larger environmental impact of a big wedding.
By hosting more people, you’ll also need a larger space and more decorations to fill it – meaning more flowers, textiles, seating and tableware. These all come with their own production and transportation costs to the environment, which will require careful planning to ensure as little negative impact as possible.
On the other hand, smaller, more intimate weddings require less space, amenities and resources. But, balancing your values and desires with social expectations can be challenging. Many family and cultural traditions place emphasis on large gatherings, and there may be pressure to conform to these expectations in order to not disappoint your loved ones. It’s also natural to desire a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime celebration for your wedding day – it’s a very special occasion, and you deserve to enjoy it.
Finding a balance
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to celebrate your love for each other and the planet. It all comes down to finding a realistic balance between reducing the environmental impact of your day and still feeling satisfied that you’ve had the wedding of your dreams. Be sure to consider all of the options available to you, as each can be made more eco-friendly with a few tweaks.
If you’re wondering if destination weddings are off the cards, you may be surprised to find that eloping to a tropical paradise may still be less impactful than a big to-do at home. Once you factor your travel emissions into your carbon footprint, and arrange for only a small number of guests to fly with you, it’s entirely possible to have quite a green destination wedding.
You could also consider hosting a micro-wedding that focuses on your commitment to each other with only your closest friends and family. You could further reduce the energy consumption of your day by choosing an outdoor setting, such as an orchard or farmyard, or even by hosting your wedding reception in someone’s back garden and celebrating family-BBQ style.
With endless options for sustainable wedding settings, you may find that getting creative to think of unique ways to mark the occasion in an eco-friendly manner may be even more fun than planning a traditional wedding.
Reducing the impact
If you do choose to host a larger wedding, there are still ways to reduce the impact and maintain your eco-conscious values. By making thoughtful decisions throughout the planning process and ensuring everyone involved (including your venue, wedding planner and suppliers) is aware of your eco-friendly values, you can achieve a beautiful big wedding without compromising on your desire to protect the planet. If there’s no way around inviting a larger guest list, try to incorporate as many of these as possible to mitigate the environmental impact:
- Look to offset your carbon emissions by donating to environmental organisations or tree-planting initiatives
- Choose a sustainable venue which uses green energy and understands recycling
- Minimise waste by carefully planning your menu, composting and donating leftovers, and reusing or recycling your decor
- Prioritise local suppliers for your catering, decorations, gifts, and flowers
- Consider hiring your wedding attire to reduce the environmental impact of new dresses and suits being manufactured. If you prefer to buy, seek local options and avoid buying silk products
Being eco-conscious is a necessary and honourable quality in today’s world, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of your dream wedding day. By keeping these points in mind as you plan your day, you can host a greener celebration and still be surrounded by all of your loved ones as you say, ‘I do’.
