Weddings are among the most important event of one’s life and it makes sense to celebrate with much grandeur and fervour. A grand occasion for the bride and the groom and the families. But a big pile of paper goods, excess food, and leftover flowers to be loaded at the garbage dump yard after the function is over is a reality that all of us are witness to.
Modern couples are becoming more and more conscious of the mass wastage that a big-fat wedding can produce. New age couples are trying to make the idea of green weddings acceptable to avoid mass wastage.
Realizing how a sustainable lifestyle is the need of the hour, millennial couples are at the forefront of driving this change toward sustainability.
With celebs like Dia Mirza opting for an eco-friendly wedding and making it mainstream, here are some ideas that can provide inspiration to couples to do some good for the environment on their big day
Choose a venue that prioritizes sustainability
Wedding events cause an enormous impact on the environment with venue lighting and arrangements being one of the biggest contributing factors to it. “Opt for a venue that practises sustainability and can help you reduce the impact on the environment. Couples can opt for an outdoor wedding space like a marriage garden. Even for night weddings, candle decorations can be given more priority over artificial lighting,” says Rumela Sen, Editorial Lead, WeddingWire India.
Plan day-time functions
The amount of electricity and power consumption at weddings causes much more harm to our Earth than you can imagine. “More couples are now planning day-time functions at an outdoor open-air venue instead of an indoor venue to reduce power consumption,” adds Sen.
Sustainable wedding decor
Every wedding venue comes to life with its ethereal decorations. You can follow the 4 R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle, and refuse as the basic concept and idea for your wedding. You can add fun elements to your wedding decor with chalkboards and source locally grown flowers. A great way to save cost and give a vintage touch is by collaborating with local artisans and craftsmen to rent furniture and reuse fabrics for your wedding venue. You can even look for reusable decors like lighting, paper craft, wooden signs, or props instead of printed signboards. Also, cloth drapes can also be used to make fancy and elegant decor pieces that will add an added charm to your big day.
Eco-Friendly invites
Technology gave people the opportunity to limit paper consumption as everything moved to digital. Therefore, to avoid the relentless waste of plastic and paper that comes along with printed wedding invites, couples can choose e-invites or wedding websites. If opting for a physical invite, try recycled paper or use alternative materials, like upcycled fabrics, seed paper and wood. Earth-friendly stationery, print invitations, programs, and menus on seed paper could be an alternative too.
Minimize waste
A no-waste wedding might not be the first priority for couples when they decide tye the knot. But it’s a great way to begin a zero-waste journey together. Couples and families can cut down on their carbon footprint by hiring local vendors, and buying local and in-season flowers and food. “They could opt for potted plants to amp up their wedding decor, rather than going for a flimsy fake ceiling with plastic tassels. Also a tailor-made jewelry set would look regal, the bride could flaunt her family jewels/heirlooms or rented accessories,” opines Sen.
Go plastic-free
As we all know, single-use plastic is not good for the environment, another reason why more couples are opting to rent decor and equipment for their special day. Instead of going for single-use plastic glasses and paper plates, rented stemware is becoming popular. It’s not only reusable but also looks more elegant. Linen napkins, tablecloths, and runners can be used in place of paper napkins.
Having a green wedding at no point should become overwhelming for the parties involved. An eco-friendly wedding is less about making everything perfect and more about being thoughtful and intentional throughout the planning process.
