Eco-Conscious Wedding Tips and Ideas

Your love for each other is as big as the whole world — but as you start to think about planning and all the purchases you’ll be making, you don’t want your wedding to burden the planet. If you already make eco-conscious choices as part of your lifestyle, there are ways your wedding day purchases can fall in line with your values as well. Your wedding can be authentic and stylish, and still be conscious and kind to the environment at the same time.

We’ve come up with a few different tips and ideas on how to make your wedding more environmentally friendly. You don’t have to do them all, but you might find a few of these tips or ideas to fit your style. Planning a wedding is already stressful, so don’t feel overburdened by this list, but if your heart strings pull you into making more conscious-consumer choices on a regular basis, we’ve put together this list to draw ideas from. Making just one conscious choice is better than none! I personally asked our planner to make sure paper straws were provided instead of plastic ones, purchased an ethical wedding band for Scott, rented reusable dinnerware, and picked decor that I thought could be reused in our home. We can’t do it all, but it’s the little conscious choices each and every day that collectively make a big difference! Just imagine if all the brides in one year asked their venue to not use plastic straws!

• Involve your wedding planner. Wedding planners can aid you in your goal to celebrate with an environmentally conscious mindset, so make them aware of your desire to reduce waste and make socially responsible choices as much as possible. They are connected with the vendors and resources for your wedding day, and can help you find the right ways to make your wedding more sustainable and eco-conscious.

• Register with the environment in mind. Even before your wedding, you can make sustainable choices by curating an eco-friendly gift registry. If you really don’t need anything, skip the “stuff” and opt for a honeymoon fund or donations to your favorite charities.

• Try to avoid plastic. It doesn’t biodegrade and eventually ends up in our air and water. Instead, choose natural, long-lasting items for decor, bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts, and guest favors. For the reception, select washable tableware that gets reused, or disposable party supplies that are biodegradable. When you meet with your planner or the venue coordinator, mention that you would like to avoid using plastic dinnerware and would like to opt for no straws or compostable straws.

• Be intentional about your celebratory exit toss and photo props. Everyone loves those photos where guests are tossing an object around the couple as they exit the church or during bridal party photos. Consider what objects you’re throwing into the air and leaving behind, especially if you’re on the beach close to the ocean! We’ve seen balloons sent into the air and tons of plastic left behind from streamers. You can still make your photos fun and interactive with alternative options online like biodegradable and eco-friendly confetti, dried flower petals, birdseed, lavender, or bubbles!

• Reuse timeless items. Select antique/vintage items to reduce how many new items you need to buy. Selecting pre-owned clothing and jewelry, for example, creates less demand for new items, which use the earth’s resources. Besides, family heirlooms will give your wedding a special meaning!

• Consider upcycled items. A skilled seamstress can reinvent a vintage wedding gown into a wedding day purse or bag for for cards. A talented jeweler can redesign a ring setting or melt down gold to fashion something new. Wedding and reception decor can be upcycled, too. You can connect with local brides in Facebook groups to find decor pieces or purchase items that you can re-use in your home. Be creative and make your wedding authentically you!

• Go digital. Create paperless memories with a digital photo booth for guests to enjoy. Our modern, open-air photo booth lets family and friends take photos, videos, GIFs, and boomerang images that guests can receive via text, email, or social media. The bride and groom get an online gallery of all the photo booth files. We’ve found so many photo booth strips left behind over the years, so you can reduce waste by using a digital option instead.

• Purchase an ethical wedding band. You can purchase your wedding rings from a retailer who is environmentally-conscious, and find bands and jewelry that are created ethically. You can research eco-friendly jewelers in your area, or browse jewelers online, like Bario Neal and Brilliant Earth.

With a bit of planning and the earth in mind, you can enjoy your celebration as a couple knowing your wedding will be more gentle on the environment, even if it’s just by incorporating one of these ideas or tips. Are there any more recommendations we should include on this list? Let us know in the comments how you have or plan to make eco-conscious choices while wedding planning!