{"id":58238,"date":"2022-03-31T03:02:51","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T16:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/au\/articles\/plan-sustainable-wedding\/"},"modified":"2023-08-04T15:47:23","modified_gmt":"2023-08-04T05:47:23","slug":"plan-sustainable-wedding","status":"publish","type":"au-article","link":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/articles\/plan-sustainable-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"How to plan a sustainable wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking to make sustainable choices but still want the wedding of your dreams? These 10 tips will help you plan a green wedding and show the environment some love.<\/h3>\n

With climate change one of the most talked-about topics at the moment, for many couples, planning a sustainable wedding seems to be the way to go.\u00a0Fortunately, many wedding suppliers are getting on board and are focussed on providing sustainable, environmentally-friendly products and services.<\/p>\n

Considering this, we’ve put together a nifty checklist detailing how to plan a sustainable wedding.<\/p>\n

1. Eco-friendly wedding invitations.<\/h3>\n
\"Rustic
Image: Paul Winzar Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First, think about whether you really<\/em> need physical wedding invitations, because if it’s a take-it-or-leave-it situation, you might like to try e-vites, which will also save you lots of moolah.<\/p>\n

Physical invites a non-negotiable in your book? Reduce the number of printed pieces and packaging, and try to consider using paper products made from recycled materials or seed paper<\/a>.<\/p>\nShow me invites!<\/span><\/a>\n

2. Find local caterers who use seasonal produce.<\/h3>\n
\"White
Image: Luke Middlemiss Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yeah look, invites might be negotiable but food… isn’t quite.<\/p>\n

You can use seasonal veggies, local food suppliers, or choose organic foods<\/a> for your menu. This will reduce emissions caused by transportation and support local farmers.<\/p>\n

For bar service, you can choose local breweries and wineries.<\/p>\nWhy yes, I want to check out caterers<\/span><\/a>\n

3. Consider your guest list and transportation.<\/h3>\n
\"Buckland
Image: Melissa’s Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do you really need 400 wedding guests? What’s more, do you really want to pay<\/em> for 400 wedding guests? If not, perhaps a quick cull of your guest list is in order.<\/p>\n

If not, arrange shuttles or carpools for guests, and try to have your ceremony and reception in the same place.<\/p>\nEeep, I'm yet to suss guest transport<\/span><\/a>\n

4. Eco-friendly venue or backyard wedding.<\/h3>\n
\"Classic
Image: Dan Brannan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As mentioned before, try having your ceremony and reception in the same place as this will reduce the emissions of driving from one venue to the other.<\/p>\n

You’ll also be able to find select venues that focus on sustainability and environmentally friendly practices, such as Yarra Valley Estate<\/a> (Melbourne) and Huon Valley Eco Wilderness Retreat<\/a> (Tasmania).<\/p>\nOooh, I need a venue<\/span><\/a>\n

5. Pre-loved wedding dresses.<\/h3>\n
\"Luxe
Image: Tatiana Rose Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters and source of greenhouse gas emissions due to fast fashion manufacturing processes.<\/p>\n

So, instead of purchasing a new dress for your wedding, why not give a pre-loved gown a new home? We have a list of stunning affordable designer wedding dresses<\/a> right here, my friend.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, you might like to opt for a dress designer who utilises sustainable fabrics, such as Mia Ateliers<\/a> (Melbourne), Lylou the Label<\/a> (Melbourne bridesmaids dresses), or Olivia Waters Couture<\/a> (Canberra).<\/p>\n

Better yet, if your mum has held onto her old wedding dress, why not try repurposing it?<\/p>\nView sustainable wedding dresses<\/span><\/a>\nI'll look for new dresses with sustainable fabrics<\/span><\/a>\n

6. Sustainable wedding decor.<\/h3>\n
\"\"
Image: Eco Confetti.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Time to hit Savers!<\/p>\n

Vintage decorations are a great way to re-use items that are still in great condition, and you can get amazing unique pieces in op-shops.<\/p>\n

Pssst.<\/em> Instead of petals, try biodegradable confetti by the likes of Confetti & T<\/a>. And for the love of cheese, avoid plastic at all costs!<\/p>\n

7. LED lighting and candles.<\/h3>\n
\"Romantic
Image: Love & Other Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alrighty, this is an easy one: Try to use solar lights or candles to illuminate your wedding reception.<\/p>\n

And where electric lighting is required, make sure it uses LEDs.<\/p>\nHire lights for your wedding<\/span><\/a>\n

8. Sustainable wedding bouquets.<\/h3>\n
\"Riverstone
Image: Rick Liston.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First, if flowers are a must in your book, ask a friend if she’s hung onto her artificial flowers and wouldn’t mind you pinching them for your own wedding.<\/p>\n

If it’s a no, perhaps opt for gorgeous everlasting blooms as these can decorate your home and provide joy well after the wedding.<\/p>\n

Got to be fresh? Choose a local florist, opt for native seasonal flowers, and maybe avoid tossing them right after the wedding by finding ways to preserve\u00a0them.<\/p>\n

Try Shell’s Forever Flowers<\/a> (Ballarat), Harvest Botanica<\/a> (Melbourne), or Thrive Flowers & Events<\/a>.<\/p>\nNeed wedding flowers?<\/span><\/a>\n

\"Inner
Image: Wren Steiner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You might even like to decorate your space with succulents and potted plants as these can be taken home again!<\/p>\n

9. Reduce your use of plastics.<\/h3>\n

Ban all single-use plastics and unnecessary items. Switch plastic for paper straws, talk to your venue, caterer, and bar service and ask for sustainable re-usable options.<\/p>\n

Disposable items are the biggest no-go when planning a sustainable wedding.<\/p>\n

10. Shop sustainable wedding bands.<\/h3>\n
\"Inglewood
Image: Love & Other Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While the most sustainable option would likely be a hand-me-down diamond ring from a great-grandma, not all of us have that option.<\/p>\n

However, you can certainly opt for conflict-free engagement rings with ethically-sourced jewels, like those from Monty Adams<\/a> (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane).<\/p>\nSuss wedding rings<\/span><\/a>\n\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Kimberly and Kevin host eco-friendly rustic winery wedding<\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Kim and James choose sustainable options for rustic wedding<\/a> in Renmark<\/p>\n

Want more planning advice? Check out our articles on how to plan your wedding!\u00a0<\/a><\/h2>\n\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":276889,"template":"","au_article_tag":[855,1080,1042,1886,83],"class_list":["post-58238","au-article","type-au-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","au_article_category-expert-advice","au_article_category-wedding-themes","au_article_tag-eco-friendly","au_article_tag-eco-friendly-weddings","au_article_tag-sustainability","au_article_tag-sustainable-wedding","au_article_tag-wedding-planning"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-article\/58238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/au-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-article\/58238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"au_article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_article_tag?post=58238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}