How To Make Your Wedding More Sustainable?
- Varisha Faisal
- Jul 10, 2022
- 5 min read
By: Varisha Faisal, CEO of Let’s AfterParty
Published on: 10 July 2022
Most people plan their weddings since their childhood and if not, having a dream wedding is the goal for every couple. On this special day, couples want everything to be of perfection and for it to be more memorable. However, an average wedding is recorded to produce around 62 tons of carbon dioxide which is equivalent to burning almost 30,000 kilograms of coal. You can also go to Less stuff, more meaning to calculate carbon footprint of your own wedding which will help you incorporate more sustainable elements in on your wedding day.
We can individually come together to make a difference in the society with adopting “Green Wedding” and make our ‘big day’ make a big difference for the environment.
What is ‘green weddings’?
Green wedding is the concept of making wedding celebrations more sustainable by reducing the carbon footprint of the event in terms of wedding dresses, decorations, invitations and many more.
There can be many ways in which you can make your wedding more sustainable, however, you don’t need to adopt all the points mentioned in the list. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind which can make a difference to the environment and your pocket while planning your wedding.
Wedding Invitations
The first and foremost impression of your guests are the wedding invitation which give then an insight on the theme and aesthetics of your wedding day. Invites can be made sustainable and a lot of couples prefer to send out electronic virtual invites. But if you are an old-fashioned stationary fan like us, opt for recycled paper invitations, eco-friendly inks or even botanical paper which is a kind paper that has seeds in it and can be planted at the end of your ceremony. Many companies in the UAE like Print Arabia and Shikkmo provide recyclable and seed paper invitations that can be customized.
2. Decorations
Decorations are a big part of wedding celebrations and create the ambience for your whole ceremony along with that they are the major contributors to wastage. Recycle, reuse, or donate the decorations if you bought the new ones. A lot of couples like to take something from the weddings as a souvenir in their new homes. Go for pre-owned centre pieces from family or local thrift shops and try to incorporate them in your new home. Whatever is left can be donated to thrift shops or given away to the guests.
You can also choose decorations like table settings, battery candles, photo areas and other decorations on rent which can be then returned after the ceremony. This will not only make the decorations more affordable but also eco-friendly.
Check out our rental shop for more ideas.
3. Flowers
Wedding flowers and follower decorations are the more adorable part of the weddings but cutting fresh flowers which will be thrown after the ceremony don’t exactly scream environment friendly. You can be mindful while picking your florist to be more sustainable. Try to use vendors who locally source or grow flowers which will be a lot better for the environment and less of a price tag for you. After the ceremony you can yourself give these flowers to old age homes, hospitals or the staff of the wedding or you can call us and we will do that for you. As an extra activity for your bridesmaids and groomsmen, you can go and pick wildflowers from the fields as allowed by local regulations and make your own bouquet for the wedding. You can also use dried flowers or potted flowers which the guests can take home as party favours.
4. The Venue
During winter months, try and search of open space areas and outdoor areas which will be a great way to incorporate nature into your wedding. You can go for picturesque sand dunes, the love lake and many beach of the UAE for which you only need a permission from the authorities to hold your wedding. As allowed by the regulations, it will be a very cost-efficient way not only venue wise but also decoration wise for your weddings. Not to mention the natural light which will save you so much on the electricity bill and be mor sustainable for the environment.
Look for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified locations which are basically a green system of rating building that are made sustainably and also take care of surrounding environment. Buildings like Jumeirah Beach Hotels, Five Luxe, Five Hotels Jumeirah Village, and Five Hotels are all registered for certifications.
You can also of for built in décor venues like Miracle Gardens, Dubai Glow Garden and even beautiful mosques of Dubai.
5. Food Waste
Manage food waste in your wedding by opting for buffet might not be a very great idea. What will happen to all the Hammous and Seesh Tawook that was prepared in large quantities? Try to have bite sized food with silver or canape services. If you want to go ahead a mile, opt for a vegetarian menu for your guests to go cruelty free. Either way, try to have a vendor which will use locally sourced organic ingredients for the food. The same rule applies for alcohol, if allowed by regulations to incorporate alcohol, choose magnum bottles that are easy to recycle and if possible, look for a local vine producers here for your wedding. The leftover can be given away to the guests and staff in sustainable and reusable packaging after the wedding but be mindful to make arrangements for that beforehand.
6. Wedding Clothes
Dress of the bride and tux for the groom is no doubt one of the biggest expenses in a wedding and yet you wear it probably only once in your lifetime. Try to go more eco-friendly on your weddings dress. Brides, I know you will not be a fan of this idea but try to wear a pre-owned wedding dress. I am not saying wear an old dress, but at least try on your mom’s or grandmom’s wedding dresses, if you don’t like it, go to your local thrift store, and look for a vintage wedding dress. Who knows you can find your “The Dress” in that old thrift store? If still you are not satisfied opt for a local designer and find a dress made of natural materials. Same for the groom, all the grooms can find amazing tuxes worn by their fathers and grandfathers on their wedding days.
You can also choose rental tux and dress for yourselves and even for your bridesmaids and groomsmen which will not only be cheaper but more eco-friendly.
7. No plastic at all!
Skip the rice and confetti toss at the last and prevent all the litter after you have made your whole wedding green. Go for confetti made from dried leaves and set it in one large vessels for your guests to just grab a handful and move on. You can also go for dried flower petals, herbs and micro flowers in order to avoid any misuse of paper and flowers.
Don’t use any plastic water bottles but instead go for reusable bottles that the guests and refill throughout the ceremony and take home after as a party favour. Moreover, use rental and reusable cutlery and crockery for your wedding dinner.
If you are planning your wedding or wedding of your loved ones, we hope this blog was helpful for you. If you are looking for a wedding planner who can make your sustainable wedding dream true, who can find them here in our services section.
Sources:
Arora, I. 2018, A green union: Couples paving way for green weddings, New Delhi.
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