How to Plan a Sustainable Wedding

Wedding Days are one of life’s biggest moments, where loved ones gather to celebrate love and I am sure you have been dreaming of this day for a very long time!

However, in all the excitement, it’s easy to overlook the impact a wedding might have on the environment. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to couples when planning their wedding day, understandably.

Couples are prioritising having guilt-free wedding days by making eco-friendly wedding choices to consciously reduce their carbon footprint.

You can still create and style the wedding day you have always dreamt of, so you don’t need to worry about that, but you can take a little more time to make better choices!

So, as a Scotland wedding planner and stylist, I am going to tell you how to plan a sustainable wedding day, with ease.

As a Scotland wedding stylist I styled this sustainable wedding — Photos by: Michael Rankin

4 Ways to Have a More Sustainable Wedding

Choose Your Location/Venue Wisely
Reduce Your Guest Numbers
Make Your Menu Eco-Friendly
Reusable Decor/Flowers
Eco-Friendly Confetti

Choose Your Location/Venue Wisely

Emissions are one of the top contributors to environmental damage, so consider a venue which requires the fewest plane and/or car journeys for you and your guests to travel to the wedding.

There are so many incredible wedding venues in the world, that there are bound to be stunning venues close to you that requires less travel. You can also car share with your guests as much as possible, or hire wedding cars that can hold more people.

There are also so many eco-friendly wedding venues that you can choose from. They are trying to make a positive impact just as much as you, so support them with that.

Choose a sustainable wedding venue for a sustainable wedding — Photos by: Michael Rankin

Reduce Your Guest Numbers

Although this is a hard and tricky task, consider having an intimate wedding and limit your guest list, for a sustainable wedding. This will reduce the number of guests who need to travel and reduce waste from food, decor and other wedding details.

A lot of the time people create a huge guest list full of people they don’t really speak to, because they feel obliged to. Be strict with yourself and remember the day is all about you and your values, so just invite those closest to you, who will appreciate the day you created.

Make Your Menu Eco-Friendly

Opt for a locally sourced, organic menu, which has been grown locally using seasonal produce. A lot of venues out there take pride in offering local produce menus.

Having vegan or vegetarian options would also reduce the environmental impact of the wedding meal. Consider your choices and do lots of food tasting, whether that is with in-house caterers at the venues, or if you find sustainable wedding food suppliers elsewhere.

You will find something that suits you and your tastebuds, so you don’t need to worry and you are bound to ensure your guests are happy and full!

Reusable Decor/Flowers

For a more sustainable wedding, consider using recyclable or reusable items instead of using single-use decor. At The Creative Occasion Co, we have a variety of props and decor for hire, that are all of course eco-friendly!

Use potted plants, trees and/or flowers instead of cut flowers. Or, if using cut flowers, consider choosing seasonal and locally grown flowers. If you choose seasonal flowers it means they won’t need to get imported from abroad, which of course, lowers carbon emissions. As well as them being locally grown.

Adopting a few of these eco-friendly wedding decoration ideas and being mindful when wedding planning, will show a little love to the future of the planet.

Eco-Friendly Confetti

There are so many eco-friendly confetti ideas out there, so there is no need for us to use non-biodegradable confetti.

Here are some ideas that will help reduce the environmental impact of confetti:

Leaves – you can make these yourself by gathering leaves and punching out circles or other shapes with a hole puncher.

Fresh rose petals – rose petals are the universal flower of love. They will not only look lovely, but they will also add to the romantic energy of your day.

Dried flower petals – dried flowers, obviously, do not wilt, and you can buy them months in advance without worrying that they will not look good on your wedding day.

Bubbles – if you don't want to physically scatter any confetti, or if all types of confetti are prohibited at your venue, bubbles are a great alternative.

You will be able to celebrate the now wedded couple with your family and friends with joy knowing you are helping the planet, and it will make for a beautiful and fun wedding photo!

Ready to Create Your Sustainable Wedding?

If you were wondering how to have an eco-friendly wedding then I hope I have helped you make some positive decisions for your wedding day, now you know how to plan a sustainable wedding!

If you truly put your mind to it and look for the right suppliers, you will do it with ease and you will be thankful that you put in the effort to make a positive impact on the environment.

If you would like some assistance, then I am a wedding stylist and sustainable wedding planner in Scotland and I would love to chat with you about your vision!

Caroline x