Are Eco-Friendly Weddings The Next Trend in Small Weddings?
Wasteful Weddings
Like it or not, the wedding industry is responsible for a massive amount of waste including food waste, napkins, decor items, confetti, disposable tableware, and more! It is estimated that the average big wedding with 150 guests can produce 400 to 600 pounds of garbage! When you look at that sort of statistic, it is no big surprise that couples are in search of more eco-friendly weddings.
Tips for Planning Eco-Friendly Weddings
So what steps can you take to plan more eco-friendly weddings? Let’s start with that statistic about the waste generated by an average wedding. When you elope or have a small wedding there are fewer people involved. That automatically means generating less waste! Many vendors who offer elopements and micro weddings will reuse the same decor at their venue so that reduces that type of waste. In terms of food, if included it is usually just cake or a meal at a restaurant so there is minimal food waste involved.
That’s a great start, but what are some other steps you can take for more eco-friendly weddings?
- Wear a second-hand or rented wedding dress
- If sending invites, choose sustainable paper
- Choose eco-friendly gifts for your registry
- Request a charity donation in lieu of gifts
- Find an eco-friendly venue or tie the knot outdoors
- Switch confetti or rice to bubbles, petals, or herbs
- Have the wedding close to home to minimize travel