Welcome to the ultimate guide on planning a sustainable wedding, where love for each other meets love for our planet Earth! Get ready for a lot of revolutionary ideas and helpful resources from your engagement to your wedding. This guide will cover a variety of educational and inspirational content so your wedding day can have the potential to make a positive impact on the planet.
Weddings, just like any celebration, can result in an immense amount of disposable waste. An average wedding produces about 400 pounds of garbage and 63 tons of CO2 emissions (according to The Green Bride Guide). Imagine carrying out 400 bags of garbage at the end of your wedding day? Yeah, hard pass for most. So, let’s be the change we wish to see!
SUSTAINABLE ENGAGEMENTS
Everyone is going to be SO excited to celebrate you and your partner! There’s a good chance most of your family knew it was coming and already have gifts at the ready. It’s common to get the favorite go-to’s: Ring dishes, “Bride and Groom” wine glasses, sweatshirts with “BRIDE” embroidered across the front. While most of these items can and should be thrifted, there’s even more ways to have a sustainable engagement chapter.
Start A Traveling Engagement Box
Think of it as the The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants – Slowly collect a box full of newly engaged items that can be gifted and appreciated by your friend group. The first of your friends that gets engaged can start this. For example, those super trendy white sweatshirts that say “BRIDE” on it – you’re not going to wear that after you get married – let’s be realistic. So, wear it for the bachelorette and then save it for the next newly engaged friend to enjoy! Bonus points if you look at secondhand clothing apps like Mercari and Poshmark for secondhand bridal items. Think, bachelorette decor such as signage, bride purse, and bachelorette veil/decor.
Secondhand Bridal is Still White
Being honest and transparent with family and friends early on is the best thing you can do! Expressing that you want to avoid disposable decor at your bridal shower such as balloons or perhaps highlighting that you would truly cherish thrifted ring dishes instead of customized ones. State this clearly on your wedding website and when others ask for plans.
Thrifted Bridal Gifts
If you plan on asking your bridal party to be such a supportive part of your wedding day with a cute gift box, try thrifting most of it! Being intentional with every person, your relationship with them, and items that are unique to them. It may take longer to gather, but it’ll be such a fun scavenger thrift store hunt instead of a disconnected checkout on Etsy. For example, everyone can get unique jewelry for the wedding day. Another idea is to make organic bridal party boxes – filling it with locally made candles, wine to toast, and simple silk pjs. No one wants another wine class with their “bridesmaid” on it. This will set the tone of being intentional and thoughtful.
Sustainable Engagement and Wedding Rings
When choosing sustainable wedding and engagement rings, you’re not just selecting symbols of love, but also supporting ethical and environmentally responsible practices within the jewelry industry.
Traditional diamonds are typically incredibly environmentally-destructive and unethically sourced. “To find just one carat of diamond, miners need to sift through around 250 tons of earth, leading to soil erosion, deforestation, and ultimately destroying ecosystems and driving plants and animals toward extinction.” The good news: There are so many options for sustainable, ethical jewelry available today!
Here are a few guidelines for choosing sustainable engagement and wedding rings:
- Choose from a small business jeweler
- Buy Vintage
- Ask for Recycled Metals
- Choose lab grown diamonds
Here are a few brilliant companies and small business jewelers to consider:
SUSTAINABLE WEDDING PLANNING
Sustainable Wedding Venues
Whether this is a grand wedding venue that can accommodate two hundred loved ones or a quainter setting such an intimate lodge – ask about if they have any current sustainable practices.
Some commons sustainable wedding venue practices are:
- Farm-To-Table cuisine serving locally grown / sourced organic food
- Opting out of buffet-style to avoid food waste / Offering to-go boxes / Donating leftovers
- Reusable table cloths, cutlery, and napkins
- Solar powered facilities / low carbon footprint
You can search for your dream sustainable wedding venue across the whole USA in this article where a list of ecological venues around the United State search state has a beautiful, eco-conscious venue highlighted.
Sustainable Wedding Planners
Sustainable wedding planners focus on eco-friendly practices, helping couples reduce their environmental impact by using recycled materials, minimizing waste, and choosing local, sustainable vendors. They often incorporate green initiatives like zero-waste catering and eco-conscious decor, ensuring the celebration is both memorable and environmentally responsible. To name a few:
- Thyme and Details will make a donation to have one tree planted for each guest at the events they manage.
- Paige Events will donate flowers that would normally be thrown away.
- JoAnn Moore Weddings is a Certified Green Wedding Planner and a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps
- KG Events and Design is a proud partner with ENGAGE! FOUNDATION & TERRAPASS
- Greater Good Events has 20 years of past professional experience working in corporate environments and social justice organizations.
Sustainable Wedding Photographers
You may not associate sustainability with photography, however it’s a vital business pillar to climate activist photographers. Look for information about sustainability efforts on their about page in their websites. Common practices are donating towards climate action, practicing Leave No Trace when in wilderness locations, and embracing digital resources. To name a few:
- Dawnpoint Studios will plant trees for every couple that chooses them for their wedding/elopement and practices Leave No Trace.
- Bri Johnson Weddings donates 1% of profits to the Jersey Shore Surfrider Foundation, who is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches through a powerful activist network.
- William Lane Photography will donate a portion of my profits to the environmental legal charity ClientEarth.
- Libby Clark Photography has gone completely paperless! All invoicing, contracts and questionnaires are done online reducing my paper waste.
Sustainable Wedding Florals
Beginning your search for a sustainable florist for your wedding is an essential step in ensuring that every aspect of your special day reflects your commitment to eco-conscious practices. Here are some easy guidelines to follow:
- Find a florist that matches your ethos
- Italy: Slow Flowers Italy is a great resource for finding local, sustainable florists. Perfect if you are having a destination wedding or elopement in Italy!
- Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, Australia and Thailand: The best and easiest resource you can use to find a sustainable florist near you is The Sustainable Floristry.
- Garden In The Pines is local to New Jersey. They shop from our local farmer florists through local co-ops, opts to compost material waste, chooses materials and mechanics that can be used and reused multiple times.
- Choose Seasonal Florals
- Seasonal flowers reduce transportation and lower carbon footprints for your wedding.
- Avoid Floral Foam Arrangements
- Embrace More Greenery and Unique Environmental Decor
- Make a statement piece with branches that could be reclaimed or embrace candles over florals.
- Have A Plan After The Wedding
- Compost : Ask your florist to compost your flowers or give them to a local farm that composts.
- Donate your flowers to your local senior living facilities, children hospitals, etc. (Make sure to call in advance.)
- Petals For Hope – flower donation services in most U.S. states. Donated to At-risk youth, sex trafficking victims, homeless children.
- Bouquet of Kindness – serves the Jacksonville, Florida area.
- Flower Angels USA – a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization that upcycles used arrangements
- Random Acts of Kindness – serving Knoxville, TN – Tampa Bay, FL – Indianapolis, IN.
- Hope Blooms – serving North Dakota.
- Rent Your Florals
- Something Borrowed Blooms is the most sustainable way to have silk/faux flowers for your wedding. You design and rent your wedding florals and simply send them back after the wedding for another couple to enjoy!
- Preserve Your Wedding florals
- You can preserve your wedding florals in resin or have them pressed. There are many businesses that can do these services. You can start with Rejoice and Bloom Art!
Sustainable Wedding Invitations
There are a variety of ways to send out save-the-dates and formal wedding invitations while being mindful of the Earth.
Digital Wedding Invitations. This option is also very affordable and may be easier for a majority of guests. Services such as Greenvelope make it incredibly easy to customize and keep track of responses. You can even customize the digital envelope and it has a whole display of opening it for the guest experience!
Physical Sustainable Wedding Invitations. Choosing options that are recycled paper or plantable seed paper ensures that your wedding announcement leaves a positive impact on the environment. Paper Culture is easily one of the best resources to use. They will plant a tree with every order, offset their carbon footprint, and are certified B-corporation. Bonus Tip: Avoid wax seals. They often cause postal delivery issues, cost more to ship, and are thrown away immediately. Opt for a personalized embosser, which you can use for decades to come on all future mail sent as a married couple! You can buy yours here.
Sustainable Wedding Registry
As you prepare for your new life together, consider creating an eco-conscious registry filled with sustainable home goods, reusable products, and experiences that promote ethical practices and minimize waste. Everlastly is a front runner for eco-conscious couples.
Sustainable Wedding Dresses
Did you know it takes 713 gallons of water to grow the cotton needed to produce one cotton T-shirt?! It’s mind-blowing to begin to calculate how many gallons are needed for a wedding gown.
Secondhand Wedding Dresses
- Online services such as Still White, Once Wed, Preowned Wedding Dresses, and Borrowing Magnolia let engaged couples purchase previously loved dresses usually at the fraction of the original price. These companies are secure, affordable, and sustainable. Even the renowned “Say Yes To The Dress” Kleinfeld sells preloved gowns at Kleinfeld Again.
- Secondhand Bridal Stores
- Brides For A Cause, located in Oregon, is an incredible nonprofit organization that collects and resells wedding dresses to raise funds for charity. To-date, we have collected over 25,000 wedding dresses and given away $1.75 Million to charity!
- Loved Twice Bridal, located in California.
- Hand-Me-Gowns, located in New Jersey.
- Something Borrowed Boutique, located in Pennsylvania.
Rent Your Wedding Dress
- There is Bridal Maven in Pittsburgh. Fancy Wedding Center in Brooklyn sells preloved gowns as well as lets you rent your wedding dress!
Vintage Wedding Dresses
- Looking for a true vintage style? Check out vintage shops Happy Isles (CA & NY) Shop Xtabay, Dear Saint, Lovers Bridal Co, Miranda’s Vintage Bridal, Tab Vintage, Cha Cha Linda Vintage, and The Knit Vintage to name a few resources.
New Wedding Dresses
- If your dream dress doesn’t already exist, shop locally, ethically, and sustainably. Pay attention to the materials, where it’s made, and how it’s made. Check out these conscious designers: Grace Loves Lace (USA), Kinfolk Bridel (PA), Leanne Marshall (NY), Pure Magnolia (Canada), Reformation (CA), Wear Your Love (CA), and Indiebride (UK). Samantha Sleeper (NY) Flora and Lane (Chicago, IL) Carol Hannah (NYC).
After your wedding consider, consider these options for your wedding dress:
- Sell your wedding gown so it can be loved again.
- Repurpose your wedding gown into a baby’s clothing for your future family.
- Tailor your dress into a gorgeous maxi/midi/mini dress to wear on your anniversaries!
Sustainable Bridal Party Dresses
When it comes to outfitting your bridal party sustainably, consider eco-friendly options that prioritize ethical production and materials. Sustainable bridal party dresses offer stylish alternatives crafted from organic fabrics, recycled materials, or vintage finds. Choosing sustainable options for your bridal party ensures that everyone looks stunning while minimizing the environmental impact of your wedding day attire. Here are some ideas:
- Reuse
- Ask your bridal party if they already have bridal party dresses in their closet that fits your color theme.
- Rent
- Rent The Runway and Rentadella are great companies to rent bridesmaid dresses and even guest attire.
- Shop Eco-Conscious Companies
Sustainable Wedding Cuisine
When planning a sustainable wedding, don’t forget about the cuisine! Opt for locally sourced, organic, and seasonal ingredients to reduce your carbon footprint and support local farmers. Choose a caterer who prioritizes sustainable practices, such as minimizing food waste, using reusable or compostable serving ware, and offering plant-based menu options. By selecting sustainable cuisine for your wedding day, you can enjoy delicious food while making a positive impact on the environment. Here are some tips for having a delicious cuisine without a large carbon footprint:
- Choose local, seasonal food.
- Cut out red meat.
- Livestock is responsible for around 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the number one contributor being cattle—predominantly red meat animals.
- Aim for a menu that’s at least 50% vegetarian. (Let’s face it, we can all use more greens.)
- Source your alcohol from local wineries and breweries. This will reduce your carbon footprint.
- Avoid food waste.
- Offer to-go boxes, give an accurate guest count to the venue, or donate leftover meals.
Sustainable Wedding Decor
The recent hype of balloon arches and sky lanterns are short-term decorations with long-term negative impacts. Eventually, those pieces will be taken down or fall to the ground and disrupt wildlife. Here are some wonderful ways to decorate for your wedding with low-environmental impact.
- Thrift When You Can
- Secondhand glassware, signage, candlesticks, car boxes, mirrors, etc.
- Think Long Term
- Focus on items you will be excited to use around your house after the wedding.
- Look for Built-in Decor
- Choosing a venue that already has gorgeous photo-ops such as a winery, scenic backdrops, or botanical gardens.
- Rent When You Can
Sustainable Wedding Ceremonies
By embracing sustainable practices in your ceremony, you can celebrate your love while honoring the planet.
Sustainable Ceremony Exit Ideas:
- Dried or Fresh Florals
- You can purchase dried florals here.
- Bubbles
- Trust me, don’t do individual bubble blowers. Get a bubble machine here.
- Ribbon Wands
- You can purchase ribbon wands here.
Sustainable Wedding Favors
The hard truth is wedding favors get left behind most of the time. As a wedding photographer, I see wasted wedding favors too often. Honestly, I recommend ditching the wedding favor entirely or opting for these sustainable options:
- Edible Favors
- Send guests home with a sweet treat. Support your local businesses & get locally made chocolates.
- Avoid Living Favors
- Those mini succulents and mini trees will not be taken home or live long.
- Embrace Reusable Items
- Custom tote bags would be so cute, but avoid giving guests yet another reusable water bottle – they have at least ten already I assure you.
- Non-plastic Items
- Locally made mini soap bars, glass honey jars, or soy way candles.
- Charitable Items
- Bracelets from a conservation non-profit
SUSTAINABLE HONEYMOONS
There are so many resources to have a respectful, mindful honeymoon! Some of those sites are:
- Audley Travel
- They arrange trips to more than 80 destinations throughout the world and across each continent.
- Kind Traveler
- Explore their Kind Collection of 350+ destination, hotel, and charity partners in 25 countries, helping you leave a lasting positive impact in the places you love.
Incorporating sustainability into your wedding plans not only creates a celebration that aligns with your values but also sets a positive example for your guests and future events. By embracing eco-friendly practices, from choosing sustainable vendors to opting for zero-waste decor and favors, you can craft a beautiful, memorable day while minimizing your environmental impact. As you embark on this journey, remember that every thoughtful choice contributes to a greener future, making your wedding not just a day of joy, but a meaningful step towards a more sustainable world.
