An Earth-friendly guide to green and gorgeous weddings.
| Photo by Courtney Hellen Photography |
As you plan one of the most special days of your life, it's essential to ensure that it is a sustainable one. Weddings can be major contributors to waste, energy use, and carbon emissions, but there are ways to make your event more earth-friendly.
A Guide To "Greening" Up Your Wedding
1. Choose an eco-friendly venue.
Select a venue that is environmentally friendly. Whether it’s a local park or a sustainable farm, choose a location that minimizes carbon footprint and considers the environment. In Portland, the Eco-Trust Venues are a "values-driven operation that exists to support Ecotrust's work towards a more equitable, prosperous, and climate-smart future" with 100% of event rental proceeds going back to Ecotrust's Earth-Saving nonprofit initiatives. In Seattle, venues like Islandwood on Bainbridge Island are not only a gorgeous backdrop for your wedding weekend, but they are also committed to paving the way for a greener future.
| Photo by Courtney Hellen Photography |
2. Digital invitations over printed goods.
E-vites and digital invitations reduce the environmental impact of printed invitations. Companies like PaperlessPost and Green Envelope are terffic options allowing you the beauty of traditional invitations with the tree-saving and time saving benefits of online replies. If you want to send paper invitations, choose recycled paper or plantable invitations made from recycled paper that can be planted in the garden after use.
Courtesy of Paperless Post
Courtesy of Cast Paper Art (left) and Paperless Post (right)
3. Choose sustainable decor.
Choose a florist who works with eco-friendly decor options like natural flowers, locally grown, and have them arranged in re-purposed vases. Decorate with locally sourced items, so there is less transportation and fewer carbon emissions. Instead of buying vases and candles, choose a florist that has a terrific inventory of items and rent them instead of purchasing new. Consider florists like Amanda Karam, Flowers for You, and Bella Bloom. We also love working with potted plants in addition to cut flowers. Florists like Amarie Floral can design your epically gorgeous (and seasonal) floral decor with longevity in mind. Imagine having some of your wedding floral planted in a memory garden of sorts allowing you to remember your wedding day long after your day is over. In Seattle, Floravore is a sustainable wedding floral design studio that values creating and nurturing relationships with local farmers and believes that " beautiful wedding flowers can be thoughtful, sustainable, and support the local agricultural community."
4. Sourcing local and sustainable food and drinks.
Choose a caterer that supports local farmers and provides organic foods that do not rely on harmful pesticides. Choose to serve seasonal produce, which reduces food transportation, energy, and water usage. In Seattle, choosing a company like Ravishing Radish who focuses on building menu's with local ingredients picked at the height of the season will ensure your guests never forget your wedding meal. In Portland, catering partners like Crave Catering sources ingredients straight from their own farm. Talk about local! Devils Food Catering is highly committed to creating a brighter feature for us all through their business practices by sourcing local, seasonal produce from small purveyors and by serving PNW pasture-raised meats and sustainably harvested seafood. They also compost all of their kitchen’s food scraps and they donate larger amounts of leftovers to those experiencing food insecurity. All around there are amazing vendor partners who share your values AND do amazing work!
5. Reusable, recyclable, or compostable plates and cutlery.
Use plates and flatware that are reusable, as they’re the simplest way to reduce waste. However, if that’s not feasible, use plates/cutlery that are compostable, biodegradable or made from sustainable materials, and make sure to recycle them. Partnering with Cort and Arden and many other local event rental companies will help you bring your design vision to life while reducing waste. If you want to go compostable, check out Amazon. So many great options to choose from.
6. Encourage eco-friendly transportation.
Encourage wedding guests to carpool, bike, or use public transit to reduce their carbon footprint. Consider providing ridesharing services, and consider having the wedding ceremony and reception in one location to reduce transportation. Providing shuttles is another awesome transportation option. Check out ecoShuttle and Butler Seattle.
We hope these ideas have sparked interest in creating a more Earth friendly wedding. If you are interested in having some help through this process for your Washington or Oregon wedding - reach out! We offer a complimentary consultation and we would love to learn more about your ideas and share how we can help make them happen. Happy Planning!
With Love,