A wedding is a moment that many people in this world dream of and look forward to. Most of them have even planned the concept of the wedding event and the details in it carefully to match what they want. However, did you know that weddings that are successfully held grandly and beautifully are one of the biggest producers of waste among other types of activities?
The majority of brides and grooms are not aware that the big event they hold at least once in their lifetime can be one of the biggest contributors to environmental waste. In dealing with environmental problems resulting from this wedding event, an appropriate and careful solution is needed. One way out is to hold a wedding with an environmentally friendly concept.
Nowadays, environmentally friendly weddings have become quite a trend among young people. They usually call it a green wedding, sustainable wedding, eco-chic wedding, or eco-friendly wedding. In this environmentally friendly wedding concept, a number of environmentally friendly actions are emphasized in every aspect of the event. The aim is to minimize the amount of waste produced during the event.
The euphoria of your wedding is still there, but you can also be proud of being able to take part in saving the earth. Curious?
1. Propose With Estate Jewelry
Change your approach to ring shopping with vintage jewelry. Instead of buying new jewelry, consider reusing or recycling beautiful retro rings that are unique and environmentally friendly. Propose with a family heirloom, or shop at an estate jewelry store for a unique piece. You can even melt down gold and refine it—yes, that's a real thing, and sustainable—or turn existing diamonds into a new ring.
2. Location
You can hold your wedding event in the open, such as gardens, parks, urban forests, home gardens, and so on. The aim is for the event to be lit by sunlight so there is no need to turn on the lights. Implementation in the garden can also strengthen the eco-friendly theme of your wedding, you know!
3. E-invitation
You can use an electronic invitation. Technological advances have given us many conveniences in our daily lives so we must take advantage of them. We can include more information in electronic invitations, such as maps, invitation barcodes, etc.
4. Gown
Every bride must have planned what kind of dress she wants to wear for this once-in-a-lifetime event. Unfortunately, many wedding dresses are only worn once, even though making them requires a lot of environmental resources. Therefore, it is better for us to borrow wedding dresses from boutiques to make them more eco-friendly. Or if you really have to make it, use environmentally friendly dress materials, such as cotton or silk.
5. Souvenirs
Choose souvenirs that don't produce more waste, such as organic soap, bamboo straws, cutlery made from used wood, etc. A good souvenir can inspire invited guests who get it to imitate your eco wedding concept. That way, more people will care about the environment.
6. Food and Drink
The main thing about a wedding is the banquet. However, unfortunately, often the entertainment provided is not proportional to the number of guests attending (excess) resulting in food waste. Even though this food previously contained a large carbon footprint from the start of the production process. Therefore, it is best to adjust the banquet to the number of guests attending so as not to leave too much food.
Environmental awareness can start from simple concrete actions such as holding a wedding with an environmentally friendly concept. This environmentally friendly wedding will not reduce the beauty and meaning of weddings in general. Even through an environmentally friendly wedding, we can gain three benefits, namely the environment, financial benefits and social value in the eyes of society.
7. Choose Catering Sourced from Local Farmers
Eating local food is always important, as the carbon emissions from shipping food across the country can be very detrimental to our environment. When putting together your wedding menu, have a conversation with your caterer to find out where they get their food from and whether you can keep the food menu seasonal.
8. Eco-friendly decoration
Did you know that the flowers that are widely used as wedding decorations are flowers that are grown with more chemicals and pesticides than flowers in general? To reduce the use of flowers grown with chemicals, replace the decorations with ornaments that are more environmentally friendly and support the natural feel of your wedding. If you have to use flowers, try using natural flowers and arrange them beautifully in the pot, so that the flowers can still be planted after the event.
9. Keep the Guest List Small, Micro Wedding Small
While it may be tempting to invite everyone you know to your special day, the fewer guests you have, the less waste you produce. If you're in the wedding planning process and are overwhelmed by the thought of eliminating friends and family from your guest list, use these tips to help you narrow it down.
10. Think About Travel
If you have your heart set on a destination wedding, consider the travel required for friends and family. If visiting a distant destination, you and your guests will likely have to take a plane, which can have a drastic impact on your carbon footprint. Destination weddings don't need to be considered just for the sake of sustainability. Businesses like My Climate offer calculators to offset your carbon footprint from travel.
Traveling doesn't have to just be by plane. If you're having your wedding at two different venues – one for the ceremony and one for the reception – consider offering shuttle service or asking your guests to carpool as often as possible.
11.Reuse Flowers or Choose Dried Flowers
There is no doubt that flowers are one of the most stunning ways to dress up a place. Luckily, there are several ways to get the most out of your flower arrangements. If you used flower arrangements in your ceremony, choose to reuse them for your reception as well. Turn your backdrop into a photobooth, or use your bridal party's bouquets as decorations for your cake table.
Potted orchids, roses and succulents also make a great focal point for the table and can be taken home and used as decorations when the day is done.