Four top tips for an eco-friendly wedding
10.03.22
Introduction
With more information becoming available about the current climate crisis, more and more people are choosing to live sustainably. If you’re planning on getting married soon, then an eco-friendly wedding is something you might be considering, and it’s now easier than ever to plan one. Listed below are four top tips for throwing an intimate, eco-friendly wedding that you can easily implement into your special day to demonstrate your love for the planet as well as your partner.
Eco-friendly décor
Décor is an important aspect of any wedding, and it’s not too hard to design and create eco-friendly décor for your big day. Confetti is usually thrown over the couple after the ceremony has been completed, but this can be harmful to the environment as it doesn’t degrade naturally and is often consumed by animals afterwards. Eco-friendly confetti is now an option, consisting of biodegradable, dried out petals, which will still look beautiful and will break down naturally afterwards.
Natural materials such as hemp or pure linen can be used for most of the fabric elements of your wedding decoration, and place cards can also be made from recycled paper or bamboo. The dawn of the digital age means wedding planners can now send their invitations and save the dates out via electronic means, instead of using paper materials.
Choose eco-friendly floral arrangements
Another big aspect of wedding planning is the floral arrangements. Whilst exotic flowers may look glamourous, freshly cut stems aren’t great for sustainability. If you still want traditional floral arrangements at your wedding, you could consider using seasonal plants that are grown locally, or look for a sustainable florist in the local area, instead of transporting flowers across large distances.
Some florists may be able to use the leftover floral arrangements for compost after the wedding, or the wedding party may be able to do this themselves. Alternatively, you could look into using other forms of flora for your wedding, such as potted flowers and plants. These can then be reused at another location such as your home after the wedding, meaning they are much more sustainable than traditional, disposable floral arrangements.
Support repurposed buildings
Did you know that the construction industry in the UK contributes to two thirds of all waste and 10% of all carbon emissions? Over 50,000 buildings are demolished in the UK every year, and using buildings that have been repurposed for weddings helps to address this. With Scottish Historic Buildings Trust, not only can you celebrate your special day in meaningful, historic buildings, but you support the re-use and restoration of these spaces which is a big step in the right direction.
We’re always looking for ways to help make our restoration process more environmentally friendly, as well as ensuring that our buildings are sustainable in their long-term use (such as by using solar power). You can find out more information on how we intend to help address the climate crisis on our main website.
Choose a wedding location close to home
Destination weddings have become increasingly popular in recent years, with travel becoming more affordable. Whilst this can make your special day more memorable, keeping your wedding close to home will ultimately be more sustainable, as it means that guests and the wedding party don’t have to travel far, thus reducing the carbon footprint of your wedding.
Air travel also has a major impact on the environment, so choosing a wedding location within your home country is a good idea, and if you keep it really close to home, people may also be able to rideshare or get taxis together, instead of travelling individually.
This is not an exhaustive list and there are many other things you can do to make your wedding more eco-friendly – even a small step makes a difference!
Contact Us
Get in touch with us for more advice and information about hosting an eco-friendly wedding in our buildings.
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