If there is one thing the UK can be proud of, it would be our efforts toward sustainability. Of the top 150 nations as ranked by the Sustainable Development Report, the United Kingdom came in 11th place. Even today’s couples are seeking to get married in an eco-friendly wedding, starting their lives together with great hopes for the future. Sadly, it’s a future that has been blemished by our unadulterated pillage of our natural resources and, of course, our consumption of fossil fuels. If you are among the thousands of couples now planning eco-friendly weddings, these tips will get you started in the right direction.
1. Dried Wedding Bouquets
One of the very first things that come to mind would be those lovely wedding bouquets carried by the bride and later thrown to the unmarried ladies as part of the wedding tradition. However, once the bouquet is tossed over the bride’s shoulder, it’s gone forever. That is why so many couples order two of the same bouquets from their wedding florist.
Most brides will try to preserve their bouquet to keep with their wedding mementos but often fail. If you start with dried bouquets from the very beginning, there is no loss. You will have nothing to toss in the bin because it didn’t hold up well if you start with a bouquet professionally dried by your florist. Then, instead of placing it a box to be forgotten in the loft, it can be one of the first bits of décor in their new home together. It’s like two for the price of one!
2. Hold the Wedding and Reception Outdoors
While this isn’t possible for weddings in the cold months of winter, weddings and post-wedding celebrations can be held outdoors. In this way you will not need to run climate control which will, in turn, save significantly on the amount of electricity being utilised. In fact, you won’t even need to use electric lighting. What can rival the lumens freely available from the sun?
3. Drive Off in a Horse Drawn Carriage
It is traditional for modern couples to drive off after the ceremony in a chauffeur driven limo but being driven off in a horse drawn carriage is something for the storybooks. Imagine being a princess with your prince being whisked off to your castle. Not only would this be an enchanting ‘send-off’, but it would ensure that no carbon was being released into the atmosphere from combustion engines.
4. Rice in Lieu of Confetti
As the bride and groom walk down the aisle, they are traditionally greeted with confetti being tossed over them by the gathering. Rice is a great alternative because it is not only biodegradable, but no trees need to be cut in the manufacturing of those bits of colourful paper. If it’s colour you want, then by all means dye the rice with natural food colouring!
On a final note, just make sure that everything made from paper such as your wedding invitations and thank you notes are printed on recycled paper and printed with environmentally safe inks. The alternative is to send e-invites and thank you communications by email. Although you realistically cannot reduce your impact on the environment by 100%, you can ensure that your wedding is a sustainable as possible. Save Mother Earth for the children who may be in your future. It is, after all, theirs to share.