So you want your big day to be environmentally-friendly? That means tradition is out of the window, right? Actually, no. You can still have the wedding of your dreams without it leaving irreparable damage on the environment.
Venue
Many traditional-style venues are now working towards becoming more eco-friendly. They are adding solar panels to the roofs for electricity, deal with local suppliers and offer a range of eco-friendly options. Fortunately you can still hold your wedding in a traditional venue and not notice any difference in the level or types of services that are available.
Outfits
Eco-friendly wedding outfits are becoming more accessible than ever. Vintage dresses are a big trend at the moment and are far more eco-friendly than the latest designer number. Consider where the dress has come from and if possible find one locally to cut down on the environmental impact. There is also nothing more traditional than a vintage dress or outfit.
Catering
The main issue with finding a caterer is to keep it local. If you hire a caterer that is generally based 100 miles away simply because they are popular then you are not thinking eco-friendly. There are wedding caterers in all areas so ask around for a recommendation and talk to them about the suppliers they use. It is counter productive to hire somebody that is based locally if they obtain all of their produce from hundreds of miles away. They should still be able to produce the menu that you want.
Stationery
Okay, this is the easy one. Avoid mass produced items such as wedding invitations and wedding programs. Find a local person who can make these for you by using recycled paper and other items. These will be so personal to you and will not compromise your eco-friendly dreams. They will also be far more traditional than anything you could purchase in a store.
Transport
This is one of the heaviest environmental burdens on anyone’s wedding day. Traditional wedding cars are not known for their eco-friendly credentials as they can have a heavy fuel consumption and heavy emissions. Why not look a little further back for traditional transport? Consider a horse and carriage. This is probably the most eco-friendly option but it is not always going to be the most practical. If this is the case then opt for a more modern car. Some wedding transport providers now have the new generation of hybrid cars at their disposal and this can help to make this aspect of the day a little bit greener.
The trick is to consider which traditions you want to be a part of your day and find a way to include them without losing any of the day’s eco-friendly features. Luckily, there are more options for greener weddings these days so getting what you want with little compromise should be easy.