With climate change knocking on our doors and all the environmental issues currently affecting our planet, it’s hard to look the other way without considering greener options for your wedding. So if you’re looking to have a more sustainable life or cause a smaller impact on the planet, here is how to host a plastic-free wedding.
Every year we see the rise of “sustainable weddings” and “eco-friendly weddings” and that doesn’t mean that you will have a simpler style or will miss those details that make everything more fun. It just means that you will have to replace some things for others in order to get rid of non-environmental friendly items, but don’t stress, we are here to help you with ideas and tips.
Non-plastic bomboniere
There are many different options for you to choose from! From plant-based beautiful soap to succulents, the variety of plastic-free bombioniere is so wide that the only thing that you require is some imagination.
When choosing your plastic-free wedding favours avoid plastic, cellophane (mostly used for packaging) or any material that can’t be recycled and if you can deliver a gift without any packaging at all even better!
Biodegradable confetti
Photo courtesy of Figtree Wedding Photography / See Real Wedding.
It’s time to move on from materials that can be considered rubbish, fortunately, the sustainable confetti trend is here to stay, so get creative and choose a flower, your favourite spice or leaves for your guests to throw at you, and please avoid glitter, sequins, bubbles (plastic bottled) and normal confetti.
Ditch single-use plastics (forever)
Photo courtesy of Figtree Wedding Photography / See Real Wedding.
Single-use plastics are the saddest invention ever, they are used once and stay on earth far after we are gone and beyond. Things like plastic cutlery, cups, straws, dessert plates and all of those items are just unnecessary things that we can easily change for reusable ones.
Non-plastic fans and accessories
Via ForeverYourPrintswa
Look for options that can be used in more than one way, like a printable fan that doubles as a program and nice wedding favour. The key to sustainability is repurposing as much as you can, so don’t be afraid to give more than one use to an item.
Cake toppers
The ideal thing would be to have a completely edible cake topper, cause the more you can reduce the better, but if you really want to have a non-edible one, choose timber or bamboo over acrylic and plastic.
Balloons
Photo courtesy of Splendid Photos and Video / See Real Wedding.
I know they look very pretty and they make every celebration even better, but sadly balloons are bad for the environment. Most of the time they end up in the ocean and animals such as birds and fish eat them thinking that they are food. So if you can avoid them please do! Switch to bunting, greenery, flowers or whatever material that can be easily disposed of.
Signs and decorations
Change your acrylic and plastic decorations for timber, bamboo or glass and if you can rent things like signs, seating plans and table numbers even better! Many couples choose to buy or get things custom made, but you have to ask yourself what you’re going to do with them after the wedding. If you have a serious plan for all those decorations go for it, but if you are getting a massive acrylic seating plan just for the 30 minutes that your guests are going to take to find their proper table, please don’t.
Plastic takes between 450 and 1000 years to decompose (depending on the type) and that doesn’t mean that is going to disappear! It just means that is reduced to smaller particles but those particles will stay on our planet forever.
Hire hire hire!
The more you can hire the better for the environment! Hiring decorations and furniture is the most sustainable way to go. Because everything you hire is going to be re-used by other couples and the more we reduce and re-use the better.
Try to hire from your booked venue to reduce the CO2 emissions caused by transportation or if you are looking to hire from somewhere else try to rent everything with the same supplier, the fewer cars we put on the road, the better!
Need more inspiration for sustainable options? Click here!
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