You may have heard your wedding day described as the most important day of your life. Regardless of whether that’s actually true, what better way to start off a life with the one you love than by doing it in a way that also shows your love for the Earth?
The Carbon Footprint of Love
The total carbon footprint of a wedding is comprised of many things, but predominantly transportation to the event, the venue, food and beverages, flowers, fashion, and the rings. Tallying up the bill for all of that, your average American wedding costs between 56 and 63 tons of CO2 and produces between 400 and 600 pounds of waste.
And while offsets are comparably inexpensive, before we even consider that, we should take a look at all of the ways we can celebrate love more sustainably from the moment we start party planning.
You just got engaged! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Now, where should you get married? The biggest carbon costs of your wedding are going to come from transport to the event, the venue, and the food. Destination weddings to grand halls serving more food than your guests can eat from a meat-based menu are going to cost the most.
Sustainable Wedding Tip #1
Keep it simple and keep it local. Look for venues that are naturally beautiful on their own. Instead of lighting and air conditioning an indoor venue, look for something outdoors. A field of flowers, a beach, a garden, a vineyard… there are so many incredible environmental options!
The same goes for your food. Keep it simple, keep it local, and also keep it seasonal. Look for caterers that source their ingredients locally and sustainably, and consider more plant-based meal choices. Also, while weddings are definitely a time for feasting and merriment, order only for the guests you have to prevent as much food waste as possible. Guests can be encouraged to take any leftovers — in sustainable packaging, of course! And be sure to ask your caterer and venue about their recycling and composting policies.
You can even source your wedding toast locally. Look for local wine and beer makers, or choose certified sustainable producers for that special, signature cocktail.
If your wedding requires disposable serving-ware and utensils, make sure they are made from sustainable materials and never single-use plastic.
For larger weddings, you can look for LEED certified venues and know that the space has been evaluated for sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental performance.
More so than many things in life, weddings afford a level of control to decide exactly how you want to host your most sustainable gathering.
Sustainable Wedding Tip #2
Skip the paper invites. You’ve set a date, secured a venue, and there’s a menu in the works. It’s time for some guests! You can send your announcement, invite, and even your thank yous electronically to lose all of the paper, wrapped in paper, that comes with more paper that needs to be mailed back wrapped in paper… paperless is definitely the way to go for all of your sustainable wedding communiqués.
Sustainable Wedding Tip #3
Let’s talk decorations. Weddings come with a lot of accoutrements and flowers are a big one. Again, keep it simple, keep it local, and keep it in season. Find other creative ways to deck the halls like with memorabilia, books, or other items that are special to you and your partner. Always, always, skip the glitter and for party favors, rather than giving guests tokens, consider making a donation as a wedding party to a local food bank, to plant a tree, or to an eco-friendly organization.
Sustainable Wedding Tip #4
Ok. Venue, food and drink, decorations, invitations… Check, check, check and check. Now, what are you going to wear? One tip for sustainable everyday fashion holds true for sustainable wedding fashion, too — shop vintage or second hand. Instead of asking your wedding party to pick up new duds, choose a theme color and let them wear items they already own or purchase ones they’ll actually wear again. But if your heart’s set on brand new fashion, look for sustainable designers and choose sustainable fabrics sourced ethically from companies paying fair wages to their workers. That sounds like a lot, but trust us, sustainable fashion is very, very in this season!
Sustainable Wedding Tip #5
The ring. Ah, that eternal circle symbolizing your commitment to your partner. When it comes to choosing the perfect engagement and/or wedding ring, there are both human rights and environmental issues to consider. The harvesting of diamonds has a history of fueling conflict, and the mining of precious metals is often damaging to the environment. Beyond this, miners are frequently denied fair wages and adequate health and safety provisions. Luckily, there are jewelers producing ethically and sustainably sourced wedding bands that can be easily found online. Or, to make it even simpler, like your fashion, shop vintage and second hand. Giving new life to old items is truly a sustainable way to start your new married life!
So, are you ready to take a walk down the aisle and say, “I do” to sustainability? What are some of the ways you’re planning to give your big day its smallest carbon footprint?
