How To Host A More Sustainable Wedding
I moved to the small Mediterranean island of Ibiza over a decade ago. It completely changed my life, there is something magical and calming about the nature here, and it is incomparable in its beauty. This is where I met my husband, where we want to spend our lives and raise our children.
A few years ago, I started to become extremely aware of the pollution and trash that the events I was producing created, not just through plastic waste, but all of the food waste, transport pollution, the floral installations and gifts just to mention a few. It started an obsession with sustainability, in trying to become more focused on how to create luxurious and beautiful events while still keeping sustainability at the forefront of my mind.
Here are my top tips on steps you can take to ensure you leave a positive impact from your big day..
Team Up With a Charity
Instead of opting for a traditional wedding registry, consider asking your guests to donate to your charity of choice. This can be something close to your heart or perhaps something you are passionate about in your local community. If you are in need of inspiration, we would love to tell you about VOW For Girls which is the charity that we support by donating a set amount from each event that we organise, in our clients’ name. VOW for Girls has been a leader in the global wedding industry in promoting positive social change by working to end the international child marriage crisis.
2. Choose Sustainable Fashion
I am such a fan of sustainable fashion brands and up-cycled fashion in my own life, so this one is something that I’m very passionate about. I could talk about this topic for a while but I’ll keep it short; always research the designers you are considering for your wedding attire - for the wedding dress, the grooms suit, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen. I would always suggest to support designers who are transparent about their practices; where their materials come from and how their clothes are made, and who use organic, sustainable or recycled materials. If you are happy to look at vintage or second hand dresses - I will cheer you on all the way!
3. Make it a Plastic Free Wedding
This one is so easy, and hopefully any vendors involved in your wedding would already be following this rule. Skip any single use plastic cutlery or plates - if you are in need of economical day-after catering material, or if you’re hosting a pool party or brunch, consider bamboo or reusable plastic. Plastic straws are also a big no-no, and don’t hesitate to speak to your bar company to make sure they are using glass water bottles, or larger dispensers instead of plastic water bottles which take hundred’s of years to biodegrade.
4. Favours and Gifts
If you are thinking about buying going home presents for your guests, I would highly recommend considering local or handmade products. Skip the Amazon order and go for a locally produced honey or small potted plants for your guests to take home. There are so many beautiful Ibiza products that support the local community and becomes a memory for guests to cherish for a long time. Alternatively you could ditch the favours completely and donate to a charity in your guests’ name.
5. Organise Transport
We all know that car emissions is one of the biggest sources of air pollution, but unless you are looking to host a wedding in a hotel where all of your guests can also stay, they will need to get to your wedding venue somehow! We always put together a limited accommodation list in a range of budgets, where we would recommend for your guests to stay, in close proximity to your wedding venue. Once we’ve gathered all of your guests’ RSVPs we can easily organise transport for your guests by offering a shuttle service to avoid having people drive or taking taxis and this way cut down on the amount of vehicles.
6. Cater Locally
Always, and I mean ALWAYS make sure your caterers are using local produce for your wedding meal, as well as seasonal and organically farmed. Avoid the red meat, and opt for more vegetarian and vegan dishes. Farm to table family style meals are very popular at the moment and for good reason - speak to your caterer to find out how they calculate the amount of food they serve if you are not doing individually served courses, and try to avoid buffets as they are the biggest source of food waste.
7. Flowers
This is a big one, and probably the most difficult one - flowers are such a major part of any event or wedding that I organise but it is also usually the most wasteful element. Most flowers used for events in the Balearics are shipped in from Holland or northern Europe, so even before they arrive on the island, it has already caused a huge amount of pollution. Work with a florist who has experience in the area where you are getting married and who uses sustainable practices. Always ask them about which flowers are in season for your event, and how well they would survive the climate. Find out if there are any local flowers that you could perhaps incorporate - I love using potted herbs and lavender as a rustic table-scape, or gorgeous orchids as a more refined option.
8. Wedding Stationary
We love paper invitations, but from a sustainability view point, they are not the most eco-friendly method of letting guests know you are having a celebration. There are so many beautiful designs which can be carried through to e-invites, easy to send over email and Whatsapp - include a link to your wedding website where you can add all of the information guests need including an RSVP form. If you are set on having paper invites consider using seed paper which are plantable wedding invitations that grow into plants.
9. Choose Responsible Wedding Vendors
This one might take some time and research but it is worth it. First and foremost; work with local vendors in close proximity to where you are getting married. Not only will they have experience in the area and can give you advise on what works best, but it will also cut down on transport costs, car emissions and pollution. When communicating with your wedding vendors, remember to ask them a few simple questions on their sustainability practices:
Have you worked on an eco-friendly wedding before?
Where do your products come from?
Do you have a recycling policy?
What happens to food waste after the wedding?
What is your policy on single use plastic?
Do you work with local and seasonal products?
Do you offer vegan options?
Do you use floral foam?
Are you partnered with any charities or do you hold any sustainable certificates?
Do you have any suggestions on how to make our wedding more eco-friendly?
10. Book an Environmentally Friendly Honeymoon
Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you go camping in your backyard, there are several ways to ensure that you can have an exotic honeymoon which focuses on sustainability. Opt for smaller boutique hotels or eco-hotels when choosing where to stay; one of our top recommendations is always Six Senses as they are a leader in the sustainable hospitality world while still catering to the luxury traveler. In addition to your accommodation choices, there are several websites where you can calculate and offset your carbon footprint including kindtraveler.com and sustainabletravel.org. Once you know your carbon footprint you can then choose to donate to causes such as Global Green, Project Aware, or WildAid.
