Getting married is one of the most important events in the life of couples who decide to plan their life together. It is a celebration that involves many expenses and preparations and which, due to the level of consumption of goods and services, can generate a negative impact on the environment.
But there are options for this unique moment to become an ecological wedding and for all this love that the couple feels to be projected towards caring for and respecting nature.
And according to the wedding blog Bodas Gurú, fortunately for everyone and also for the planet, this option is becoming more popular every day.
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But what does an ecological wedding entail?
By definition, An ecological or sustainable wedding is a wedding in which the couple makes the decision to reduce the impact on the environment with their celebration, by implementing certain actions and materials that help achieve this..
Certain environmental currents can guide you on how to achieve the wedding of your dreams, without harming the environment.
For example, the movement Zero waste (zero waste) can help you make more conscious decisions and choose the most sustainable options to make your eco-friendly wedding possible.
You can also guide the concept of circular economy. It is a model of production and consumption that involves sharing, renting, reusing, repairing, renewing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible.
Choosing a wedding of these characteristics is just one more contribution to taking care of the planet, so as not to cause more damage, but without giving up the celebration with your loved ones.
Tips for your eco-friendly wedding
Planning a wedding is usually not easy and maybe making it eco-friendly can mean some extra effort. But it is worth trying and doing what is possible, without worrying about achieving a 100% eco-responsible wedding. By implementing a few tips, you will already be doing a lot for the care of the planet.
Planning your wedding will require you to think about a special meal, the dress, the wedding bands, the venue, the guests, the flower arrangements, the decoration, the souvenirs and many other details… but each of these points can be designed in a different, sustainable way.
Invitations, stationery and photos
Invitations can be considered the first step until you reach the moment of your wedding and they will be the ones that will define the style of what the celebration will be. If you decide to make them on paper, the most consistent would be that they are on recycled paper, biodegradable or on the friendly “seed paper” that your guests can sow so that the seeds that the paper brings with it germinate. Printing will preferably be done with vegetable inks.
The same goes for all wedding stationery, signage and signage. Try using these papers.
There is also the alternative of sending digital wedding invitations which generate less impact on the environment.
As for the photos, in order not to print an album, you can upload them to the cloud and create a web page with them. You can even plan it in advance and upload digital content about the upcoming wedding, include green tips, information, location data, and anything else you can think of to share.
For your menu to be consistent with the ecological proposal, you will have to pay attention to three points: that it is made with seasonal foods, whether they are agroecological and of local or proximity production.
The goal is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from food production and transportation. Plus, buying from local growers and businesses always adds up.
If the menu is vegan or vegetarian, so much the better. Reducing the consumption of animal products is a good decision for the protection of the environment. But if you don’t dare to do the same, by preparing a menu that is at least 50% vegetarian and that those of animal origin come from respectful farms, it will already be a good contribution.
It will also be necessary to take into account not to exceed the quantities of food since it is estimated that 30% of the food is wasted during a wedding. So that they don’t end up in the trash, you can arrange for the leftovers to be donated to a soup kitchen.
The dress and the suit
A new and fashionable dress is not necessary, we know that the textile industry is one of the most polluting. Thinking about a vintage dress can not only be an eco-friendly decision, but also a special detail at your wedding.
You can also choose to get used or rental outfits. Even better, using your mother’s or grandmother’s dress, with some personal details, will also be very emotional.
But if you want a new dress of your own, you can choose designer brands that use recycled or sustainable fabrics, made using eco-friendly processes and produced ethically.
You can also request that your dress design allows you to use it on other occasions with some modifications.
Part of the outfit is accessories, shoes, and makeup, don’t lose sight of those points either.
For shoes, you can choose eco-leather and cotton canvas for a more casual look. In the case of accessories, friends or family can lend them to you or obtain them from recycled materials or materials that have not impacted the environment when obtaining and manufacturing them. As for makeup, it’s natural, vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics.
The place and the decoration
Nothing is more romantic than an outdoor party in the countryside, the forest or the beach and during the day, as long as the place is close to avoid fuel costs in the transfer.
Daytime weddings provide great energy savings in terms of the use of lights and candles. The sound of nature can also accompany your magical moment, instead of loud and noise-generating music.
The natural environment is the ideal setting for an eco-friendly wedding, as it saves on decorations, compared to indoor weddings which require a lot of effort and expense with the resulting pollution.
If you still want to add decoration, choose one that is durable and biodegradable. For example, natural flowers from local organic production and native seasonal species which can then be composted.
Rings
By tradition, wedding rings are usually made of gold and precious stones. Make sure they don’t come from slave labor and dirty mining.
There are jewelers and artisans who work with materials from fair and ethical labor and ensure that the entire product chain is sustainable. There are also those who recycle old pieces.
Another option is rings made of noble materials such as wood or coconut shell which, with proper workmanship, will last over time.
Gifts
By tradition, wedding lists are usually made in expensive gift shops where unnecessary items abound. On other occasions, the guests decide for themselves what they offer and often these are items that will never be used or that the couple do not like.
Lately, a good option is to ask guests to deposit money into the couple’s bank account for the honeymoon or other purposes.
But a good option is to request that the gift be a monetary donation to an environmental NGO or, native trees of the place to be planted if necessary.
Eco-friendly weddings can be a great option, you just need a little creativity and inspiration. They can even become much more original than the traditional ones and even cheaper.
It is possible to say “yes, I want” while respecting nature