From food and decor to transportation, there are so many ways the wedding industry creates a major carbon footprint. The average wedding in the United States produces up to 400 pounds of trash. And with approximately 2 million weddings happening in the US annually, that’s a concerning amount of waste. And while it’s not possible for every couple to have a completely zero-waste wedding, even a little bit of planning can help minimize the impact of your event. These 10 ways to have an eco-friendly wedding will help you get started.

1. Vintage or Conflict-Free Jewelry

Choosing vintage or heirloom (think pawn shops, vintage stores, or even Etsy!) is a great place to start if you’re looking for jewelry that’s beautiful, unique, and minimizes environmental impact. But there are also ways to do this if you decide to purchase new. Pieces created with sustainably made diamonds help reduce environmental impacts and ethical concerns since there’s no mining involved in their creation. And if you purchase pieces made with fair trade gold, you’re supporting suppliers that follow fair trade principles while ensuring safe working conditions and fair pay.

I love these pieces from Do Amore and Mejuri!

2. Digital or Plantable Stationary

Sending out virtual save-the-dates and invites is becoming more common, and is a great option to keep your impact and financial costs down.

But something about sending physical mail feels special. I get that! In that case, and for day-of programs and menus, there are alternatives. Companies like Paper Culture use recycled paper and plant a tree with every order. Seed paper, made with a biodegradable material that you can plant, is another option.

Paper Culture plants a tree with every order. Botanical Paperworks uses seed paper, a handmade paper that includes plant seeds. Just plant the paper in soil when you’re done with it and the seeds will sprout!

3. Rent Your Fits and Decor

Renting your outfits and decor saves you money while prolonging the lifecycle of those items. When you consider linens, chairs or other furniture, check with event rental companies (or Facebook groups!) that offer pieces that fit your style.

And if the thought of spending a lot of money on something you might only wear once makes you pause, consider renting your outfits. One-time rental services like By Rotation or Rent the Runway offer pieces for all types of styles and budgets.

These are favorites of mine from Rent the Runway, and they’re both less than $100!

4. Local or Fake Florals

Live flowers are stunning, but let’s think about just one aspect of their life cycle. Many flowers used in traditional wedding displays are imported by plane from other countries. Those flights burn over 110 million liters of fuel and emit over 350,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Upon arrival, they’re transported to stores via refrigerated trucks. These trucks use 25% more fuel than non-refrigerated trucks as well as diesel fuel, which produces more emissions. Yikes, right??

But you can still use fresh flowers while having an eco-friendly wedding! Selecting locally grown florals that are in season can help significantly. Hiring a sustainable florist is also a great way to go. These florists won’t use plastic or floral foam, will source those ethical local blooms, and reuse vases/stands/etc. And after the event is over, you or your florist can donate them to retirement communities or hospitals for others to enjoy.

Wood bouquets from Sola or silk florals are other options! These won’t decay.

5. Reusable Cutlery and Glassware

Avoiding single-use items is a huge way to reduce your wedding’s waste. Choosing reusable glassware and utensils over disposable plastic cutlery minimizes waste and adds a unique flair. You can rent or thrift these items, or even look into compostable bamboo utensils from companies like Green Paper Products.

6. Plated or Sustainable Meals

Most buffet dinners produce leftovers that are trashed after the event, but you have options! You can serve a plated dinner to avoid any excess food, or you and your caterer can plan to save leftovers if you go with buffet style. You can also work with your caterer to donate any extras to a local food bank or shelter for unhoused folks, but you’ll need to check health codes ahead of time.

Speaking of caterers, look for ones who focus on local, sustainable, and seasonal ingredients. Chat with them about the farmers they work with, and how they source ingredients. If they work with local vendors, they’ll have a less shipping and a smaller carbon-footprint. You can also consider serving a fully vegetarian meal, as they require less resources to produce.

7. Inclusive or Outdoor Event Space

Choosing an event space with everything onsite means less travel between locations. And less travel for getting ready, ceremony, and reception venues means less emissions from you and your guests (also, your vendors will thank you!!)

By having your celebration outdoors, you cut down on the amount of electricity you’ll need. And if you book at a national park, your permit fee will help provide funding for conservation. Just make sure to leave no trace!

8. Request Digital File Delivery

Ask your photographer or videographer to deliver your final images and films through a private online gallery or hosting site. Printed albums or USB drives require additional printing, packaging and shipping, and is exactly why I don’t offer prints or deliver products that way. It’s part of my process to keep your original files, and backups of those files, so you can always reach out if you somehow lose track of where you’ve stored your images.

9. Keep Favors Local or Skip Them

I’ve noticed that most couples these days are skipping party favors entirely. But if you want to give back, you can always donate to charity in your guests names instead. Otherwise, you can consider gifting snacks from a local vendor or farmer’s market. That way you can keep your guests fed while supporting local small businesses.

10. Give Back

No matter how many of these steps you follow, your event will likely still leave a carbon footprint. And that’s ok!! In order to help offset, you can always make a financial donation to local charities or environmental foundations. Some registry sites, like the Knot and Zola, even give your guests the option to donate to foundations as their gift to you. And while it might be tempting to just toss everything once the event is over, you can also help future couples have their own eco-friendly wedding by donating or selling your decor. Local wedding groups on Facebook would be a great place to list the items you no longer need.

Conclusion

Having an eco-friendly wedding might seem daunting, but the effort of hosting one is absolutely worth it. With so many online and rental options out there, you don’t have to sacrifice aesthetic or your values.

You can learn more about my photography services for weddings and elopements in the Twin Cities. Or if you’re ready to chat about your own plans, get in touch!