10 Tips to Hold An Eco-Friendly Wedding

Ever thought of having an Eco-friendly wedding?

The Philippine Statistics Authority showed in their latest national marriage statistics report that since 2016, April saw the most number of marriages in the country, which accounted for 12.5% of a total number of marriages that year, followed by February and May respectively. Additionally, it did not see that much change from 2015’s statistics where May, February, and April are the top three months to have the most number of marriages, respectively.

Having coincided once with the month of the Earth Day celebration and consistently being popularly held during early hot summer months, soon-to-be brides and grooms marrying in those mentioned popular months are encouraged to consider holding an eco-friendly wedding.

Going green is also perfect for economically conscious couples who are already looking for affordable wedding packages for their wedding and are closely watching the consumption and waste they may produce because of their celebration.

Couples do not have to hold an obvious eco-friendly wedding. Even just little changes to the traditional marriage choices can already have a positive impact on the environment.

For the environmentally aware soon-to-be-wed couples, here are 10 simple tips on how to hold eco-friendly weddings.

Choose rings wisely

Planning an eco-friendly wedding starts as early as ring shopping. Diamond mining can have devastating impacts on the environment and it would not be a suiting symbol of love especially for an eco-friendly wedding.

Before choosing a ring, couples should make an effort in tracking the origins of the rings’ stones or consider buying lab-created diamonds. It is also a good choice for them to use an heirloom ring. Not only is it economical and eco-friendly, but it an heirloom ring holds priceless sentimental value no super expensive ring can match.

Re-wear wedding dresses

Along with using heirloom rings, re-wearing their mothers’ wedding dresses is also an easy way to go eco-friendly with wedding clothes. If the bride is not in love with the outdated dress, they can simply ask a seamstress to tweak its design or go to a secondhand shop to look for another wedding dress.

They can also choose to find a designer who uses sustainable fabrics to make their wedding dress if going vintage is not for them.

Send out e-invitations

Living in the digital age, there really is no need to send paper invitations to guests anymore. It would be better for the couple to take advantage of the digital media and send e-invitations instead.

The invitation can be in the form of a simple photo, a PDF (Portable Document Format) file, or a video. Whatever it is, it will surely help lessen the need to cut up trees for paper as well as save on printing and postage costs.

Go local

For an eco-friendly wedding, it is better to go local and hire vendors within or nearby the location of their wedding. For example, if the wedding is in Cavite, then it would be best to look for catering services in Cavite. They should also consider buying flowers from local flower shops instead of ordering it from faraway places.

Not only can this help in reducing the carbon footprint production, but it is also a good cause to support local businesses and vendors.

Hold the weddings outdoors

What a better way to hold an eco-friendly wedding other than holding it outdoors? The couples should pick an outdoor location with a gorgeous natural landscape so that they can embrace the natural wonders as they embrace each other while promising eternal love.

Holding the wedding ceremony or reception outdoor can also cut down on electricity usage because of the natural light available which is evidently good for the environment.

Feast in candlelit dinners

The couples can also cut down on electricity at their wedding reception venue by using candlelight, especially if they are holding the gathering at night. Aside from being eco-friendly, it can also add more romantic and intimate vibe to the evening.

Of course, if they are holding their reception outdoors in the morning, then there is no need for lighting.

Serve healthy and earth-friendly food

As a center of any celebration, it is only essential that the food to be served at the reception also fits the environmental awareness advocacy that the couples are going for.

The married couples can choose to do a farm-to-table concept, and serve delicious and fresh food made with ingredients directly from the growers. Not only is it healthy for the guests, but it is also healthy for the environment because there will be less carbon footprint to be produced.

Give away functional or edible favors

Before the guests go, the newlyweds should give them something to remember their memorable eco-friendly wedding and the best way to do it would be opting for functional souvenirs!

It is always a good thing to receive a souvenir or giveaway that is not simply for decoration but is also useful, so why not give away something like it? The guests will surely like it.

Another fitting souvenir for an eco-friendly wedding would be edible treats because the guests would have to consume them, meaning there would be less waste. The couple just needs to make sure that their wrappers or containers are made of recyclable or sustainable material. It would also be better if they look for a local baker that uses locally-sourced ingredients to make their goods.

Ask guests to CLAYGO

The couple should not be the only ones putting in an effort to hold an eco-friendly wedding. The catering service, event organizers, and even the guests are involved, and should also be contributing to the goal of holding an eco-friendly wedding.

The couple should ask their guests to CLAYGO or “clean as you go,” and clean up after themselves by simply avoiding to litter the surroundings. It would be the least but the truly helpful thing they can do for the newlyweds and for the environment.

Donate leftovers

To truly clean up the celebration and leave no waste, couples should look into giving away or donating their leftovers. They can ask the catering to pack the excess food and give some of it away to the guests or to a nearby charitable organization that feeds homeless people.

They can also donate their flowers to nursing homes, hospitals, or organizations that accept them so that the beautiful arrangements can live beyond the wedding day and be appreciated by other people.

Celebrate weddings with the whole family, closest friends, neighbors, and even with Mother Earth by holding an eco-friendly wedding.

Stellaire Catering Services
2nd Floor, Veluz Building 1, Suite 2, Emilio Aguinaldo Hwy., Dasmariñas, 4114 Cavite
(046) 424-3242