Sustainable celebrations Control your carbon footprint with our eco-friendly wedding advice With around 250,000 weddings taking place every year, a frightening total of 3,625,000 tonnes of CO2 are emitted as a result, according to the Sustainable Wedding Alliance (sustainableweddingalliance.com). Indeed, an average wedding day in the UK generates a whopping 14.5 tonnes of CO2, whereas the annual per capita carbon emission is only 9.1 tonnes. The website further explains that food wastage is a significant issue with £488 worth wasted at every celebration, 65 per cent of a home’s annual total. What’s more, we’re told that 4,910 tonnes of un-recyclable plastic was used and left behind at weddings, an equivalent weight of 47 blue whales! If these shocking statistics scare you as much as they do us, you’ll no doubt want to do something about it when it comes to your own big day. The various solutions are actually quite simple, requiring just a little careful thought and planning. So, read on for our guide to organising a sustainable wedding from quick fixes to a wider strategy. Remember, every little helps. FASHION Much like the fast fashion crisis, where cheap clothes are purchased in staggering volumes, worn once and discarded into landfill, wedding dresses too are worn just for one day despite being at the opposite end of the investment scale. Buying a pre-loved gown or hiring are two solutions to this problem, ensuring the dress sees many more wears before it’s ultimately thrown away. For the gents, suit hire is already the more common option. Even if the groom and his party decide to purchase their suits, it’s generally easier for them to re-wear than a wedding gown is for the bride! However, going pre-loved isn’t for everyone. You may well have your heart set on one of the latest designs, or don’t like the idea that someone has worn your dress before you, and we don’t blame you. The sustainably minded should seek out bridal designers that share the same ethos. Sabina Motasem, for example, is a creator of eco-luxe bridalwear, while Rolling in Roses focuses on handmade, slow bridal fashion. When the big-day is over, keep your gown to hand down to future generations, sell or donate. When it comes to the bridesmaids’ dresses, why not send them out to shop for something they’ll wear again and again, including a brief that allows you to manage cohesion. FAVOURS Carefully consider your wedding favours as this is often a culprit for single use plastics that get left behind or chucked. Many couples now decide to skip this tradition altogether or opt for something consumable. We love anything edible or drinkable such as palette fitting macarons or personalised iced cookies which can double up as place names for even more sustainable care. Little bottles of booze also go down a treat and can be used during speeches to toast your happiness - “We tied the knot, now take a shot.” Another excellent idea is donating to charity in lieu of favours. Include a note on your place names, menus or table numbers to tell guests about the chosen charity you’ve donated to in their names. Many will offer charity pins as favours or attached to place cards as a thank you. Endless Summer, sabinamotasem.com unsplash.com@kaboompics 34
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