RUSTIC ROMANCE East East Afton Farmhouse is the perfect starting point for an eco-friendly celebration. Nestled in natural surroundings, it’s an intimate venue with on-site accommodation—and more nearby at Tapnell Farm—helping reduce your carbon footprint by limiting travel for guests. Choose a venue that can host your entire day, from ceremony to final dance, and look for those with genuine sustainability practices. At East Afton, our wedding barns are powered by solar panels, feature repurposed materials from the farm, offer free recycling stations, and work with local taxi companies to provide shared transport options. Opt for e-invites to cut down on paper waste, or use recycled or seeded paper if you prefer printed ones. Work with your caterer and venue to create a seasonal, locally sourced menu. Plant-based options are a great sustainable choice, and accurate guest counts help minimise food waste. We’ll even box up leftovers for a late-night snack! Rent instead of buy where you can—our exclusive hire items are available with no delivery needed. For flowers, go for seasonal and local, or try potted plants, dried, or silk options. Stick with biodegradable or real petal confetti too! Favours can be simple and thoughtful—local honey, jam, or chocolate are great, waste-free options. If giving gifts, choose recyclable or reusable packaging. Planning your wedding sustainably is a beautiful way to celebrate your love, while showing love for the planet too. Chloe Baker | East Afton Farmhouse https://tapnellfarm.com/gather/east-afton-farmhouse MADE WITH LOVE Go digital if you can! Avoid printing altogether and opt for digital savethe-dates and invites. These can still be personalised and match the theme of your wedding, but instead of using paper, simply send them via email. If you’re printing, be mindful when choosing the materials. For larger signs, choose recycled Perspex or board, while recycled cards or handmade paper are perfect for smaller items. Combine items where possible to reduce printing. For example, menus can be personalised with guest names to eliminate the need for separate place cards. Welcome signs and the order of the day can also look great together on a single sign. A great way to save on printing is to print double-sided. Your invite can include details on the reverse, or your table plan can feature your welcome sign on the back. The venue can flip the board once your guests have arrived. A lovely alternative to standard paper is seed paper. It’s an ecofriendly option that doubles as a perfect favour, as guests can plant it in their gardens after the wedding. Choose suppliers who are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint. At LouPaper, I plant a tree for every order placed. Louise Ralphs | LouPaper | www.loupaper.co.uk FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD When choosing suppliers for your wedding, sustainability should be a key part of the conversation. Don’t be afraid to ask direct questions— how they operate, where they source from, and how they handle waste. If a supplier isn’t open to this kind of dialogue, it’s a red flag. For catering, sustainability is more than just meeting legal requirements (like using eco-friendly disposables and separating food waste). A good caterer will go further—designing the menu thoughtfully, reducing waste from the start, and passing savings on to you. That’s why we avoid one-size-fits-all packages and prefer to discuss your plans before quoting. The right tableware depends on your setup. Traditional crockery and cutlery are great in venues with kitchens, but in a countryside marquee or around a campfire, wooden or compostable disposables are often more practical and eco-friendly—plus, they suit the setting. A good caterer should also help you plan portions accurately. For instance, if you’re serving pizza to 30 evening guests after a full wedding breakfast for 60, we might suggest half a pizza per daytime guest and one full pizza per evening guest—or go buffet-style with slices to encourage variety and reduce waste. As professional paella caterers, we always prioritise minimising food waste. We cook fresh, to order, and keep portions small to encourage guests to return for seconds or try different flavours. It creates a sociable atmosphere and keeps waste low. With your permission, any untouched paella kept at safe temperatures is donated to Hope for Food, a local community provider supporting those in need. Emma Lopez | idelica | www.idelica.com https://bambooshootsphotography.com https://sharoncudworthphotography.com 79
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