A Green wedding is an Eco-friendly celebration that is mindful of sustainability and our environment.
Would you like to learn how to make small changes that will have a big impact?
1. Flowers
There is a misconception that to have a limited number of flowers at your wedding, somehow makes your celebration greener, as you are reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides. To be Eco-friendly, just choose organic sources and locally grown materials, you won’t be harming the carbon footprint and you will be supporting local business which is also important.
Having flowers flown halfway across the world is clearly going against Green principles so opt for seasonal flowers, your florist will be able to advise you on the best choices. Alternatively, you could choose live plants or trees so they can be replanted afterwards for table centrepieces and larger displays. Ask your florist for “no foam” designs so that you are not using a single use plastic -based product. Hiring faux flowers is another alternative, but be aware of the amount of plastic that is incorporated into any artificial flowers.
2. Confetti
Choose bio-degradable confetti – at Chirpee we can provide fresh flower confetti which will not harm wildlife and its nicely scented too. Someone suggested to us the frankly daft idea of throwing bird seed… horribly painful when it hits in you in the eye and you may get an attack of unwanted pigeons or even screeching seagulls swooping down on you. Just what you wanted at your Wedding. :)
3. Favours
Give Seed packets, plant seed not bird seed... A perfect reminder of your day, when the seeds sprout up.
Check out these from Friends of the Earth.
Alternatively give small plants as favours- succulents are a good choice as they are so easy to look after or tiny potted organic roses for a floral wedding would be a beautiful option.
4. Venue
The easiest way to have an environmentally friendly wedding and shrink your celebration's carbon footprint? Choose an outdoor location and be at one with nature! Imagine the photos. However with the uncertain climate in the UK think about tepees or something to hide under should the weather turn for the worse.
There are fields, vineyards, farmyards, hillside, treetops to be hired...
Discover The Natural Wedding Company for a list of Eco- friendly wedding venues http://thenaturalweddingcompany.co.uk/directory/wedding-venues/
5. Food.
Easy - Choose local organic sources and recycle leftovers! Vegetarian and Vegan options are plentiful now. Farm to Table is now easily accessible. Sharing platters cut down on washing up!
D-I-Y if you are up for it, but it is lots of work... you would be better putting this huge task in the hands of wedding professionals.
6. Invites.
Choose Recycled or Seed paper, it's a biodegradable material that sprouts into flowers when planted in a pot of soil. Local wedding suppliers can advise you on great choices for your Green wedding. Alternatively you could choose up-cycled materials like wood or leather for example. Snail mail for invites definitely is best, but consider "Save the Date" by Email.
7. Rings
When checking out an engagement ring with a precious stone consider the effect of mining on the environment.
Brides magazine recommend: “Though it may seem counter-intuitive, lab-created stones have less impact on environment, explains Erica Jill Razze, owner of environmentally conscious wedding planning company Capiche Events. “Moissanite, a rare, naturally occurring mineral is lab-grown, so there is no mining involved in the creation process,” she says. “It is not harmful to the earth, and it is not involved in any conflict trade.” She recommends checking out brands like Charles and Colvard that focus on socially responsible jewelry.
8. Hiring
Single-use anything is not good for our environment so check out websites especially thoughtful of our world around us . Forget plastic or paper glasses, no-one really likes to drink from these at a wedding... in favour of rented stemware—it looks more elegant—and forgo paper plates for rented China. It will automatically upgrade your whole wedding look and reduce landfill waste. The same goes for linens. Instead of paper napkins, rent linen napkins, tablecloths, and runners. Some venues even provide linens as part of the event space charge. And if you’re going for straws in mixed drinks, pick paper over plastic, which decompose more easily and won’t harm sea-life" . Hiring really makes sense. There are also many Swap or Buy sites now where you can pick up wedding bargains if you prefer to keep items. Credit source Brides UK
9. Attire
Renting is always an option, especially for Gents suits. Brides who love vintage styles might consider a gorgeous secondhand gown. The Wedding dress is one area where you might be forgiven for dare I say... forgetting an Eco-friendly option? What do you think?
10. Registry
There is an Eco-friendly option for most items now - organic bedding, bamboo plates, locally made items will be a good choice for the greenest wedding,and for the couple that already have a home and don’t require lots of unwanted household items, why not be totally Green and give them an Acre of Rain forest!
Small changes, big impact.
Chirpee Flowers are committed to being as Green as possible.
Ask us about our sustainability policy.
Follow Chirpee on Instagram. We try not to recycle photos :)
We are now booking for 2020 and even 2021 Weddings - contact us today to check for availability.
01273 951745
Email: chirpeeflowers@gmail.com