Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Wedding Ideas

Have you thought about having an eco-friendly wedding? Or even just incorporating a few small actions to have a more sustainable wedding with a smaller environmental impact?

With weddings happening on most weekends throughout the year in cities across the country, there’s a lot of increased or excess waste that comes with celebrating. Just a few examples include extra food, plastic packaging around each of your guest favors, shipping registry gifts, and literally tons of items thrown away like single-use plastic bottles, flowers, and printed paper items.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ECO-FRIENDLY?

Being “green” is a desire to consider your impact on nature or the world around you. It’s being more socially responsible and having a focus on your local community. Some might go as far as to say people with a focus on sustainability are being more thoughtful global citizens. Ultimately, you want to lower your impact on the environment and lessen your use of natural resources. The wedding industry is a huge business, and each couple has a social impact on how those dollars are spent!

SMALL STEPS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The good news is that it’s not an all-or-nothing endeavor. Even a few smaller actions can be beneficial. And who knows, showcasing your values through eco-friendly decisions might inspire your guests to become more environmentally thoughtful too!

TIPS FOR AN ECO-FRIENDLY WEDDING DAY

• Have your ceremony and reception in the same location
• Use local vendors
• Hire a caterer who specializes in local food or farm-to-table cuisine
• Use real glassware, plates, and utensils along with linen napkins since they can be washed and reused
• Use water dispensers instead of single-use plastic bottles
• Use paper straws instead of plastic straws
• Consider a single glass for guests to use all night long that can also double as their favor
• Eliminate anything printed like ceremony programs or menu cards
• Avoid guest favors unless they can be eaten or grown at home, or make a donation on behalf of your guests
• Designate separate trash and recycle bins, and make sure a catering team member monitors what goes in each one
• Take home or donate extra food (Be sure to check your caterer’s policy on this since every one is different)
• Opt for invitations made from recycled paper
• Use locally-grown or seasonally-available flowers
• Reuse, donate, or compost your flowers
• Provide group transportation instead of having each guest drive themselves
• Reduce your guest count to reduce extra food, waste, water use, packaging, and more

With a little thought about packaging, end use, and reuse, you can significantly reduce the environmental impact of your wedding and have an eco-friendly celebration that everyone will enjoy!

48 Fields Farm is a Leesburg Virginia barn wedding venue for celebrations of all sizes.
Our countryside barn and open fields are peacefully set in the heart of Northern Virginia wine country.

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