Incorporating sustainable practices into your life can take some extra thought and planning…and incorporating them into your wedding celebration is no exception.

Planning a wedding already requires a lot of careful thought and decision-making. And the idea of planning a wedding that aligns with your sustainable values? Sometimes that can feel a little overwhelming.

But don’t worry…we’ve got you covered!

Here are six helpful tips to help you think through how to plan a sustainable wedding, and to remind you that any small efforts really do make a difference – it doesn’t have to be perfect!

So, take a few deep breaths, relax, and read these tips as food for thought, not a mandatory checklist!

Sustainable Wedding Tip #1: Consider travel

Travel is one of the main contributors to a big carbon footprint for a wedding.

It makes sense, right? If you’re having a destination wedding and people are flying in, or if you have lots of out of town guests traveling to celebrate with you, there’ll be significant emissions that come along with that.

If you’re hoping to reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding, here are some ideas to keep in mind:

🌿If your celebration will require air travel, you can consider choosing a venue that’s relatively close to the airport to decrease the amount of extra travel needed.

🌿Arranging shuttles or carpools can be a convenient and environmentally friendly way to get your guests from one place to another, and can help them get to know each other, too.

🌿Think about making a Small & Local guide for out of town guests. This is a great way to encourage them to explore the local, walkable area while they’re visiting for your wedding. (This doesn’t need to be anything fancy!...just a list of your favorite shops, trails, markets, restaurants…whatever you recommend!)

Sustainable Wedding Tip #2: Do you love this tradition, or is it just…a tradition?

Weddings come with a lot of traditions…and, sometimes, a lot of emotions tied to those traditions!

As you and your partner plan your wedding, ask yourselves Is this tradition important to us?

Because sometimes…the answer is no! (And that’s ok!)

If there’s a tradition that doesn’t matter to you, you shouldn’t feel pressured to include it in your day.

In fact, a ‘no’ to a tradition that’s not important to you can be a ‘yes’ to reducing waste by eliminating whole categories of consumption.

🌿Don’t care about flowers for your attendants? Skip them!
🌿Not a fan of a big send-off with bubbles or sparklers or birdseed? No need to plan one!

🌿Could go either way on stationery? Go fully electronic for your invites and RSVPs!

Maybe there’s a tradition that’s important to one of your parents or another close family member. If it’s not particularly meaningful to you but you’d still like to honor them, think about a compromise where you can incorporate that tradition on a small, sustainable scale.

Take wedding favors, for example – this is an area that can create a lot of waste, but sometimes older generations see favors as an important part of wedding etiquette.

But how many times have you seen a lovely table covered in forgotten-about favors left over at the end of a reception?

If favors are a must for whatever reason, it’s a great idea to choose items that are either consumable or easily donated.

🌿Aim for consumable and practical items like food, treats, flower seeds, or even small plant starts.

🌿Avoid items that are plastic, single-use, or knick-knacky, and items that include monograms or branding (which makes donation tricky).

🌿Make sure any leftovers can be easily donated after the wedding, or that they’re so practical you’d like to keep them yourself!

Sustainable Wedding Tip #3: Your vendors & venue matter

Your vendors and venue are important points of consideration when you’re thinking about how to plan a sustainable wedding.

These questions are helpful to keep in mind as you and your partner are narrowing down your options.

Does this vendor:

🌿have proper recycling and composting practices?

🌿work hard to avoid single-use items?

🌿use any alternative energy sources or water recycling?

When we give business to this vendor, who are we supporting?
🌿Is this a BIPOC- or LGBTQ-owned business?
🌿Is this business aligned with a particular cause we care about?
🌿Does this business support ethical labor practices and thoughtfully source the items they use?

Remember, the goal isn’t perfection – but when you see an opportunity to choose between ‘good’ and ‘better’ it can be worth the extra effort!

*Photo by* *Melanie Siegrist Photography*

Sustainable Wedding Tip #4: Embrace local & seasonal

What’s a celebration without great food?!

Focusing on local and seasonal when you’re planning a reception menu goes a long way in terms of sustainability.

Not only can you support local farmers and cut way down on the distance your food travels to get to the table, you can also highlight the local food landscape for your guests!

Besides incorporating local and sustainable when possible, it’s wise to:

🌿work hard to get an accurate headcount to minimize waste.

🌿make arrangements to donate leftover food when the reception ends.

Donation options could include a local soup kitchen, family shelter, the hospital break room, or another organization whose staff you’d love to gift with some tasty grub.

And remember: local and seasonal can go beyond just food!

Look for a florist who sources blooms from local farms to take advantage of what’s in season. And if you’re celebrating outdoors, maybe you don’t need many flowers in the first place…nature has already done the decorating for you!

Sustainable Wedding Tip #5: Think outside the box

The elements of your wedding should add to your experience of joy, self-expression, and authentic celebration. As you’re considering how to plan a sustainable wedding, keep in mind that a lot of unnecessary waste can come from doing what you feel like you’re ‘supposed’ to do!

If you’ve always imagined saying ‘I do’ under an elaborate flower arch, then by all means…have the flower arch!

But, if a flower arch seems like the thing to have because Pinterest keeps showing it to you…skip the flower arch!

Use your energy and budget to do what’s truly important to you as a couple, and don’t let norms and traditions dictate your choices.

Here are a few outside-the-box ideas for creating a more sustainable wedding:

🌿Re-think your guest list size. Bigger isn’t always better!

🌿Don’t consult Pinterest until you’ve already decided what’s important to you as a couple. Once you feel solid about what matters to you, you’ll be able to filter out all the ideas that just don’t apply…and that can save a lot of time, money, and waste!

🌿Work with a wedding planner who supports couples’ efforts to make sustainable celebration choices!

Sustainable Wedding Tip #6: Don’t reinvent the wheel

Last but not least – and maybe easiest to incorporate – is this tip: you don’t have to reinvent the wheel!

To plan a sustainable wedding, borrowing, renting, and thrifting are the way to go!

In general, when you’re thinking about decor and attire for your wedding, it doesn’t have to be new and it doesn’t have to be yours!

Of course everyone has items they want to pick out brand new, or things they’ll want to keep and cherish. But…the majority of what’ll be used on your wedding day doesn’t fall into that category.

So, consider:

🌿If you’ll have signage at your wedding, work with a vendor who rents signs that are customized for your day, then reused for another couple (and another, and another!...)

🌿Attire rental is a great option.

🌿Encourage your wedding party to wear clothes they already have, love, and feel comfortable in.

🌿Check Marketplace or thrift shops for decorations (then resell or donate those items when you’re done with them).

🌿If you’ll be having any showers or parties leading up to your wedding, let the people planning those know that you’d love to be able to re-purpose decorations.

Bonus! Tip #7: Check out these wedding footprint calculators

If you’re curious about what your wedding footprint might look like, take a look at these resources from Mindfully Wed and Sustainable Wedding Alliance.

Evergreen Event Co. – sustainable Seattle wedding planners

At Evergreen Event Co., we help you and your partner plan a celebration that’s uniquely you!

We work with you to design a memorable, beautiful wedding that celebrates your love story in a mindful, sustainable way. We support and encourage our couples every step along the way, including offering access to our free decor rental closet.

If you’re local to the Seattle area and curious about how we can help you plan a sustainable wedding, let’s chat!

I want to learn more!

How to Plan a Sustainable Wedding: 6 Essential Tips