You may be reading this post because you are wondering how to plan a zero-waste wedding (in comparison to a low-waste wedding).
And while I thought about writing about producing no waste at all at your wedding, I personally had only a low-waste wedding. I found that a low-waste wedding is a very eco-friendly wedding and is easier to achieve than a no-waste or zero-waste wedding.
In fact, as long as you looking to achieve a sustainable wedding then you are on the right path!
You can read more about how we achieved a low-waste eco-friendly wedding here for only $2,000! One of the keys to a happy and beautiful wedding is keeping it simple and cost-effective. I mean, after all, your marriage is what is going to last not your wedding!
So let’s dive into all the details behind having a sustainable and green wedding with realistic tips and tricks!
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What Makes A Wedding Low-Waste or Zero-Waste
A waste-free wedding can be difficult to achieve but it is certainly not impossible! It is something that we should put in the effort for as we plan and attend weddings each year.
In fact, the statistics behind the waste at weddings are shocking.
This article has an infographic stating that weddings alone each year produce over one billion pounds of trash! That’s just insane.
We are actively hurting the environment in a tremendous way and not being good stewards of the land and resources God has entrusted us with when we don’t take action to have a low-waste wedding. We can each make a difference.
So, while the wedding waste statistics show that we produce too much trash at weddings, it shouldn’t leave us discouraged, but rather hopeful. We can be hopeful because there are intentional steps we can take to start making a difference today.
Related Post: The Worst Advice You Could Get In Your 20’s
To pursue a low-waste wedding we should first define the lingo that gets thrown around. What makes a wedding low-waste?
Low-waste means reducing your impact on the environment by producing as little plastic, energy, and unused resources as possible. It’s so easy in today’s culture to use an item once and then discard it.
We forget how quickly landfills fill up and the negative impact these piles of waste have on our environment over the long term. That’s why striving towards a zero-waste wedding is even better.
A zero-waste wedding means you produce no waste at all! You only use reusable items, nothing is discarded in the trash, and everything else is eco-friendly. You’ll be surprised how many guests will notice that you are doing this differently. It is responsible, wise, and kind to the earth. I know it will be appreciated by many of your wedding guests.
I personally love the low-waste wedding mindset because it brings you back to the heart of what truly matters – enjoying one of the best moments of your life with your closest friends and family.
When it comes to planning your wedding, do so knowing that a wedding is one day but your marriage is what is going to last for years to come. Everything else will fade away.
By planning a low-waste wedding, my husband and I found so much joy at our wedding that we have noticed at others. I don’t say that in a prideful way, but humbly because we felt that the lack of extra things, clutter, and trash left us at the heart of what was really important on our wedding day.
To have the best low-waste wedding or even a zero-waste wedding that’s practical, beautiful, and full of memories just follow my action steps below!
Check out this book on Amazon for a helpful guide on your green wedding journey!
What Makes A Wedding Eco-Friendly
First, to have an eco-friendly wedding I firmly believe that you need to have a small wedding. I would say having 50 people or less is an amazing way to stay eco-friendly because there is less to plan for, worry about, and less of an impact on the earth.
If this doesn’t seem reasonable for your situation and you would rather have a big wedding, just know that it is going to be much harder to take more intentional action to have a low-waste wedding.
The low-waste eco-friendly wedding you want is best achieved with fewer people. Plus, you’ll enjoy the quality time you have with the most important people in your life and you won’t be overwhelmed by too many unnecessary wedding details.
So, the first step to an eco-friendly wedding is creating the wedding list. Who is most important to you? Start discussing this with your boyfriend or girlfriend to see what the option of a smaller wedding might look like for you.
Related Post: How To Create The Best Amazon Wedding Registry In The World
Also, to have an eco-friendly wedding consider having your wedding outdoors.
Location is key to minimizing waste at your wedding. By bringing your wedding outdoors you are making nature do all the work – a beautiful venue that requires no effort, no extra decoration, and no time to set up or tear down (just the risk of rain or snow so have a backup option).
We got married in northern Wisconsin in September and you can see from this picture there truly was no need for us to decorate at all. The landscape spoke for itself.
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Keep the wedding local to reduce expensive travel which would result in a lower carbon footprint that guests have to make for your special day.
I also skipped bridal showers and bachelorette parties. We even skipped a wedding registry. We didn’t want unnecessary, wasteful gifts but instead just asked for cash to buy the necessary items we need in our life.
Don’t forget about this book I recommend to help you plan a simple wedding!
What Makes A Wedding Minimal and Green
When I think about a minimal wedding, I think of simple yet meaningful touches. To have a green wedding, you must think minimally.
The low-waste eco-friendly wedding does not have large, luxurious decorations. That would produce much more electricity and waste than desired.
Instead, ask friends, family, and community members to reuse their old wedding decorations. If they are not exactly what you are looking for, then DIY them to fit your wedding scheme.
If you don’t have any luck with that option then search Craigslist, LetGo, Facebook Marketplace, and other online re-sellers for options near you. Be sure to also check local thrift stores and Goodwill to see what reusable options they may have.
You can find so many cheap and almost brand-new centerpieces, vases, candles, arches, dishes, and even tables and chairs at thrift stores, and you’ll be supporting your local community. Basically, strive to not buy anything brand-new for your wedding.
As a last resort, reach out to a rental company for a budget-friendly reusable option!
What Makes A Wedding Sustainable
Sustainability is being environmentally, socially, and economically responsible. You care about the impact you are making on this earth and you desire to keep it in the best state you can. After all, there is only one earth!
However, people that live sustainable lives often forget to continue this practice when it comes to their weddings. Every one else is throwing around extra time, money, and resources for their wedding, so it’s easy to forget about your values on this special day.
To have a sustainable wedding, it starts with wedding invitations. Here is the simple answer: bring it all online. Sending e-vites is free, easy, and cheap!
We used Paperless Post for our wedding invitations because they were elegant and easy, and we loved the mission of the company.
Additionally, we had a wedding website on theknot.com where guests could find more information and read our love story.
Related Post: Our Love Story
If you still want to mail wedding save-the-dates and invitations use recycled paper and consider skipping save-the-dates to reduce your paper waste.
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The Best Tips for A Low-Waste Eco-Friendly Wedding On A Budget
While taking all the steps I have mentioned so far will automatically have you saving money, this is one of my favorite wedding budget hacks. Are you ready?
Up-cycle your wedding dress!
What does that mean exactly? Don’t buy your wedding dress new. Instead, creatively re-use the materials you can find to create the dress of your dreams or buy a pre-owned dress.
I’m telling you, there are some fantastic options out there that not many people are aware of. Here’s what I did…
I went on Poshmark, a clothing re-selling app, and browsed through the wedding dresses. I was sure to only look at ones that were in tip-top shape and messaged the seller for background information on the dress.
You see, I was not interested in purchasing a wedding dress from someone who smoked, had dirtied the dress, or had it in storage for an extended amount of time.
After messaging a seller on a beautiful BHLDN Anthropology dress that was originally hundreds of dollars I found that she wore it for only a few hours and didn’t need it anymore. It was in perfect condition, except for a tiny bit of dirt on the very bottom that I just ended up trimming off.
I purchased the almost brand-new dress for just $100. It was a blessing when the dress arrived needing no alterations except the slight trim of the bottom.
In fact, to read more about how we did our wedding so cheaply (yet beautifully! Yes, it’s possible!) check out this blog post. We spent only $2,000 and had a low-waste wedding that was beyond our dreams.
Other ways we saved money included my husband wearing a suit he already owned. I wore shoes and jewelry I already owned as well.
Related Post: How To Create Your First Successful Budget After College
To have a wedding on a budget, you need to first have a budget. Take this step as soon as you can. Decide how much money you have to spend, then divide it into categories. Leave some in miscellaneous because an unknown expense is sure to arise.
We bought just enough food to feed everyone after our wedding and used reusable utensils. We also used real flower petals for the flower girls that could decompose, and I thrifted their baskets. The flower girls wore dresses they could wear again.
Our guests got us small gifts but mostly we were gifted with cash and their help in purchasing the food and cooking it for us. We grilled burgers in the park we were married. I also used a local florist to avoid importing expensive flowers with pesticides that hurt the environment.
To also save money we skipped several things. We did not have wedding favors, seating charts, bridal parties, guest books, a caterer, lighting (only the sun!), and even decorations.
Everything was natural and cheap, and that is what made it so beautiful and enchanting. Contrary to popular belief, keeping your wedding simple is what keeps it special.
Check out this book on Amazon here!
Check out this book on Amazon here!
Overall, having a sustainable wedding was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have zero regrets and recommend a low-waste eco-friendly wedding to everyone.
You come back to the heart of what a wedding is all about – marrying your best friend and celebrating with those close to you.
Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference and change the world!
Have any questions for me while you plan your low-waste wedding? Leave them in the comments below! I answer every single one. Talk soon! (:
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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I’ve honestly never thought about the waste created by weddings before, so this was great food for thought!
Abby
abbymeister.com
Glad to introduce you to it, Abby!
I love that you posted this! In the next couple of years I may be getting married and having a zero waste wedding is something I think about. It’s what I want, but I don’t see many posts about how to make it possible or advice from those who have done it. This is super helpful and gives me hope that it isn’t as hard as it initially seems. Thanks!
Ah that’s amazing Maddie! It really isn’t hard, just keep in simple and focus on what truly matters!
Your wedding wasn’t just eco-friendly, but budget-friendly as well, and I think that’s phenomenal. You have some excellent tips here for future brides!
Thanks Stephanie!!
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