100 Ideas For An Eco Friendly Wedding: Your Guide To A Green Wedding

The Green Issue has taught us many things, but one of the biggest takeaways is the little actions, the little changes we can make, just like in our everyday lives, in our wedding – to make the day a little kinder on the planet.

And we also know that these ideas can seem so very overwhelming, Where do you even start? So today, we’ve rounded up 100 ideas – everything from choosing an eco-friendly location for your big day to ditching plastic.

We’ve scoped out 100 ideas because we want to offer you up all kinds of inspiration with all kinds of effort – from little to huge. Because let’s be clear – it’s a big task doing all of these, and frankly, impossible. There are ones that completely won’t suit or fit your vision for the day. And that’s okay, in fact, it’s encouraged. The best kind of change starts with just a couple of actions. Like everything involved in a wedding, choosing what is most important to you, and making them count is the biggest difference you can make.

Dates & Vendors

Choose a lunchtime wedding
Choose a date where the weather isn’t likely to be too hot (requiring air conditioning) or too cold (requiring heating)
Look for vendors who proudly state their eco-friendly practices
Use vendors who are local to your wedding
Opt out of printing any paperwork or contracts (unless you need to!) and keep digital copies instead
Choose a photographer who shoots digitally

Gown by Love Me Twice Photo by Sean Tak via Six Australian Eco-Friendly Wedding Gown Brands You Need to Know

Gowns & Attire

Look for a second-hand gown
Upcycle a family heirloom gown
Rent a wedding gown
Choose designers who produce in ethical factories
Look for designers who are eco-minded, working to reduce fabric waste
Choose fabrics like organic cotton
Support the local economy and choose Australian made and designed gowns
Rent the suit
Choose a vintage suit
Choose a suit design that will not be worn just once, but again and again
Choose natural, eco-friendly fabrics
Donate your wedding outfits after the fact
Choose pieces you can wear again
Choose vegan shoes

Flowers

Choose in-season blooms, grown locally (not shipped in from overseas)
Ditch the floral foam
Donate any blooms at the end of the night to guests (posy station!) or nursing homes
Repurpose floral arrangements, like your ceremony arbour, at the reception.
Work with potted plants
Check with your florist to see if they can avoid single waste plastics and deliver blooms in reusable pieces or recycled paper
Compost any additional leftover blooms at the end of the day

Ring by Zoe Pook Jewellery via What Makes An Engagement Ring Ethical?

Jewellery

Choose fair trade jewellers
Ask and choose only fairtrade diamonds and gemstones
Look for ethically sourced metals
Wear vintage pieces and choose a vintage engagement ring
Repurpose existing jewellery into a new piece

Catering & Cake

Look for locally sourced produce and food
Serve up seasonal foods. For instance, berries in summer, apples in winter
Serve your meals on actual crockery and if using paper items, make them recycled
Consider partnering with an organisation to take any food waste
Box up leftovers for guests to take home
Devise a vegan wedding menu
Source your alcohol from local producers
Source alcohol in bulk – look for options like kegs instead of individual beer bottles.
Choose caterers that support local or social initiatives like the Asylum resource centre
Check if you can return any unused alcohol to the source
Compost any food waste
Choose organic produce
Serve organic wine and liqueurs
If using straws, make them paper or better yet reusable straws
Ditch bottled water and serve glass carafes or coolers
Choose a cake designer who sources their produce locally or organically
Opt for a vegan wedding cake
Ditch false tiers and instead opt for a smaller cake.

Photo by harustudio photography via Miyuki and Gareth’s Intimate Eco-Friendly Wedding At A Wildlife Sanctuary

Venue & Rentals

Choose a location close to the majority of your guests
Choose a venue that requires minimal decoration
Reduce the number of guests
Use an existing venue, instead of a blank canvas such as a field where you need to bring everything (including toilets!) in
Have your ceremony and reception at the one venue
Choose an outdoor venue
Ban single-use plastics and disposables from the wedding
Look for a venue who is energy star rated and environmentally conscious
Use actual glassware and plates that can be washed and used again
If you need to use disposable crockery, opt for something biodegradable like bamboo pieces
Use fabric napkins
Opt for wooden tables – no need for linens!
Provide recycling bins for guests next to normal bins

Stationery & Paper Treats

Opt for digital invitations
Use recycled papers
Opt for biodegradable paper such as seed papers
Limit the stationery pieces to one and offer a website for more information
Ask guests to RSVP via a website or email
Opt for a few menus per table instead of one per person
Use soy or vegetable-based inks for printing
Use something fun like leaves for place cards
Look for naturally based papers like organic cotton and linen
Opt for signage over individually printed pieces like the order of service booklets or menus
Opt for signage options that can be easily reused, such as mirrors or chalkboards

Seedling wedding favours by Nicola Goring – rubyandjoy via Seedling Wedding Favours Tutorial

Decor

Hire as much decor as you can
Borrow decor pieces from friends and family
Upcycle pieces you have around the house and incorporate them into your wedding decor
After the wedding, sell or pass on your decor pieces to another bride
Use organic fabrics for table linens like linen and cotton
Use candles as your primary light source
Use beeswax and naturally produced candles
Use LEDs if you do need lighting
Choose double-duty decor like place cards that double as favours, or favours that double as table decor.
Refuse to package wedding favours in plastic

Added extras

Work with a hair and makeup artist who use products that are organic, vegan and cruelty-free.
Choose eco-friendly confetti options
Gift your guests edible favours
Make a charitable donation in lieu of favours
Pot your own seedlings and herbs to gift your guests (see more eco-friendly wedding favours here)
Transport guests on buses together, or if your venues are close together consider walking together!
Arrange carpooling for guests
Carbon offset your guest flights
Instead of gifts ask for donations to your favourite charity
Instead of gifts, ask for contributions to something bigger like art or a trip
Request that gifts on registry arrive unwrapped