We’re all trying to be more sustainable and reduce our environmental impact and that shouldn’t stop on your wedding day! To kick off our Ultimate Guides series and 2022, we’ve put together some easy and practical recommendations to help you have an eco-friendly wedding day.
The Clothes
If you’re going for a vintage theme, why not make it authentic? Look online, there are so many beautiful vintage and second hand wedding dresses to choose from. If one of the ladies in your family have a dress sitting in their wardrobe, make the most of it! Take it to a seamstress who will be able to make any alterations and tailor it to your body. By reusing a dress, you’re saving it from ending up in landfill or just sitting there. Also, it will be lovely to be able to compare photos with whoever wore the dress originally!
For the groom and groomsmen, consider renting suits. There’s no need to buy new to just wear once. Take advantage of choosing a more expensive brand for a fraction of the cost of buying new. If the groomsmen are planning on wearing the suit again the near future, pick an ethical supplier.
Wedding Stationary
It’s easy to reduce the impact your invitations have on the environment. Use recycled paper or send them electronically. Stay away from glitter or foil, these can land once easy to recycle cardboard in landfill.
Avoid elaborate placeholders, use leaves and write your guests names on them, when disposed of they will biodegrade and can fit really well with an autumn wedding theme. Edible placeholders are another great way to reduce waste. For example, use food safe ink to label macaroons. Go as minimal as possible, recyclable card with leaves to prop it up is functional and looks great.
Decorations
Choose a venue that speaks for itself and is beautiful without excessive decorations. The rustic charm of Over Barn can be decorated minimally and still look breathtaking.
Don’t buy all new decorations, consider hiring them. The Stable is available to all Over Barn couples, we supply high quality decorations that can be reused event after event. If there’s something you’ve bought new and really don’t want to use in your own home, consider giving them away to guests, charity, or advertise on your local buy and sell group.
Balloons are a huge issue when it comes to plastic waste, they take hundreds of years to breakdown and release microplastics into the soil. Paper chains or garlands can be just as decorative, without the added plastic. Create DIY bunting from pre-loved fabrics, use what you have at home or travel around charity shops finding material which suits your theme. Completely avoid sky lanterns, as pretty as they look, they can cause suffering to livestock or create a fire hazard.
The Rings
Instead of buying brand new, go vintage! Use family heirlooms or visit a vintage store. No one else will have the same ring as you, it really will be one of a kind.
If diamonds are your thing, consider the origins carefully. You don’t want to purchase one which has been used to fund civil wars. Lab-made diamonds have much less environmental impact and you can be sure they haven’t been involved in conflict trade.
Confetti
Many venues have banned confetti that isn’t biodegradable, so important to think about when selecting yours. Dried petals work wonderfully, they add colour to the celebratory moment without affecting the ecosystem. Bird seed has the same affect as traditional confetti and gives the local wildlife a tasty treat! Seed or biodegradable paper are simple options that are kind to our planet.
Food and Drink
Consider the suppliers used by your caterers. If you choose Over Farm Catering for your wedding, we can assure you that all our food is sourced locally or by grown by us, reducing the food miles. Seasonal dishes like pumpkin soup in the autumn or pavlova in the summer can really make use of the produce that is readily available.
Consider providing a solely vegan or vegetarian menu to decrease your carbon footprint. If this is too much for you and your guests, try providing a vegan starter and opting for meat on the main.
Ask your venue where they source the drinks they sell behind the bar. At Over Barn, we sell Sibling Gin which has only travelled a short distance from the distillery in Cheltenham and beer from Gloucester Brewery who contribute to a tree planting programme.
Ensure your caterers avoid single use crockery and cutlery, renting is a good option if you have to supply your own. Single use straws and cups can be a source of unnecessary waste so make sure your venue provides plenty of glassware and paper straws.
Flowers
Working with seasonal blooms is the best thing you can do for the environment. There’s no need to import flowers from abroad, use what we have growing here in the UK if you can! From roses and sunflowers for an autumn wedding, to daisies and cornflowers in the summer, there’s so many to choose from. Our friends at Ravenshill Flower Farm provide lovely fresh flowers from April to October, and dried flowers all year round.
Ask your florist to avoid using foam or plastic in their arrangements. There are plenty out their who avoid these materials completely and still produce beautiful arrangements. Looking out for certifications is another great way to check the origin of your flowers. If your florist is approved by The Soil Association, you can be confident your bouquet is ethically sourced.
Let your guests take some flowers for their home at the end of the day. Keep some for yourself, you could even press some as a keepsake of your special day. If there are any leftover, take them to a local nursing home, hospital, or homeless shelter to brighten up someone else’s day.
Favours
Ditch the favours, your guests don’t need them! Put a note on each table and let everyone know you have donated to a charity on their behalf. If you’re feeling ultra-sustainable, choose a charity which aids eco causes.
If you really want to provide favours, choose something you know will be useful for your guests. We have loads of ideas in our Wedding Favours That Are Actually Useful blog post.
Travel
Don’t choose a venue that’s miles away from where most of your guests live. Of course, there will always be some that don’t live locally but go with the majority. Cutting down on travel time and flights abroad will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of your big day. Over Barn is conveniently located 2 miles from the centre of Gloucester, providing that countryside location without the huge travel time.
Read Why Get Married in Gloucester? for some local inspiration.
Consider the environment on your wedding day, by just following one or two of these recommendations. After all, the small changes we make today will have a big impact in the long run.
If you’re looking for a barn wedding venue in Gloucester, why not take a look around Over Barn? We’d love to hear from you, so drop us a message to book a viewing.
