Inspiration

5 TIPS FOR A SUSTAINABLE WEDDING

Mar 29, 2019

By Mitali Chhajed of Eco Right

When we talk about green weddings we don’t mean the bride walking down the aisle in an organic biodegradable paper dress. Nor do we hint on low-flow toilets. Or bargaining on the lavishness and extravagance of your one special day.

Sustainable weddings are the new trend of recent times, thanks to eco-conscious people understanding their responsibility towards the environment. The idea of a green wedding can be as appealing as that of a normal one. And contrary to popular beliefs, a sustainable wedding does not require sacrificing your budget. It, in fact, costs you much less than a conventional wedding.

GET MARRIED OUTDOORS

The venue sets the stage for your dreamy affair. That’s why we recommend a daytime outdoor wedding. What’s better than exchanging vows on a balmy day besides nature and a splendid sun overhead? By getting married outdoors, you can save majorly on energy. If you are getting married in a refurbished barn, you can try vintage themes. Hilltops and botanical gardens are perfect settings for a sustainable wedding. You can alternatively look for hotels that use energy saving appliances, green decor and biodegradable products.

SWITCH TO GREEN INVITES

Yes, you guessed it right. Instead of sending our paper invites, switch to e-invites. E-invites largely cuts down on both the wastage and costs. Millions of trees are cut down every year to make paper products. Or you can lookout for vendors that offer services like invites made of recycled paper, and vegetable-based inks.

DECIDE ON DECOR

The decor is the deal-breaker in any event. But what’s pleasing to the eye might not always be pleasing to nature. Instead of going for plastic flowers and artifacts, you can use real flowers grown organically without any chemicals. Shop from local florists to cut down on the cost and fuel used in the transportation of the decor. Another eco-friendly option is to choose potted flowering plants as centerpieces, that can be taken home or given away as wedding favors to guests.

Eco-friendly wedding favors

Since we are talking about weddings, eco-friendly wedding favors make for great thank you gifts to your friends and relatives. This way, you are not only embracing a sustainable wedding but also inspiring your guests to go green. We are looking at some of the best green gifting ideas with EcoRight. You can hand out seeds or plant saplings in gold foil drawstring bags from EcoRight. Or you can get them customized with your theme. These bags are ethically manufactured in SEDEX audited facilities and the fabrics used are biodegradable and eco-friendly. The drawstring bags can be a fond remembrance of your special day long after your wedding is over when your guests use them for storing jewelry or other items.

Personalized wedding favors

CHOOSE AN IN-SEASON FOOD MENU

If you are looking out for organic produce, it can get slightly heavy on your budget. Instead, try sourcing locally-produced, farm fresh raw veggies and fruits that are in season. These will cost you much less and taste best. When bought directly from growers you are supporting small businesses, local farmers and doing good to the Earth by avoiding travel, storage, and refrigeration costs. Similarly, get bakery items from your neighborhood bakery for cake and other sweets.

There’s now an eco-friendly option for just about everything you might normally need in your wedding celebrations. Opt for a sustainable wedding and go kind on nature and your surroundings.

5 BIG WEDDING IDEAS YOU SHOULD GET IN ON THIS SEASON

Sep 24, 2018

With fall comes cool, crisp weather and gorgeous greenery, which is the perfect recipe for a seasonal wedding. Autumn not only sets a pretty scene, but its earthy color schemes also make for beautiful paper goods and fashions. When you are trying to decide when you want to celebrate your big day, you cannot go wrong with fall. We have listed five big wedding ideas that we think you should get in on this season. Let’s get started!

1. New Age Bohemian

There something really charming about a barn wedding. Whether it is an old barn or one that has been newly built, a barn wedding is filled with charm. For the past seasons, the rustic look is being flavored with DIY-style floral arrangements and casual food. For 2018 fall, bohemian will be the new rustic. It is a look that is somewhat relaxed and at the same time a bit more elevated than the down-home rustic feel.

2. Fall Foliage

A garden wedding looks romantic, and fresh flowers make all the difference. For people who love flowers, this is for them. Transforming aisles into garden beds will look extremely beautiful by using potted plants in your ceremony décor. You can wrap the pots in silk fabrics to hide the pot and create a beautiful look that will blend with the natural environment and will be pleasing to the eye. Plus, potted plants are a much more sustainable option when it comes to decorating your day!

3. Deep Hues And Black Accents

When we talk about the colors on a wedding, Light and airy colors, including blush, peach, and mint, have been popular for a while. When it comes to 2018 fall weddings, a slightly deeper color palette is what will look trendy. More vibrant and more dramatic hues like burgundy and edgy black accents will look amazing in the floral arrangement. Gold and copper also have been in demand for some time now, and we will maybe start to see a little more silver and chrome as well.

4. Lighting

Lighting at a wedding is the most critical detail and makes all the difference. Your wedding lighting demands not only your attention but an attention to detail as well. You can create a combination of hanging bulbs, large and small, and wrap the lengths of stringed lights around trees. Glass candles can be decorated with glittered rims that will give off a soft glow. Put amber candles on the tables to give off a warmer glow, creating a romantic autumnal ambiance.

5. Ruffled Cakes

If you want to rock a rustic look for your wedding cake which also gives off traditional vibes, then ruffled cakes will offer the best blend of both. With ivory icing and classic flowers will give off the perfect relaxed, ruffle effect.

Fall in love with these wedding ideas and make your event more beautiful and memorable. Want more?

photo credit: Alexandra Grace Photography | Carlo Weiss | Ashley Cook Photography | Nicole Berrett Photography | Susie Marie Photography

About the Author || Kristal Bean is a Southern California-based writer and sometimes guitarist. In her free time, she homeschools, works out and listens to live music. She regularly posts at Green Light Booking.

FAIR TRADE WELCOME BAGS FROM THE LITTLE MARKET

Feb 19, 2018

If you haven’t checked out The Little Market, it’s a must. Filled with so many products that empower women artisans through the world, this lil company makes it super easy to give something beautiful while making an impact. We are especially loving these Fair Trade Burlap bags which happen to be available for all of the top wedding destinations from Aspen to Hawaii to Jackson Hole and more.

Each purchase supports Corre Jute. Corr Jute empowers destitute, rural women in Bangladesh through handicraft production. The women artisans, who are mostly illiterate, make beautiful handicrafts with local materials during free time between household activities. Corr Jute not only creates market access, but also provides job training and develops leadership skills. The women are able to supplement their marginal family income, contributing towards better living conditions.

EAMES & ETHICAL: A STYLED WEDDING SHOOT

Nov 30, 2017

We’re back with another guest post from maker and storyteller, Praise Santos of ComePlum Photography! For those of you who haven’t heard of her yet, she is a San Francisco based photographer that we have a MAJOR crush on. Please hop over to her site, ComePlum, and soak up all the beauty of her photography that creates more awareness around the Ethical Weddings movement. But in the meantime, we’re excited to have her share this Ethical Styled Shoot inspired by the movers and shakers of the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, Charles and Ray Eames. Check out the original post here.

I get excited about a lot of things (Tuesdays, all the fake National Instagram holidays, the rumor of Miss Frizzle and the Magic School Bus making a come back, etc.), but the one thing that really gets me up in the morning? A generation of people who want to make a positive difference in the world through their wedding day. This is Ethical Weddings.

Allow me to break down the buzzword of ethical (which is in the same pool party as sustainable, impactful, conscious, etc.): Ethical Weddings collaborate with ethical vendors (local, small business or vendors that donate their time, product, or profit), incorporate ethical products (thrifted, up-cycled, fair trade, charitable, or from a social enterprise), donate to a good cause in lieu of gifts, and/or appreciate the environment by reducing waste in innovative ways.

And the groovy part?
There are a many, many ways to make one’s wedding day ethical, to make it an investment back into a community and the environment instead of simply consuming it!

Who wouldn’t want that? I see all your digital hands raised!

But, I get it, we barely know where to start sometimes.

So, I’ve collaborated with some of the most talented makers and creatives to put together this styled-shoot to help you dream of what an Ethical Wedding could look like.

Inspired by the movers and shakers of the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, Charles and Ray Eames, this shoot has splashes of the 1950s and 1960s sprinkled throughout and highlights sustainable, impactful, and hellah cool products and vendors.

Grab a drink, enjoy, and show my fellow creatives some love!