10 Waste-Free Wedding Hacks for a Low-Impact Celebration

Weddings create some of life’s best memories, but they can also generate excess waste. Minimizing your wedding’s planetary impact is possible if you prioritize it during your wedding planning process.

Check out waste-free wedding hacks to host a low-impact ceremony and reception. You’ll make your wedding dreams come true without compromising your sustainable values.

 

1. Create a Smaller Guest List

When you start putting your guest list together, you’ll realize you’re adding people beyond just family members. Their partners, your older friends and even your co-workers become potential additions to your big day.

If you keep your guest list small, your event will generate less waste. The average U.S. wedding has 146 attendees, but you can send invites to your closest loved ones to minimize things like wasted food at your reception.

 

2. Select Washable Dinnerware

Catering teams often use paper or plastic dinnerware at big events to keep things simple. They can clean up faster after a reception ends, but all the silverware and every plate end up in landfills.

Look for a business that rents dinnerware close to your venue. You’ll only have to rinse your dinnerware off before returning it after your wedding ends.

 

3. Get Food From Local Farms

The restaurant catering for your reception will include ingredients from the vendor’s usual suppliers. They may be national companies shipping in the food for your wedding. See if your vendors can purchase ingredients from local farms instead.

Growing and processing food for mass consumption contributes 30% to emissions that cause global warming. Buying locally keeps you from participating in that waste and gives you fresher food that your guests are less likely to waste.

 

4. Skip the Exit Ceremony Confetti

Couples almost always plan a fun exit ceremony to get more wedding pictures. You might love the idea of guests throwing confetti over you and your partner as you run to your getaway car, but the confetti pollutes the local environment.

Skip the exit ceremony altogether by planning a different activity with everyone. Your guests could join you in a group dance for alternative photos that are twice as fun. It’s one of the waste-free wedding hacks that’s nearly effortless.

 

5. Plan Vegan Entrees

The meat industry is notorious for its environmental impact. In addition to its carbon emissions, it also uses around 22 billion cubic meters of water annually to raise cows and process beef. If you serve vegan entrees, your reception will have a minimal effect on the planet.

Don’t worry about not getting any protein at your reception. Choose a meat substitute like tofu. The versatile ingredient contains 34 grams of protein per serving, but you can also consider options like beans and high-fiber veggies to keep everyone satisfied while they’re dancing.

 

6. Shop for Dresses at Thrift Store

Wedding dresses are for one-time events. People spend tons of money on gowns they don’t reuse, which means they participate in the waste of natural resources that goes into wedding dress production.

You can avoid this environmental harm by shopping for your wedding dress at a thrift store. Your previously-loved gown will likely look just as beautiful as anything in a boutique because people take great care not to stain or rip their wedding dresses.

 

7. Design Silk Flower Arrangements

Flowers are a quintessential part of weddings. They also consume plenty of water while they grow, which drains the environment of the limited natural resource. Opt for silk flowers instead. Your big day will look stunning because the faux flower industry strives to make their reusable florals look identical to those in any garden.

You won’t have to throw your flowers away after your reception ends either. The blooms you turn into flower crowns could transform into household floral arrangements that look beautiful forever. Choose silk flowers you’d love to see around your home to invest in arrangements that double as long-term decor.

 

8. Arrange a Recycling Plan

Working with a local recycling company is one of the waste-free wedding hacks that’s easy to forget. Call a few companies to compare their quotes for a one-night recycling service contract. They could drop off a few bins for your reception and pick them up the next day. If your guests can recycle the plastic cups provided by your bartender, your big day will be much better for the environment.

 

9. Request Wedding Donations to Environmental Charities

Gift registries help new couples fill their shared living space with everything they need to start the next chapter of their lives. The only challenge is that many modern couples live together long before their marriage ceremonies. If you can’t think of enough gift ideas to create a registry, start a donation fund instead.

Environmental charities primarily function entirely on donations, but people can forget to donate outside of unofficial national holidays like Giving Tuesday. Invite your loved ones to give a few dollars to your favorite sustainable charities to help the planet and reduce your wedding planning stress.

 

10. Send Digital Invitations

Paper invitations might look gorgeous, but they waste paper. People also contribute to deforestation when they print invitations that guests ultimately throw away. Send digital invites instead to avoid this type of wedding waste.

The invitation website you use could even automatically schedule notifications to remind your guests when they’re months or weeks away from your big day.

 

Plan the Ultimate Waste-Free Wedding

Looking into waste-free wedding hacks will align your ceremony and reception with your green values. Whether you send digital invitations, set up reception recycling or dine on food from local farms, you’ll have an incredible day that celebrates the planet as much as your love story.

 

 

Author Bio: Oscar Collins is the editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about a broad spectrum of topics. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for frequent updates on his work.

 

 

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