Conscious Considerations For A More Eco-Friendly Wedding
WRITTEN BY KARA ARMSTRONG
Kara Armstrong, MPH is the Founder of The Conscious Merchant, an eco-living retail brand designed to help mainstream Americans find eco-solutions through experiential shopping, community engagement and education. Applying her Masters in Public Health and 15 years of clinical research experience, Kara works with clients and the community to find safer, more sustainable solutions for their homes and lifestyle. In this issue, Kara shares how to create a more eco-friendly wedding.
Photo: Lucas Mendes (l) // Taylor Heery
Sustainable weddings have become increasingly popular, with more options and resources to make them more environmentally conscious becoming accessible all the time. Yet, not everyone is on board with a full-on lifestyle makeover for an eco-wedding, and that’s okay. There are many ways that even a small change in your planning can create a more eco-conscious celebration. In fact, some of them may even save you money! Here are six tips to host a more eco-conscious wedding:
TIP 1: KEEP IT SMALL
2020 made this trend easy. Keeping your wedding small helps reduce resources like invitations, event space and amenities, and travel emissions. This is especially impactful if you are planning a destination wedding.
TIP 2: CHOOSE THE OUTDOORS
Among the greatest things about living in Colorado are the endless options for picturesque backdrops. Skipping the indoor affair can reduce energy consumption as well as provide natural décor, decreasing the number of florals and disposable decorations one might typically utilize. If it fits in your budget, looking at local farms for farm-to-table dining can create an even more eco-friendly affair. And, if you are still looking for more flowers, stick with seasonal local flowers or dried arrangements. There are so many incredibly talented florists in Colorado focusing on these trends.
Photo: Anna V
TIP 3: BE INTENTIONAL IN ATTIRE
Picking a wedding dress was my favorite part of my wedding. Dress shopping can still be fun while being eco-friendly. Look for dresses that are timeless classics you may repurpose. You may choose to rent or shop more conscious brands like Reformation, Miranda Bennett Studios, or Denver’s very own The Green Bride. Choosing the gown is not the only way to be more intentional with clothing. Encouraging other wedding party members to rent their attire or wear something they will use again is another way to be more conscious, and, with 84% of all clothing ending up in a landfill, this might be a good place for any stylish wedding to be more eco-forward.
TIP 4: FOCUS ON THE FOOD
Designing the menu for a wedding is no simple feat. There are simple ways to make meal planning more eco-conscious. Stay away from the buffets. While it may feel like a way to meet everyone’s needs, so much food is wasted, and costs climb when you head the buffet route. Instead, finding a plated meal that fits your lifestyle or budget can reduce the amount of food waste and can even bring in more eco-friendly elements like local food sourcing and plant-based menus.
Photo: Cindy Barrour
TIP 5: DÉCOR AND MORE
From invitations to table settings, there are lots of places we tend to use single-use items that end up in the trash. Fortunately, in 2021 there are so many ways to be more eco-forward with all the details. For invitations and menus consider recycled materials or seed paper that can be planted by your guests. Going all electronic is no longer the faux pas of the 90s either. Have you seen all the QR codes being used? And, while social media can get a bad rap these days, places like Facebook Market Place make it easy to find unique and fun décor that can be reused and then even resold to make your wedding vision complete.
TIP 6: GREENER GIFTING
We have all probably received a wedding favor (or two) that ended up in the back of a drawer, or, dare I say, a landfill! Thanking your guests and marking the occasion can be done with greener gifting such as an edible treat, little seed starters, or plants. Another novel idea might even be a reusable cup or to-go container to reduce single-use and food waste while providing guests with leftovers for later!