Starting a New Life, the Sustainable Way
Eco-friendly is the way to go this wedding season and if you're having trouble curating the perfect wedding, here's your one-stop guide
2 hours ago
Eco-friendly weddings, alternatively known as green weddings or sustainable weddings are celebrations where the bride and the groom attempt to reduce and minimize the event's carbon footprint and subsequently, the negative effect on the environment. Green weddings are easier to plan in the present day as there are many more sustainable alternatives in the market for decor, gifts, invites, catering, etc. Though eco-friendly weddings may be slightly more expensive, they may be more fruitful in the long run.
Here are some tips to help you plan your eco-friendly wedding:
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Eco-friendly venue: This may be difficult for those living in areas with harsh weather conditions, but having an outdoor wedding could possibly be your best bet at an eco-friendly venue. Outdoor weddings reduce your carbon footprint and also can provide better lighting. In Korean culture it is common for multiple couples to use the same venue with the same decor. Wedding organizers rent out venues with specific decor to a bunch of couples and majority of the time the couples don't have much of a say in the choice of decor.
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Decor: Look for timeless decor that can be reused multiple times throughout the years, rather than going for single use ones that go straight into the bin after the event. Many spent enormous amounts of money on decor that they may use only for a couple hours, but the more sustainable alternative is to get decor that you can use in your house or to decorate other spaces whenever you wish, some decor can also be
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used for get togethers and other parties that you may want to host later on. It is key that you find timeless pieces, so as to ensure that no matter the time that has passed, the decor can still be used and considered classy.
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Food: Indian weddings see a lot of food waste as many opt for buffets, instead of plated dishes. Buffets always end up with excess food and this food in most cases is thrown out into the trash. To eliminate this waste, we could settle for plated dishes where everybody is given their serving so as to ensure that nothing is thrown out at the end. The extra food can later on be donated to a place where it's needed or to the homeless.
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Renting Dresses: It is very common in Korean culture to rent out one's wedding dress. This is the more ecologically friendly option and has also proven to be much more affordable. It reduces the amount of clothing being produced and material being wasted.
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Gift-bags: Gift bags are a great way to introduce people to the concept of eco friendliness. Filling gift bags with reusable items and items that replace un-sustainable goods can be a great way to push the sustainability model.
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Catering: Using caterers that source their fruits and vegetables from local farmers who use healthy means to grow their produce aids in having an eco-friendly wedding.
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Invites: Recycled paper has become the norm for a lot of people over the years and using this as an alternative for invites instead of regular paper has been catching on. Upcycled fabrics and wood has also been a creative alternative. An option that many have been leaning towards is “seed paper.” Seed paper is a biodegradable material that can be used for invites and after can be broken down by planting the paper in a pot and watering it to grow a plant.
Though there are many smaller changes that can be made, these are the ones that may have a bigger, more positive impact. These are small steps we can take to tackle a big issue.
