The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (2024)

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding

3/15/2021

11 Comments

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (1)

Throwing a sustainable, zero-waste, and ethical wedding does not have to feel impossible. I created this guide as a way to help put all the options in one place.In June of 2019, my husband and I pulled off our very own sustainable wedding andI am so excited to share the eco-friendly an zero-waste options you have at yourdisposal, hah, you see what I did there?

If you are here as a new bride, congrats! If your here because you want to get your research done before the ring is on your finger, awesome! Take a moment and give yourself a pat on the back for caring enough about the earth to learn how to go about a green wedding.

I want to preface this guide by saying I worked as a wedding photographer for a decade in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. I’ve photographed over 100 couples and thus have seen a lot of different types of weddings, and in turn, have seen first-hand the amount of waste that is produced from the average wedding day. Even then, when I wasn’t the conscious consumer I am today, it raised a red flag in my mind.

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (2)

A 130 person wedding on average produces 62 tons of carbon dioxide and 400-600 lbs of waste. These numbers include everything from the wedding invitations to the flowers to the wedding dress.

An opposition arises when you try to have an earth-friendly wedding within the confines of modern wedding culture. We are constantly bombarded by pictures and ideas on Pinterest of perfect personalized weddings with all the trimmings. Then you have the concept of zero waste, which can feel so minimal and bare, making a bride feel like there’s very little wiggle room to make it feel special for herself and her guests.

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (3)

The good news is that there are so many options for making your day feel special while still achieving an earth-conscious wedding. Once you understand the basics of having a green wedding then you can choose your own adventure from there. I can tell you from personal experience with my wedding that we were able to achieve a beautiful aesthetic without having to compromise our earth-friendly values.

In this guide, we will go over the options you have from finding an ethical engagement ring to where you can buy an eco-friendly wedding dress. While we talk over these options, I’ll provide you with what I chose for my low to no-waste wedding so that you have some experience to fall back on and you know you are not alone as you plan your own big day.

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (4)

Sign up below and I'll send you the free Green Wedding Guide!

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (5)

The Green Wedding Guide covers:

  • The top ethical and conflict-free ring companies
  • The best fair trade and sustainably made wedding dress companies
  • How to go about sending invites to cut down on your carbon footprint and reduce waste
  • How to set up a conscious consumer wedding registry
  • Tips on how to cut down on food waste and the right questions to ask your wedding caterer
  • The best places to get eco-friendly glitter and confetti (because duh)
  • Other sustainable wedding tips you might not have thought of!

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (6)

Happy green wedding planning!

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (7)

The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (8)

11 Comments

Katherine Parchman

4/9/2019 07:15:10 pm

requesting zero-waste guide

Reply

Kelsey

4/10/2019 09:08:11 am

Hi Katherine - Thanks for your interest! did you enter your info in the area above to have it sent to you?

Reply

4/16/2019 07:23:24 pm

Love this! Cant wait to finish reading your guide. Planning a zero waste wedding takes a little extra creativity so your ideas are very much welcome! Beautiful blog btw!

Reply

Kelsey

4/17/2019 05:58:53 am

It's totally my pleasure Tiffany! Enjoy the guide and let me know if you have any questions!

Reply

Bronwyn

8/15/2019 04:53:01 pm

Requesting guide :)

Reply

Ryann Mickens

12/23/2019 09:09:15 am

Requesting a guide☺️

Reply

5/14/2020 06:29:33 pm

A great read with great info! We are in the process of planning our wedding and would love to do it in the most sustainable and eco-friendly way possible, especially just our blog is all about achieving a sustainable lifestyle on the pursuit to financial independence. Appreciate the guide and post!

Reply

12/17/2020 05:25:48 pm

Great wedding tips. My sister is getting married. I need to get her a venue.

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Patricia

12/10/2021 07:05:19 am

Requesting a guide

Reply

Lilli

1/27/2023 12:46:16 pm

Helping my friend plan her eco-friendly wedding!

Reply

8/28/2023 02:56:47 am

Thank you very much for writing this; I really enjoyed your site. Having said that, I am overjoyed to have found such a well-written piece on the topic of sustainable, zero-waste, ethical weddings. So that you don't have to go digging around, I made this tutorial. My now-husband and I successfully executed a green wedding in June of this year, and I can't wait to tell you about all the wonderful green and zero-waste possibilities available to you. Please keep it up; I appreciate it. Come across Jukeboxhireinsydney.com.au and hope you can visit this too to get more information.

Reply

    The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (9)

    Meet Kelsey,

    Thanks for stopping by Green Willow Homestead! From chicken rearing to composting, we've got our hands full and we love sharing what we've learned along the way. Follow along as we turn the 80 acres we call home into a farm that serves its community and a homestead that nourishes us throughout the seasons.

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The Green Wedding Guide - How To Have A Sustainable, Ethical, and Zero Waste Wedding (2024)

FAQs

What is an ethical wedding? ›

Ethical weddings are a celebratory event that seeks to do good by people & the environment.

Why is it called green wedding? ›

As the name implies, the green wedding is characterized by green-yellow plants, decorations and an outdoor location. A wedding outside offers a great variety and scope for different interpretations, whereby the trend can be wonderfully combined with other themes.

What is a zero waste wedding? ›

Zero-Waste Wedding Decorations

Instead of balloons, ribbon, and other non-biodegradable decorations, choose dried flowers, foliage, paper decorations, and anything else that is compostable at the end of the day. Another good idea is to use live plants. Guests can take these home to plant when the wedding event is over.

How to have a carbon neutral wedding? ›

You should also cut down on the number of things that will be thrown away so everything should be re-usable or be able to be repurposed. This means that you don't want things like balloons, paper plates, table decorations that will be thrown away at the end.

How do I make my wedding not look cheap? ›

Making Cheap Weddings Look Expensive
  1. Trim The Guest List. ...
  2. Two For The Price Of One. ...
  3. Choose An Intimate Reception. ...
  4. Simplify Your Scheme. ...
  5. Something Borrowed, Something Used. ...
  6. Dress For The Occasion. ...
  7. A Bundle Of Love.
Mar 26, 2024

What is a hybrid wedding? ›

A hybrid wedding is an elopement or an adventure elopement followed by a reception with family and friends. Do you want family and friends at your wedding to celebrate but you also want your wedding ceremony to be just the two of you? You can now have both!

What is the wedding planner code of ethics? ›

Commit to personal conduct, professional behaviors and business practices that are ethical and legal. Be truthful in all advertising. Be honest with prospective clients about previous wedding experiences. Also, be accurate and document the expected services and fees to be rendered in a written agreement.

What is a preppy wedding? ›

Preppy weddings are all about color combos and personalized details, from bow ties to monograms. Go for vibrant hues, lush floral arrangements and patterned table linens to set the scene at oceanfront venues, country clubs and more. Here, 11 ways to nail a preppy wedding theme.

What does wearing blue to a wedding mean? ›

Traditionally, blue was a color that symbolized fidelity and loyalty, especially to one's spouse. Some say the bride needed blue to ward off the evil eye or prevent bad luck. The color doesn't have to be on your body or person to check the 'traditions' box.

What does a red wedding dress mean? ›

The colour of love, the bride who wears red is bold, passionate and full of desire. Not for the fainthearted this is a bold statement to make on your wedding day.

What does white wedding mean? ›

Meaning of white wedding in English

a traditional Christian marriage in a church, at which the woman who is getting married wears a white dress: She wants a white wedding. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.

What is a waste of money for a wedding? ›

Many couples believe that favors are a required component of a wedding reception when they're often just a waste of money. "Favors clutter the table and distract from the decor," said Kubin. "Plus, guests don't want a knick-knack to take home and don't need more food or sweets if you're serving a meal and dessert."

What does a minimalist wedding look like? ›

For a minimalist-themed event, the focus is on quality—not quantity. Minimalism is often represented by clean lines, geometric proportions, perfect shapes, and classic, simple color palettes. At the same time, pastel shades, softer lines, and quality design are also a key part of different minimalist looks.

How do you have a micro wedding without offending anyone? ›

Inform friends and family earlier about your intentions for a small wedding, if you have any plans. And understandable explanation can look something like this: “sorry we will just have only close friends and family”. You should be able to stick to any plan that you come up with.

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