9 Ways to Lower Waste at Your Wedding
Confetti and bubbles
I love confetti and bubbles! But if it’s not biodegradable (ie plastic) it’s going to sit around for ages and harm the environment. Also, while you may have biodegradable confetti, the plastic pouches each person’s confetti is in likely won’t be.
What to do instead
Biodegradable confetti is the easiest option, as well as dried petals. Another option is a big basket of confetti that everyone grabs a handful of. If you want individual pouches, use paper cones that haven’t been dyed or got glued stickers on.
If you want bubbles, use a bubble gun that can be refilled and reused instead of individual plastic tubes. Bonus – bubble guns make even better photos because there are so many bubbles!
Another option – high fives! No waste, and they’re free. Plus, the photos look fun!
Outfits
A wedding dress that costs several grand and you’ll wear once? It’s so easy to get carried away, and it’s really fun to get an awesome dress, but picture it all sad and lonely in your wardrobe never being worn again unless you have a Friends day and decide to wear it around the house for a laugh. Let’s be honest, no one is wearing a traditional wedding dress again for an actual occasion where there are people.
What to do instead
Why not look at charity shops, like Nat did, or somewhere like Etsy (like Georg in the image below) where you can get a cheaper dress that you can wear again. Or, like Jade, chop it up and turn it into lots of different garments after the wedding. You could also buy the dream dress, then wash and sell it, so someone else gets to enjoy it.
Crockery
Paper plates are just thrown away, so if you want disposable crockery, look at sustainable options.
What to do instead
Find crockery from a charity shop (then wash and return it), or use organic bamboo or similar fibre plates, bowls and cutlery, which is easily composted. Bamboo also grows really fast and is sustainable so you’re not chopping down precious trees. If you’re getting married at a venue with crockery included, that’s great as it’ll get reused.
Food
There’s so much food waste at weddings, so here are some ways to mitigate it: don’t serve both dessert and wedding cake – have the cake as dessert.
What to do instead
Serve wedding cake as dessert. Serve popular and high-quality food, not dried out crappy wedding food (more likely to get scoffed and not set aside on the plate). Pizza from a van is great as it’s often made to order so less waste.
Flip flops
These are a great idea, but most couples get way too many and have to get rid of them.
What to do instead
Bring fewer pairs, or even better, suggest guests bring their own. They’re super handy for beach weddings like this one!
Wedding party dressing gowns
These are cute for prep photos, but unless each member of the wedding party is going to use them as their normal dressing gown at home, let people wear their own comfies for prep. Let’s be honest, when we’re at home we’re not wearing short shiny dressing gowns with our names on the back – we’re wearing that hideous monstrosity from M&S that’s fluffy and long.
What to do instead
Suggest the wedding party brings something comfy but photogenic to get ready in. Wear your own PJs for home. Or get dressing gowns/PJs that you’ll all wear again!
No physical gifts
You often get things you don’t want and end up chucking or giving away (then there’s the added guilt!), and even worse, the wrapping often contains plastic, and things like ribbon and sellotape aren’t recyclable.
What to do instead
Why not ask for a donation towards the honeymoon?
In a world drowning in waste, your wedding can stand as a beacon of eco-consciousness. Let the choices you make reflect an awareness of the world around you, turning your celebration into a testament of responsibility and care (while still being super fun!)
More ideas for a waste-free wedding
Flowers – seasonal, dried, not plastic
Games – hire them rather than fill the charity shops with tons of lawn games you no longer need.
