When planning an eco-friendly wedding, less is often more. Less décor means less waste after your reception comes to a close. When you start with a naturally beautiful venue, your décor list will be minimal!
However, ignoring décor altogether may leave your space feeling stark, especially if it’s inside. With a little additional planning, you can add warmth to your ceremony and reception with eco-friendly wedding decorations.
It’s easy to make your wedding more sustainable by reducing the amount of plastic and one-time-use items you include in your décor. Focus on incorporating either reused or reusable items for your centerpieces and ceremony aisle. Glass bottles, vases and votives are a good starting point. Add vintage books, license plates, horse shoes and silverware for texture. Vintage accessories can add an elegant or rustic feel, depending on how you curate items. You can also repurpose items, like making paper flowers from old sheet music or pages of a book.
For must-have items, like linens, candles and plates, rent instead of buy. This almost guarantees these items will be used again. Discuss rental options with your caterer and venue before purchasing any items new.
While flowers can seem like sustainable décor, many are grown thousands of miles away from your venue. Opt for local blooms, which require less fuel for travel and refrigeration shorter times after being picked. While potted plants won’t work for bouquets, you can use them for ceremony décor and centerpieces. Potted plants, like herbs, cacti and tulips, last longer than picked flowers and your guests can take them home at the end of the night.
Other eco-friendly favors double as sustainable centerpieces too. Use pretty boxes made from recycled paper for edible favors (think locally made chocolates or a breakfast treat) or layer colorful in season produce local guests can use at home.
