Weddings are no doubt a lot of fun but at the same time, they happen to generate a lot of waste as well. The amount of food that gets thrown away is really unfortunate but it can be avoided. And a lot of other waste can be avoided as well. People tend to go all out on their wedding planning and there’s nothing wrong with that. But the thing to remember is that mindful planning can avoid a lot of waste. One cannot completely cut down their waste, but everyone together can help minimize it. Sustainable weddings are a thing and this is one trend we can’t wait for people to adopt.
Here Are Some Helpful Tips To Plan A Sustainable Wedding And Help Cut Down Waste-
1. Eco-Friendly Wedding Favors
Wedding favors are a great way to express gratitude to your guests. While gifting is a very personal choice, a very thoughtful and eco-friendly gift can also be a good idea. If you consider the amount of waste that goes into wrapping and shipping extravagant gifts, opting for an eco-friendly gift seems to be a better choice. You can opt for plant saplings, bamboo toothbrushes, seeds, jute bags, etc as wedding favors for your sustainable wedding. This way you’ll not only be making an educated decision but also contribute to minimizing a lot of waste.
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2. E- Invites or Seed Paper Invites
Sending out invitation cards is a huge part of the wedding planning process. And a very simple way to cut down the load, as well as wastage, is to send out e-invites. Or if you’re adamant about sending personalized invites then opt for eco-friendly seed paper invites. Seed papers have seeds in them and can be planted later to grow a plant. Isn’t that an amazing way to plan your sustainable wedding?
OMD Creative
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Create your personalized wedding website with us.
3. Donate The Leftover Food
If there’s anything we know about Indian weddings, it’s their food. We Indians love to go all out with our love for food and a slight drawback about that is that a lot of food ends up in the dumps. But a very kind and sustainable way to not let that food go to waste is to donate it. There are many orphanages and NGOs that’ll happily accept the extra food. So do your bit for the needy as well as the Earth. (E.g.- Feeding India, Robinhood Army, Roti Bank By Dabbawalas, etc.)
4. Cut Down On Electricity Usage
It’s quite simple that an Indian wedding is all about dhoom-dhaam, which means shiny lights and bursting music. A very smart way to cut down on some electricity is to plan a daytime function. While a lot of weddings cannot happen during the day due to rituals but functions like Mehendi and Sangeet ceremonies can easily be held during the day. This will help save a lot of electricity. Also, for a little evening function choose LED lights over the heavy watt lights. Just small little steps towards sustainability.
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Also, check out 10 ways to plan and host an eco-friendly wedding.
5. Incorporate Reusable Decor In Your Sustainable Wedding
Since decor takes a lot of work and space in the planning process, it’s only sensible to make mindful decisions about the products you choose to include. From biodegradable items to reusable items, there’s a lot of ways to include eco-friendly decor in your wedding. Opt for local flowers and plants as centerpieces instead of fancy floral arrangements. Or items that you can reuse as home decor after your wedding.
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You might also like these awesome eco-friendly wedding decor ideas.
6. Eco-Friendly Alternatives For Name Cards
Name cards and name boards are a part of every wedding nowadays and its consequences are a lot of plastic and paper waste. To avoid such an amount of waste a very easy and quirky alternative for name boards are chalkboards. Chalkboards can be customized in any way you like and are reusable as well. As for name cards, leaves could work as an alternative. No one cares for the name card once everyone is seated anyway.
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7. Utilise Your Outdoor Venue
If you’re having an outdoor wedding then your decor can be cut down a lot by using the outdoor property. Trees and hedges can be decorated to create some amazing backdrops. Not only will they cut down the extra waste but cost as well. Isn’t that a win-win?
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No matter what your preference, we’ve got all the best wedding venue vendors.
8. Opt For Biodegradable Cutlery For Your Sustainable Wedding
Wedding functions can produce a lot of plastic waste in terms of cups and cutleries. And with great advancements and inventions, we now have cutleries that are biodegradable. So to support such green movements and cut down waste, biodegradable cutleries are a great option.
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Aside from all this, you can also do your bit by choosing to shop from local homegrown brands, opt for local produce for your catering services, and purchase recycled products. These are just small little ways to make a mark on our planet. Not everyone can completely give up all their lavish wedding dreams, but just a little bit can go a long way. You never know who you may inspire and unknowingly end up paying it forward to.
Also, don’t miss out on ShaadiWish approved wedding planners to plan your D-day.
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