A wedding is an incredible moment in a couple’s life, a time to express your love and devotion in front of all of your closest friends and family. However, it is also a moment in time when we spend and waste…a lot.  Research shows that one single wedding can produce carbon emissions equal to that of 5 people in an entire year. Whoa!!  But we are not here to shame you into cutting down on what your heart desires. Instead we are here to suggest ways to limit your wedding’s carbon footprint and offer some ideas on how to make your wedding more environmentally friendly and ethically sustainable.

First, let’s talk about what a carbon footprint is. To put it simply, a carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide emissions associated with the activities of one person. Sustainability refers to meeting the needs of the present without compromising our future, specifically in terms of depleting our natural and physical resources. So basically by choosing to be environmentally conscious in what we do, we are extending the lifetime of our beautiful Earth. Remember sustainability is not about perfection, instead it is about focusing on the positive efforts you are making to preserve our planet. 

A sustainable wedding can include various entities, such as sourcing locally, reducing food and floral waste and limiting the amount of single-use items at your wedding. Hiring environmentally friendly vendors is the perfect place to start when planning your “green” wedding.  Asking questions about sustainability will help clue you in; knowing where they source their food from (if they cater), what their plastic policy is and how they dispose of food waste are all ways in which you can begin your eco-friendly planning. 

Eliminating food waste completely may be nearly impossible, however catering your food from companies that use local, organic and Fairtrade items is a great place to start.  Sticking to plated meals rather than buffets which are proven to cause more waste is another option. Your alcohol can also be sourced locally from wineries or breweries in the area. Renting rather than buying is a great way to be environmentally friendly.  Buying what you need for your wedding instead of renting, will leave you with unnecessary items sitting in your garage for 5-10 years…talk about a carbon footprint.  

Limiting your invitations to one stunning piece, using beeswax candles, handing out edible favors and choosing in season florals and greenery are all sustainable actions that will help make your wedding more sustainable.  Asking questions, learning about your venue and vendors and doing some of your own “green” research will help you to understand just how possible it is to host a sustainable wedding.

To do our part in the sustainability initiative, Anyvent is partnering with UVA to reuse the beautiful florals from our Charlottesville weddings. We will be doing the same for our DC based couples through our partnership with ReVased. At the end of the night we will be collecting any leftover florals to deliver to the hospital to help repurpose these blooms and make the day of someone else. Unfortunately, most flowers are tossed at the end of the night; so why not brighten up the day of someone who needs it?

They say in order for something to be considered sustainable, it has to have been made in a socially responsible way and should be used 9 or more times. In walks the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses…oh boy, check out those footprints! For anyone that has been a bridesmaid, you know deep down that you never planned on wearing that dress again…wasteful; here comes that footprint. In order to do our part and assist with green initiatives, Anyvent Event Planning is beginning to collect used bridesmaid (and wedding) gowns  to use for a prom night shopping experience that we hope with provide dresses to girls going to the prom or women that need a dress for an even who would not otherwise have the means to afford these items; while also taking an unsustainable item and making it more eco-friendly by passing it on to someone else.

Your wedding should not be compromised in any way in order to be sustainable, after all it is your day. But we assure you that  incorporating sustainability into your perfect wedding day is a possibility without losing your vision or the luxuries that you heart set on. Taking simple steps to be more environmentally conscious when planning can happen in two or three aspects for the greater good of our planet.  A completely “green” wedding is a huge undertaking, but focusing on a few ways to reduce your carbon footprint will help make great strides to protect the future!