Easy, Affordable Eco-friendly Wedding Planning Tips

If you and your fiance are interested in eco-friendly wedding planning, this is the guide for you. We’re sharing tips on affordable and accessible ways to keep sustainability in mind, from booking eco-friendly wedding vendors to selecting sustainable favors.

Keeping waste (and expenses) to a minimum on your wedding day might seem like a daunting task, but it’s a worthwhile goal to keep in mind. After all, reducing waste on your big day will only add to the feel-good vibes! And, we at Heart of NC Weddings believe that planning an eco-friendly wedding can be just as easy as planning any other celebration. 

Tip No. 1 – Skip Nonessential Paper and Plastic Products

One of the simplest ways to prioritize sustainability while you’re wedding planning is to avoid paper and plastic cutlery, plates and other elements. Ditch single-use products and rent reusable tableware and decor instead. Say goodbye paper plates and napkins and hello to rentals like decorative party linens and colorful plates or chargers.

Look to your local NC party rental company. Many, such as Curated Events Rental, Petal & Oak and American Party Rentals offer a number of gorgeous non-disposable rentals and decor pieces. And you won’t need to worry about washing any of your wedding rentals – that service is included in your rental costs!

Tip No. 2 – Book a Sustainable Wedding Venue

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could say “I do” at a North Carolina wedding venue that is beautiful, functional and fostering sustainability? You can! Here’s how you can prioritize eco-friendly wedding planning in your venue search.

As you search for your ideal event space, keep an eye out for venues that come with perks. For example, The Barn of Chapel Hill is a gorgeous barn venue that sits on a flower farm and has an on-site floral design team. (The Barn of Chapel Hill also partners with Bee Downtown to maintain an apiary on its property – providing a home for bees as well as producing the venue’s own honey!)

Booking a wedding venue that’s already gorgeous as-is with plenty of pretty scenery means you’ll be able to save money on single-use decor and florals – a win for your budget while minimizing waste.

Bonus points to couples who host their weddings at local venues close to family and friends, limiting travel pollution from transportation – along with costs!  

Tip No. 3 – Hire Local Vendors Who Use Local Products

Shopping local is always a good idea. Hiring local wedding vendors based in the same town or area of your event cuts down on excess carbon emissions. The same goes for selecting local food and flowers. Ordering exotic blooms from across the world will result in a massive carbon footprint due to shipping and transport. (Not to mention the resources used to grow floral varieties out of season.)

Plus, seeking out local wedding vendors is the best way to give your wedding guests a taste of your home and an authentic experience of the area. Ask the vendors you’re inquiring with if they use local products. On a whole, shopping local pours resources into your local economy and supports the small businesses based right in your own back yard.

Tip No. 4 – Ask Your Stationer to Use Recycled Paper Products

Choosing a wedding day and sending out save-the-dates is one of the first tasks that should be on your wedding planning timeline. This is also a point at which you can prioritize eco-friendly wedding planning. Ask your stationer to use recycled paper for your custom wedding invites. Odds are, you won’t even be able to see the difference in recycled paper from traditional paper options. All of the paper that goes into invitation suites, ceremony programs and menus adds up quickly.

You may even decide to minimize the amount of paper products by creating a wedding website with essential info for your guests and sending digital invites. If you choose this route, we still recommend investing in the day-of elements that your guests will interact with, like an escort wall. But, it’s easy to cut down on paper utilizing email for pre-wedding communication.

Tip No. 5 – Avoid Food Waste at Your Wedding Reception

There’s few feelings worse than tossing out food that was carefully prepared but not even touched, whether it’s on your wedding day or any weeknight at home. As you go about eco-friendly wedding planning research and start meeting with caterers, here are some helpful questions you can ask: How much food do you recommend for this number of guests? Which foods are available during the season I’m planning to host my wedding? Where are your ingredients sourced from? You should also ask your caterer for advice on the least wasteful serving style for your event. Each can have upsides – while buffet service can allow guests to portion their own food, it may result in more waste if there’s many entree options.

Asking your wedding caterer these environmentally conscious questions will help ensure the least amount of food waste at your wedding while supporting the sustainability of your wedding. And, if you still end up with leftovers on your big day, call your local food bank and ask to donate them!

Tip No. 6 – Ask Your Wedding Florist Not to Use Floral Foam

What in the world is floral foam? Floral foam, sometimes called Oasis, is the green styrofoam material that many florists use as the base of their arrangements. Essentially, floral foam is a non-biodegradable plastic. Floral foam also contains toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and carbon black that can harm anyone who handles the stuff. Naturally, you’ll want to avoid flower foam if you are intent on carrying out eco-friendly wedding planning. Ask your wedding florist if they can use eco-friendly alternatives.

Tip No. 8 – Choose Eco-Friendly Wedding Favors

Give your guests the gift that keeps on giving! Here are a few ideas for eco-friendly wedding favors that are both fun and creative:

• a packet of flower or plant seeds
• local charity donations in your guests’ name
• repurposed mason jars filled with homemade treats
• personalized glassware that your guests can take home and enjoy

Eco-friendly wedding favors send an important message to your wedding guests about being environmentally conscious and may inspire them to do the same! If the thought of planning an entire wedding around environmentally friendly practices seems like a hardship, choosing eco-friendly wedding favors is a small, simple step toward sustainability.

Tip No. 9 – Buy Used or Rent Your Wedding Fashion

The popular adage says it all: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” Since global over-production of clothing contributes incredible amounts of waste and fuels climate change, choosing a vintage or lightly used wedding gown or formalwear is a green wedding trend we can get behind. Say “yes” to a dress that looks just as good used as the one hanging on the rack. We love the idea of updating the attire worn by your parent on their wedding day simply for sentimentality’s sake, and it’s another great way to reuse rather than buy new. Ask your grandmother to try on her gorgeous, vintage bridal gown or ask your dad if he still has the cuff links he wore on his wedding day.

Another option is to rent your wedding fashion. Stop by Bernard’s Formalwear in Durham, NC, to browse through through top of the line suit and tuxedo rentals. Take a step down the aisle toward being eco-friendly.

Tip No. 10 – Spoil Your Betrothed Sustainably

We’re all about surprising your beloved with a sentimental gift on the day of your wedding, as many modern couples do. But, if you’re committed to finding ways to prioritize an eco-friendly wedding, think outside the box when it comes to a gift for your partner. You don’t have to purchase a material gift. For example, writing a sentimental love letter can be even more meaningful than a gift you’ve purchased.

Tip No. 11 – Reuse and Recycle Your Wedding Day Products or Decor

Aside from reducing waste, the key to environmentally friendly wedding planning is figuring out how you’re going to reuse things after the party has come and gone.

If you buy your wedding decor or various products, save these items for future use. You never know when you might be able to reuse those elegant drapes or mercury glass votives. Repurpose decor in your home or pass it on to others who are planning a wedding or event. Who knows, maybe your future children or neighbor might want to borrow all of those pretty vases you used as centerpieces! We’ve even seen couples use furniture from their house as cocktail hour or reception seating – a unique way to make your guests feel like they’re welcomed into your very home. Save your decor and reuse it for anniversary parties or even your future vow renewal.

If you don’t think you’ll reuse items you’ve purchased for your wedding, consider donating, lending or reselling them.

Tip No. 12 – Plan an Environmentally Friendly Exit

Of course, sparkler exits look amazing in photographs. But, if you’re dedicated to eco-friendly wedding planning, there are alternatives that look just as photogenic without the waste. Skip the harmful smoke for a more sustainable send-off.

Throwing birdseed or fresh or dried flower petals are more sustainable options than traditional confetti. Throwing rice can be harmful to birds and other animals who ingest the leftovers. Birdseed will be just as adorable in your wedding photos and healthy for nature’s critters.  

Share Your Sustainable Wedding With Us!

Our team here at Heart of NC Weddings believes that it is our responsibility to share environmentally conscious, sustainably minded wedding content. We hope you found our eco-friendly wedding planning guide helpful. We can’t wait to see the savvy and creative ways you plan your big day! Think your sustainable, eco-friendly wedding should be shared with our readers? Submit your wedding story here to be shared on our blog!