I love a wedding. What could be better than gathering together your nearest and dearest to celebrate your love? Sustainability is becoming more and more important, not just in our day-to-day lives, but during those big moments too. Traditional weddings aren’t the best when it comes to sustainability, but there are a few small tweaks you can make to make the day a little more planet-friendly.
Ethically-sourced rings and bridal jewellery
Here at Sophia Perez Jewellery we only use recycled and FairTrade gold. It’s a decision we made early on to try and make our jewellery as ethical as possible. We can even melt down your heirloom jewellery to create a wedding band, necklace, or other piece of bridal jewellery that’s 100% your style. Your something old and something new could be the same thing, both sentimental and sustainable.
All SPJ diamonds and gemstones are conflict-free and we also offer lab-grown diamonds which are produced using green energy only. We produce all our work in the UK and try to keep our shipping to a minimum. . It’s a small step that makes a big difference.
Invitations and beyond
I love beautiful stationery. But save the dates, formal invitations, and RSVP cards sent out to every guest is a lot of paper. Consider sending out digital invitations instead. If you love the look of a traditional invitation why not send out an e-card? You can also set up your own mini website where guests can find out all the details as well as see all the wedding photographs post-wedding.
Menus and seating plans on the day can look cute, but paper versions need to be disposed of. Why not hire a chalk or corkboard instead? Another alternative is to ditch the seating plan altogether. Less waste and no headaches!
The venue
Your venue makes a huge difference to the sustainability of your day. There are a few questions to ask yourself before booking - How far do the majority of guests have to travel? Is it possible to use one venue for the entire day? Reducing guest travel can have a big impact. If you’ve fallen head over heels for a remote venue it may be possible to organise a coach for guests from a central point. Sharing travel is a great way to reduce emissions.
When you meet with your venue it’s important to find out what sustainable steps they take. Many venues work with local vendors which may mean you’re able to combine meetings, saving you time and travel while also doing great things for the local economy and the environment. Another great thing to discuss with your venue is whether they offer meat-free alternatives. Many couples are ditching tradition and going completely meat-free, a tasty way to reduce your impact!
Rent don’t buy
Decorations can make any space look romantic but buying them is expensive and not great for the environment. Speak to your venue to find out if they’re able to rent decorations to you or if they have recommendations for local providers. Many have packages to suit the most common styles or they may be able to source specialist decorations if you’re looking for something more niche.
Did you know you can also rent wedding dresses, suits, and bridesmaid dresses? Websites like Something Borrowed have a beautiful selection of stunning bridal dresses and accessories. They also offer bridesmaid dresses so you can coordinate your girls with ease. Most high street tailors offer suit hire for any style.
Renting is a great way to reduce your impact and overall cost.
Skip the party favours
It’s believed that the tradition of giving favours at weddings started in the 16th century, whether or not that’s true, this is a tradition with a long heritage. The problem is that they are often not great for the environment. Many come in plastic packaging and not everyone will take one home. Fewer and fewer people expect favours when they go to weddings, so it’s safe to say this is one tradition you can seriously consider leaving out. After all, they’ll remember your day for how fabulous it is, not the trinket you gave them!
If you want to make the wedding party feel extra special why not gift them jewellery that they can keep forever? Cufflinks are perfect for groomsmen whereas necklaces, earrings, or bracelets are brilliant for the bridal party.
Flowers and food
When working with vendors it’s important to find out how they source their produce. While they may be a local company that doesn’t mean they work with local produce so it’s important to understand what steps they can take to help you reduce the impact your day has. For example, did you know that many flowers are imported from other countries? Instead of using a traditional bouquet you could opt for dried flowers (romantic and a beautiful keepsake), make it casual and go bouquet-less, or use locally-grown in-season flowers. If you want that cute confetti shot opt for dried flowers, seed paper, stamped leaves, or another biodegradable alternative. Rustic and adorable.
When it comes to food there are a few options, if your venue is in the lucky position to grow food onsite that’s ideal. If not, you may be able to find a vendor who sources as much as they can from a small radius. Food is a major part of the day so it’s worth looking into.
Donations over gifts
Back in the day people got married before they lived together so it was common to be gifted things that would help you set up your new home. More couples live together before getting engaged now so there’s less need for new appliances. Why not skip the presents and ask for a donation to your honeymoon pot or a charity instead? You could also do away with the whole thing entirely.
What we do
As touched on above, all Sophia Perez jewellery is made with recycled or FairTrade gold, conflict-free gems, and handcrafted by us in our London workshop. We also offer virtual and in-person consultations for all bespoke pieces. It’s these small steps that help us reduce our impact. Shop our wedding range here or get in touch to create your own.