From veganfoodandliving.com
Want to plan a sustainable wedding that reflects your ethos? Save these vegan-friendly ideas for a celebration that’s kind to animals and the planet
Getting hitched is perhaps one of the biggest undertakings of a couple’s journey together, and to many, their big day must reflect their values.
For today’s compassionate couples, the environmental and ethical impact of their celebrations often comes into question, and for good reason: an average wedding in the UK produces an estimated 14.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions, while one tenth of all wedding food is thrown away. Plus, animal-derived products commonly make an appearance at weddings: from the silk in dresses and the wool in suits to the abundance of meat and dairy on the wedding menu.
But your big day doesn’t have to be so wasteful. Make your celebration as kind to animals and the planet as possible, while never compromising on style and fun with these simple tips for a sustainable wedding.
1. Eco-friendly wedding venues
Choosing your venue will often be the biggest decision you’ll make in connection to your big day. If sustainability is front of mind, you might want to opt for a location where most of your guests won’t have to travel a long distance, thus cutting transport emissions. Enquire about the venue’s energy use and opt for a daytime event to reduce electricity use.
Eco-conscious and vegan hotels are available across the country, such as the fully vegan Beck Hall in Malham National Park, fforest in Wales and Silverhome Manor in Cumbria.
For a less lavish yet memorable event, celebrating your day at an animal sanctuary sends a message of compassion while supporting their running costs.
2. Choosing a sustainable wedding dress
If you can afford it, go bespoke. Sustainably-minded couturier Lucy Tammam, creative director of London-based atelier TAMMAM, says: “wedding dresses can be incredibly wasteful; with bespoke you can choose your perfect fabrics, and with recent innovations there are beautiful semi-synthetics like Tencel that replicate silk fabulously without any animals being involved at all.
“A dress that fits well can be repurposed – we’ve had brides who have dyed them and re-worn them after the wedding.” She adds that going bespoke also minimises waste and guarantees the dress will be used again.
If a bespoke dress doesn’t quite fit your budget, browse secondhand options: there is absolutely no reason why a well-preserved, beautifully made dress should only be worn once.
Wedding dresses can be highly wasteful, but there are ways to minimise your environmental impact and still look stunning. Photo © SewcreamStudio/Adobe Stock
Check out the Bridal Reloved chain of stores or others which offer preloved wedding attire. Oxfam also has a wedding section on its website.
3. Eco-friendly bridal accessories
Finding vegan shoes and other accessories for your wedding attire can seem tricky, but actually, it’s as easy as the click of a button.
See BLOOM Paris’ wedding-appropriate heels, Labante London’s glitzy clutch bags, and ethically made jewellery from brands such as Ana Dyla and Bloomtine, all available at cruelty-free fashion marketplace Shop Like You Give a Damn (previously Immaculate Vegan).
Also look for hair and makeup artists who use cruelty-free and vegan products. If you can’t find anyone who uses exclusively vegan products, then ask if they would be happy to use only products that you supply. It’s also a great opportunity to show how easy it is to create a beautiful look that’s cruelty-free.
4. Vegan wedding suits
For the groom and other members of the wedding party, navigating traditional wool suits and leather shoes can be tricky. However, finding options that are suitable for vegans is easier than ever.
Going bespoke might be worth considering here too. King & Allen works with vegan-friendly materials like cotton, hemp and bamboo, and pays close attention to details such as buttons of corozo nut rather than animal bone or horn. With locations in London, Birmingham and more, King & Allen also arrange home visits.
Dressing the wedding party sustainably can require as much thought as dressing the bride and groom. Photo © shchus/Adobe Stock
If your budget won’t stretch to that, hit up secondhand sites like eBay, Vinted or Vestiaire Collective, where an array of secondhand suits is waiting to be worn.
5. Sustainable wedding decorations
All this wedding planning quickly racks up quite a bill, and if you want to cut both spending and your environmental impact, there are few better options than to go DIY with your decorations.
Plant flowers in small pots to double as both decorations and favours. Dip vintage-looking jam jars in eco-friendly glitter paint and tie ribbons around them for cute decorations.
Consider planet-friendly materials for confetti and outdoor decorations, too, as plastic-based confetti and latex balloons can pollute the environment. Dried flower petals are a beautiful (and fragrant) alternative.
Check out eBay, Facebook Marketplace or Vinted for pre-used wedding decorations such as bunting and paper lanterns.
6. Sustainable wedding stationery
The invitations often serve as a first look at the aesthetic of your wedding.
A cute way to bring a hint of sustainability with your invite is to send seeded paper invitations, which guests can plant and see flowers grow. Alternatively, hire a designer to hand-paint your invitations on recycled paper, using vegan ink.
The invitations are an easy way to demonstrate your wedding's eco-friendly stance from the get-go. Photo © Yana/Adobe Stock
If you choose to give out wedding favours, vegan-friendly options include soy candles, handmade bath bombs, soaps, cake jars, chocolates and sweets.
7. Vegan wedding catering
Food is, arguably, what sets a vegan wedding apart in people’s minds. Luckily, there are many ways for your wedding menu to be memorable while staying kind to all.
Great vegan food is a key element of a sustainable wedding. Photo © Eastlyn Bright/Adobe Stock
Today, many caterers will be open to plant-based menus. However, choosing a fully vegan caterer might offer more peace of mind and allow for more creativity in your menu.
John Bayley, owner of Cashew Catering, says: “Choosing the right meal for you and what best shares your love of food with your guests is what is most likely to succeed on the day.
“As long as you can find the right people to make that happen, choosing what specifically represents who you are as a couple and how you love to eat should not only be the most successful service on the day, but also a straightforward process leading in. If it feels right, then it usually is.”
8. Vegan wedding drinks
Wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks aren’t always vegan. Milk derivatives, honey, and fish organ filtration processes are just some of the ways that animal products can make their way into your wedding’s cocktail hour.
Fortunately, there’s no lack of vegan, cruelty-free tipples, with brands like Amie and Bowl Grabber offering vegan wines and ThinK, Zardetto, Giusti and Della Vite among brands crafting vegan-friendly Prosecco. Meanwhile, the non-drinkers in your party will be pleased to learn that Nozeco is suitable for vegans.
Check with your venue to ensure there are vegan options on the bar, and find out any additional corkage fees if you need to bring your own. For fully self-stocked wedding bars, know that certain specialist retailers will allow you to return any unopened items, reducing waste and overall costs.
9. Vegan engagement rings and wedding jewellery
Wedding rings and other jewellery can present ethical dilemmas as metals such as silver and gold might be connected to problematic mining practices, and diamonds are often linked to human rights violations.
You'll wear your wedding rings for a long time; make sure they're something you're proud to wear. Photo © Yana/Adobe Stock
Do your homework when you choose your sparkle: lab-grown diamonds sidestep mining, making them a more conscious choice. Ethica Diamonds, a Cornwall-based brand, offers lab-created diamonds and other gemstones. Brands like Oh My Clumsy Heart specialise in ethically made jewellery made from recycled metals at an affordable price.
10. Environmentally-friendly wedding entertainment
Make sure your wedding stays kind to animals by refraining from releasing doves or butterflies on the day.
These practices are always cruel to the animals involved. The doves released at weddings often lack the skills to return home safely, while butterflies are commonly shipped in boxes or envelopes, with many dying on the journey. They are then released into climates that are wrong for them, where they are unable to find food.
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