Green is the New Black
Our superstar friend, Wendy from WLA Events has gifted us this content and shared her top 5 tips for planning an Eco-Luxe wedding. Enjoy!
Eco-friendly weddings have traditionally been more boho, earthy and minimalistic. But lately, being eco-conscious and sustainable has been gaining awareness. With the help of A-list celebrities, it is becoming cool, trendy, and fashionable. Here are some tips on how you can still have glam and luxury at your wedding while caring for the planet!
#1 Give Me All The Flowers
You don’t have to limit flowers to have a sustainable wedding. Choose a florist who has sustainable business practices: no floral foam, avoid chemically-processed dried flowers, source from local farms, and use flowers that are in season.
With these efforts, you can create amazing flower walls, canopies, and lush centerpieces.
Find organizations like Petals for Hope in your city that will collect your flowers at the end of the evening and donate them to senior homes and hospitals. It’s a great way to brighten up someone else’s day without them going to waste.
#2 Vegan Is Sexy
Every high-profile, high-end event is serving fresh vegan ideas, and if you want luxe, then vegan options should be on your menu. Have your caterer source local, farm-to-table, in-season ingredients.
If a completely vegan menu is too much, try plant-based. And if meat or fish is non-negotiable, choose sustainable seafood and swap beef for duck or lamb, which will immediately elevate your menu!
Photo Credit: Jen and Brian Photo & Film - A colourful vegan charcuterie tray is both pretty and delicious.
#3 Upgrade That Bar
Complement your bar by featuring local microbreweries, wines from the region, and locally sourced fresh juice. Use aquafaba instead of egg whites in specialty drinks to create foam, and replace dairy with plant-based alternatives for coffee, tea, and lattes. Source local and fair-trade coffee and tea brands.
Go one step further: Personalize your drinks by topping them with an edible wafer branded with your initials or an image.
#4 Stationery That Leaves A Mark
Wedding invitations set the tone of your wedding to your guests. Choose eco-friendly paper options such as 100% post-consumer recycled paper, seed paper, or cotton paper.
Did you know letterpress is very eco-friendly? It does not waste a lot of resources or materials, and many older presses are treadle-powered, meaning no electricity is required! The texture of letterpress stationery paired with textured paper will present your guests with a very luxe feeling in their hands!
#5 Sustainable Fashion
This does not mean having to purchase all secondhand pieces, instead you can focus on finding items that are made with high-quality, ethically-sourced materials. Work with designers who produce custom, made-to-order pieces and have sustainable business practices.
It’s tricky to upcycle a wedding dress, but with a groom’s suit, find one that can be worn again and can be dressed up or down depending on the event. Personalize your accessories such as a handkerchief made from a piece of cloth that holds meaning to both of you, or the family. Consider renting hair accessories, a veil, and jewelry. Unless you plan on keeping them as family heirlooms, you can usually get more expensive pieces when you are renting them!
This is just the beginning of planning an Eco-Luxe wedding! If you are looking for that “WOW” factor, focus on one element that will steal the show. Will your guests be immersed in a garden of flowers? Will their palates be tantalized with creative culinary creations that play with all their senses? Will it be a fashion statement with sustainable high-fashion trends and one-of-a-kind designs?
Choose one, and go glam, go luxe, and go BIG!
**Thanks again to Wendy from WLA Events for gifting us this amazing post! Based in Toronto, WLA Events is dedicated to creating thoughtful, sustainable events, one step at a time. Superstar planner and founder, Wendy, explains how WLA Events was born out of necessity after having been in the industry for over 15 years and seeing all the waste that happened behind the scenes. Follow Wendy on Instagram for the latest green event inspo: @WLA_Events**