Planning an eco-friendly and sustainable destination wedding

HOW TO PLAN A SUSTAINABLE DESTINATION WEDDING

ECO-FRIENDLY PLANNING TIPS

by sustainable wedding stylist Catherine at All Things Considered

When you think about destination weddings, sun and sea, or mountains and lakes are likely the first things that spring to mind rather than sustainability. In these interconnected times, it’s not unusual for family and friends to come from overseas to attend a wedding, or maybe there’s a special spot in the world where you want to get married which means travelling to get there. But just because you’re having a destination wedding, it doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to make it more eco-friendly. Here are some tips to help!

CONSIDER TRANSPORT ALTERNATIVES

Instead of flying, you could provide your guests with details of alternative modes of transport like train or boat. They could extend their trip by stopping somewhere on the way to and from your wedding for a few nights, or make an occasion of the journey by joining-up with friends and family. If guests are flying-in, you could encourage them to lift share from the airport to your venue. You could do this via your wedding website, a Facebook group or good old-fashioned (!) text message. It’s also a lovely way to create a real feeling of community before your celebrations begin.

Once all your guests have arrived, it’s likely they’ll be in the same place so have less need to travel between venues. But if your guests are a little distance apart, you could share details of eco-friendly transport options like bike hire or have everyone walk to your wedding together! 

SHARE YOUR ETHOS

Your wedding guests will be a captive audience! So share your eco-friendly ethos with them by encouraging them to pack more sustainably, with reusable and recyclable items, and to bring what they already own rather than buying something new. You could even suggest they wear their most special outfit from their wardrobe to your wedding!

You can also provide guests with details of your favourite local businesses to support when they arrive at your destination, from accommodation to restaurants to activities. If you’re not that familiar with the area then chat to your venue and suppliers for some of their recommendations.

KEEP YOUR GUESTS UPDATED

I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely arrived on holiday before and realised I’m unprepared for the weather! So, if you can give guests some details about the climate in advance it can help avoid last-minute buying when they arrive at your destination. Like if it’s super hot during the day but gets cold at night, remind your guests so they can pack an extra layer or two! Similarly, give them a few details about your venue. If it’s a long walk to your ceremony or your venue has cobblestones, let guests know so they can pack the correct footwear, or if you’re getting married outside let them know to wear suncream and the ultimate wedding accessory - a big hat!

OFFSET

If you have lots of guests choosing to fly then you could consider carbon offsetting. Look for projects which benefit local communities as well as the environment for maximum impact. You could make this part of your wedding favours, ask guests to contribute to a scheme as your wedding gift, or even bring it into your wedding with something like a tree planting ceremony!

I hope that has given you some ideas for how to make your destination wedding more eco-friendly.

Of course there are lots of other ways you can bring sustainability into your wedding planning, from the invitations to the food and décor. And if you’d like some more tips, then head on over to my blog, I’d love to see you there!

For daily inspiration, follow Catherine on Instagram at @AllThingsConsideredEvents

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE..

For more eco-friendly planning resources, feel free to check out the links below:

- How to create your eco-friendly invitation suite

- Top 10 Sustainable Wedding dresses in the UK

- Ethical engagement and wedding rings: Guide to sustainable shopping

- 13 ideas to plan an eco-friendly wedding

While, if you are looking for eco-friendly suppliers for your wedding, then make sure to checkout our directory here below:

Benni Carol's Eco-Wedding Suppliers Network

GET IN TOUCH!

If you are planning your destination wedding and care about making it as sustainable as possible, feel free to get in touch and enquire about our photography packages. We are a team of two eco-friendly wedding photographers covering weddings all over the UK and Italy. Benni is based in Hastings, while Carol is based in Folrence, Tuscany.

To know all about our style and approach feel free to get in touch at info@bennicarolphotography.com or fill in our contact form HERE.

We can't wait to hear from you!

Benni & Carol