Here at Luxurious Glitter, we absolutely LOVE hearing about and seeing all your incredible wedding ideas, especially when you’re making small eco-friendly switches.
We’ve all made these changes in our everyday lives (recycling, re-using, cutting down on plastic waste – you know what mean), so it really does makes sense to apply these changes to when we get married.
Weddings are big bucks and big industry! According to hitched.co.uk, the average wedding now costs £31,974 (say whaaat?!) - just think about the amount of waste that goes alongside spending that amount of money for a day?
I’m not saying don’t spend it and it really is just the most magical feeling to put a personal stamp on your big day (err hello, newly-wed over here) but there are a lot of ways you can reduce your wedding waste if you’d like to.
Here are my top five eco-friendly wedding ideas that will leave you feeling guilt-free for your big day...
1. AN ECO-FRIENDLY WEDDING GLITTER BAR
We all love glitter. Fact. And with wedding glitter bars well and truly on the rise, we could all be doing our bit here – both as glitter bar owners AND glitter loving couples. So, what’s the switch here? Easy! Switch your plastic glitter bar for an eco one - make sure the glitter bar you hire has eco-friendly, biodegradable glitter – like us! Plastic glitter takes hundreds of years to decompose but with eco glitter, little micro-organisms consume it over a period of months and it all breaks down. Even though ‘normal’ glitter is cheaper, it has a cost to our earth and oceans. So, upgrade that package and go with an eco-wedding glitter bar.
2. SPRINKLE ECO-FRIENDLY CONFETTI
Change that confetti! Lots of venues have stepped up and don’t allow non-eco confetti anymore, anyway. So get your DIY wedding vibes on and cut up leaves with a hole punch or shape cutter; or, if like me, you just don’t have the time, use a fabulous biodegradable confetti company like Your Confetti. Their confetti is made from non-toxic, premium quality, biodegradable tissue paper and depending on the weather, it breaks down as quick as a few days.
3. SAY I DO TO AN ECO-FRIENDLY WEDDING DRESS
Yes, this is also an option! Upcycled, vintage or handmade - there are lots of eco choices you can make when picking your dress. Chose a designer who creates wedding dresses using eco-fabrics or go second-hand and ask a local designer to pimp it to your needs. We love Tilly Von Tiki. Tilly’s amazing at sourcing materials sustainably and you’ll get your very own, one-off wedding dress.
4. VEGAN WEDDING CAKE
You can even make eco-conscious choices with your cake! I spoke with the lovely Sarah from Tiny Sarah’s Cakes who bakes super awesome plant-based, vegan wedding cakes. Sarah makes eco-conscious choices in her kitchen using biodegradable cling film, packaging, tissue and reusable cloths. You’ll only see wooden dowels (rather than plastic) in her cake structures too and she bulk buys and buys organic and local, spending with companies that help her on her quest.
5. ECO-FRIENDLY WEDDING FAVOURS
The tradition of five sugared almonds is long gone! It’s a bit of a waste and very old fashioned anyway. So, when you’re sorting your favours, think about your time and money here. Will they be used or go to landfill? Will they be left behind? Are they useful, or are you just spending money for the sake of it? Get creative and personal and go for things like seeds, succulent plants, candles, lottery cards, hangover kits or even homemade biscuits. I just love the unique origami table scatters made from recycled paper from Oast House Gifts.
There are lots of ways to make your wedding more eco-friendly – bamboo plates, arranging coaches rather than everyone driving, choosing a close location and using the suppliers you have around you. The list is endless but it all counts!
Are you ready to make a change? Be sure to share your ideas with us!
Claire x
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