Earth Day: Your Wedding and the Environment
Happy Earth Day friends! One of my favourite days of the year!
Here at Clearwater, we have always been focused on ensuring that each of our events are created with love, sustainability and the environment in mind. The beautiful nature that we’re surrounded by is what inspires us, leading to the breathtaking outdoor adventures and gorgeous events that reflect our clients vision and their values.
Before we dive into some of our favourite tips, we always encourage our clients to start with writing down their sustainability values. The term eco-friendly is SO broad, and can mean different things to different people.
If you’re a fashionista, perhaps it’s supporting local boutiques or shopping vintage for your wedding day attire.
If you’re a foodie, maybe that means sourcing all things locally and in-season.
If you’re a paper nerd (gosh, I love stationery), finding ways to print less while also being intentional the pieces you DO print go a long way.
And now, some helpful tips to help you in your wedding planning journey!
Keep Your Menu Local
It’s important to find caterers that not only compost, but source their food from sustainable sources. Eating local is important, as the carbon emissions involved with shipping food across the country or across the globe has a negative impact on our environment. Work with caterers who source their food locally and are thoughtful of only choosing foods that are in season at the time of your wedding.
Culinary Rockstars:
Say No to Floral Foam
In addition to supporting small local farms, the biggest thing you can ask of your florist is to not use floral foam. Floral foam is what we like to call the plastic bag of the floral industry. It’s super convenient, gives florists a really solid structure to work from, but it’s also a single-use plastic. That’s packed full of carcinogens.
If your florists are looking for alternatives, there’s a great product called Agra Wool. It gives you a similar base to floral foam, but it’s much gentler on the planet. We also recommend the use of chicken wire! If you want to be really creative, we’ve also seen snow fungus and watermelons!
Are you a floral nerd like me? Check out @passionflowersue on Instagram.
Floral Geniuses:
Rent, Don’t Buy
When it comes to décor, look into renting rather than purchasing. Sometimes it can be less expensive (or similar price), and it’s 100% less hassle. The look can be more elegant and cohesive, and the best part, you don’t end up throwing away a ton of garbage or keeping 40 blush tablecloths in your garage!
If you do decide to purchase, try your local Wedding Swap or Buy Nothing group on Facebook.
Décor Stars:
Seeded Paper Bliss
Seeded paper is truly an obsession of mine - I still love being able to print #alltheprettythings, but once it’s not needed anymore, being able to plant it and see it grow is so fun!
Seeded paper not your thing? Chat with our favourite stationers about alternatives, including cotton stock and handmade paper!
Stationery Friends:
Think About the After
You’ve done all this hard work to carefully and intentionally work with sustainably-minded vendors on your wedding day. Now it’s time to think about what all those items go at the end of your wedding.
If your wedding guests don’t end up taking any leftover food and floral centrepieces home, look at donating them afterwards. Care homes and healthcare facilities (depending on their scent policy) love them!
Looking for some more tips? Check out our Sustainability Swaps for some additional suggestions.
Keep in mind that your wedding doesn’t have to be completely eco-friendly, even the smallest changes can have a big impact in our world.
Have additional questions? Reach out to us at NATASHA@CLEARWATEREVENTS.ORG - we would love to help support you along your sustainable wedding planning journey!
