Petite Weddings was founded 5 years ago after our own search for the perfect small wedding venue failed. We ended up buying a property that we converted to host small weddings for up to 20 people bringing together the things we valued to for like-minded couples to also enjoy: the weddings we promote and arrange are authentic, small but perfectly formed, heartfelt and quirky. We encourage couples to create intimate weddings that reflect their relationship and do things their way. Increasingly, this means considering questions such as, “how do I make my wedding more sustainable?” and “how can I make my wedding environmentally friendly?”
Of course one obvious way is to reduce the numbers at your wedding and the distance travelled by guests, so rather than taking a party of 100 to the Med for a location wedding, many of our couples combine an elopement with a break in the UK, either just for the two of them, or for them and their nearest and dearest. But this is just the start of the story, and there is so much more you can consider if you are serious about having a green wedding.
Sustainable weddings are here to stay
Climate change, and the importance of protecting our environment, is playing a larger role in the public consciousness than ever before. Although the scientific evidence has existed for decades, it hasn’t always been mainstream. But we may be reaching a tipping point and time looks like it’s running out.
Many people are more consciously minded than ever before; both in their shopping habits and in their wider lifestyle. Weddings are an important event for eco-conscious consumers to take into account; as (depending on the size and location of the celebration) the carbon footprint of a wedding can quickly become astronomical.
Here are just a few of the highlights (or low lights!) that 77 Diamonds have unearthed to demonstrate the level of wedding wastage in the UK:
● 4,910 tonnes of unrecyclable plastic were used at British weddings in a single year
● An average of £488 worth of food is wasted at every wedding
● The average UK wedding creates 14.5 tonnes of CO2
Give such grim numbers, it can be easy to give into fatalism and accept that it’s impossible for weddings to ever change. But sustainable weddings are thankfully growing in popularity, and will only become more important in the future.
If the carbon footprint of your wedding is important to you, the 77 Diamonds guide to sustainable weddings is a great place to start. They’ve created an extensive guide to sustainable, zero-waste, ethical weddings. This includes sections on eco-conscious wedding venues, rings, attire, food, and more. You can read the guide in full yourself to find out more.
It’s well worth a read!