How To Have an Eco-Friendly Elopement
I get it. You LOVE the outdoors. Me too! You love it so much in fact, that you want to get married in the outdoors! And if you’re that much in awe of nature, you probably want to take good care of it so you and future generations can enjoy it for years to come. So how do you have the biggest moment of your life against the backdrop of nature without hurting the natural environment in the process? You’ve come to the right place. There are plenty of ways to make your day extra special while still preserving the landscapes you love. If you’re concerned about protecting your wedding destination for the future and want to plan a sustainable wedding, these tips to planning an eco-friendly elopement are for you!
Why Plan An Eco-Friendly Elopement?
Let’s back up. What IS an eco-friendly elopement? Maybe you simply love the outdoors and feel like you want your wedding day to be different, but you’re not really sure how. So why should you care about planning a sustainable wedding? According to Zero Waste, the average US wedding produces 400 pounds of waste and 63 tons of carbon dioxide. Yikes. Surely there has to be a way to plan something that doesn’t make such a big impact on the environment! Good news: there is. Planning an eco-friendly elopement means choosing options that create less waste.
Opt for used or rented wedding attire
Let’s be real: you’re probably only going to wear your wedding dress once. Maybe twice if we shoot some additional adventure photos after your wedding day! Instead of purchasing an expensive dress or suit that is going to sit in a box for the rest of your life, look into renting one or shopping for a used designer dress on a site like Poshmark. In my blog about elopement wedding dresses, I mentioned the dress rental site Daci Gowns! Renting + shopping pre-loved is always a great way to reduce waste, and it’s also true for an eco-friendly elopement.
Use reusable items
If you’re environmentally conscious, you probably already know this one. For your eco-friendly elopement, skip the single-use items like plasticware, paper plates, and paper napkins. Rent your tableware instead! Many couples opt for single-use items because it’s cheaper, but with a small group, the cost of renting becomes more manageable. You can also ask for dish ware for your future home on your registry, and use those dishes at your elopement! Be aware if you’re having a picnic or snacks when you elope in a national park that some parks do prohibit glass and ceramics that can break and harm the environment. In that case, you can use compostable plates, utensils and napkins, which is what I did at my own wedding!
Invite guests digitally
These days, there are so many incredible options for classy digital invites for your sustainable wedding. Most couples who are having guests opt for a wedding website (especially if it’s in a destination and they need to help friends and family with travel). Most wedding websites like Zola will have an RSVP feature integrated where you can ask guests to visit a link to complete your RSVP. Best part is, the site tracks your RSVPs for you! They’ll often let you send your guests fancy email invites that send them to the RSVP link. If you don’t want to part with paper invites, particularly for your detail photos, you can always look for a printing option where you can print on recycled paper, or seed paper — a special handmade paper that grows when you plant it in soil!
Find vendors who prioritize sustainability
To pull off an eco-friendly elopement, you need eco-friendly vendors on your side. My favorite tip: choose a photographer who is Leave No Trace Aware! I’ll detail this more a little later on, but just know the 7 LNT principles are SO important for keeping outdoor weddings eco-friendly, and I’m certified in them! An LNT Aware photographer will never ask you to do things that will harm the environment just to get the shot.
A sustainable wedding comes down to more than just your photography though. Think about it with all aspects of your wedding vendors. Look for a makeup artist who uses vegan, cruelty free, clean, products. If you’re using a planner, make sure they’re on board with your mission to be sustainable and can suggest reusable items or rented decor. Find a florist who uses flowers that are responsibly grown or local to your elopement location. There are so many ways to ensure that you’re working with vendors who have the same eco-friendly goal as you!
Look for locally sourced food
Your food vendors are one of the big things to pay attention to when you’re working for an eco-friendly elopement. When you’re talking with caterers or private chefs, ask them where they source their food from? Is it from local farms? Then that’s a great step towards an eco-friendly wedding! Also ask what you can do about leftover food and if there’s a way to put it to good use in the community where you’re holding your wedding.
Choose sustainable lodging
Did you know you can find lodging options that are eco-friendly? There are so many hotels out there these days that put an effort towards creating less waste. Research your lodging options to find hotels that use local products and make a minimal impact on the local ecosystem. This step may require some digging, but it’s doable.
Skip the confetti
You can make a grand exit without throwing confetti, rice, and birdseed or lighting sparklers. Most national parks prohibit these things anyway! There are a few LNT friendly options you can opt for instead, like bubbles, ribbon wands, or dried leaves. Or, skip the confetti altogether and just have your guests cheer you off to your honeymoon.
Use what you already have
As with all sustainability efforts, using what you already have is key. Instead of buying extra vases, candles, and decoration – use what you already own. Do you have a cool blanket you and your partner bought on a trip one time? Spread that out on the ground as your altar. Does your grandmother have cool vintage vases? Use those for your centerpieces. Getting creative is half the fun! If you avoid purchasing new things just for your one-day wedding, that’s a great step towards an eco-friendly elopement. Or, if you do have items that you want to purchase, look for things that will end up as wedding keepsakes you can reuse in the future in your home together!
Keep your guest list small
The less guests you have, the smaller of an impact your wedding will make. Be thoughtful about your guest list and include the people you REALLY want to be there. Limiting the number of guests means less food, less dishes and less traffic on the trails. That’s a sustainable wedding win.
Follow Leave No Trace principles
This last one is so important to me that I wrote an entire blog about it! Leave No Trace is an organization that was founded to educate people on taking better care of the outdoors. There are 7 core principles:
Plan ahead & prepare
Travel & camp on durable surfaces
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Minimize campfire impacts
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of others
Visit the Leave No Trace website (or read my blog post about it!) to learn more about how to apply these to your wedding day. If you are getting married in the outdoors, these 7 principles are absolutely essential. They are the best way to make sure your elopement is an eco-friendly elopement!
The biggest key to sustainable weddings: Do what you can
I would love to team up with you to make your eco-friendly elopement dreams come true! No matter how many of these tips you choose to implement, doing what you can is the important part. There’s no shame in planning the wedding day of your dreams, and no need to stress if your wedding doesn’t hit every single mark. These are simply some ideas to help support the environment around your wedding so it’s there for generations after to continue to enjoy it! I’ll be on your side every step of the way.