Dear DBS...

I want my wedding to be as sustainable as possible, where do I start?

First off, we’d like to say Bravo! **insert clapping emoji. The fact that you are trying to consider the planet, while planning a wedding during these uncertain times is more than commendable. We truly applaud your effort to minimize your own carbon footprint as a first step in starting your life together.

However, we feel like we should say upfront that sustainable products, items, and food can tend to be more expensive. So, if you’re working with a budget, we recommend picking a few key areas where you’d like to be as green as possible.

We recommend you focus your budget on the area of Catering/Food. Choosing eco-friendly food or hosting a farm to table dinner will cost a bit more. But in this area, we suggest you consider quality over quantity. Remember you don’t have to host a full dinner; a few sustainably sourced appetizers will do! You’ll just need to do some research on this one. Hannah’s Off the Square, a participant at Denton Bridal Show, hosts a periodic dinner with a locally sourced menu that is delectable, so you could reach out to them and others like them for more information on sustainable catering.

This next suggestion could be rather obvious, but it is one of the easiest ways to limit waste. Rent the glassware, plates, and service ware for your reception instead of using plastic or paper. You can also rent linens or buy recycled napkins, as well. And don’t forget to opt for electronic invitations rather than mailing paper.

If you have a bar, make sure to have recycling bins for all the cans or bottles. Or choose big batch cocktails or drinks such as spiked tea, lemonade, or punch that will cut down on single use container waste.

Regarding décor and party favors there are so many ideas we couldn’t possibly list them all! Etsy.com actually has an entire page on their site with handmade items related to sustainable wedding planning: Favors, decor, dresses, and more.

Some of our favorite ideas include using live plants rather than cut flowers or using dried flowers versus ordering live flowers that can’t be reused or kept. For containers, use sustainable, reusable materials such as recycled or thrifted glass jars. For candles, purchase partially used ones at thrift stores and melt them down and fill your own sustainable vessels with a wick and wax. You can also opt to have your wedding in the great outdoors! Erect a wedding tent, and add acoustic music, and/or candlelight or solar lights to minimize energy waste. Don’t forget that you can also consider secondhand attire and environmentally friendly makeup!

Truly the sky's the limit if you are willing to be flexible and do a little research. And honestly, having such an intentional event will likely be much more special and memorable for your guests. What matters is that your intentions are good, and you are doing your best to serve the planet. Try not to overthink it too much. You got this!

Sincerely,

Denton Bridal Show

Have a wedding dilemma or question about planning? Maybe we can help! Whether you are a bride or a groom, MOB or FOB, member of the bridal party or family, or a vendor please send your questions our way and we will do our best to answer them. Contact us on Instagram or via our website contact page.