How to Plan a Sustainable Wedding as a Fashionable Bride

I have awesome news: a sustainable wedding does not have to sacrifice your love for fashion and glamour. You can reduce your carbon footprint, walk down the aisle looking gorgeous, and enjoy peace of mind while staying true to your values.

It starts with making smart choices, you can use eco-friendly fabrics for your wedding dress, or sage bridesmaid attire that represents eco-friendliness while reducing waste when eating, drinking, and entertaining.

So, let Chicsew bring your vision to life without compromising your dream wedding.

What is a Sustainable Wedding?

A sustainable wedding allows you to help protect our beloved Mother Earth and have a beautiful wedding with all the same amenities and everything you dreamed of on your special day. All it takes is making some clever choices. With over 2 million weddings happening per year, we must consider the negative impact they have on our planet, from the excess energy usage to the food that gets thrown away.

Here are some factors for you to consider:

• 10% of the cost of a wedding is spent on food. Most of which is not consumed.
• Choosing imported flowers requires transportation and refrigeration, which increases the carbon footprint.
• Most wedding dresses are only worn once, which is not very environmentally friendly.

Enough of the causes, let’s get to solutions!

Wedding Gowns and Sustainability

Now, to the fun part: wedding gowns!

Shopping for pre-loved gowns. There are so many pre-loved wedding gown boutiques, and you would be surprised to find that you would be hard-pressed not to find one that fits your style and vision and is in pristine condition. What I do recommend is taking any pre-loved gown to a good tailor and having it tailor-fitted just for you! The tailor can also add a special touch for you that was not already there or replace something with something you like better. Not only will you save money, but you will be cutting down on waste. They usually come with a veil as well. Worst case scenario, the tailor can make you the veil you dreamed of.

Give it a shot; I don’t think you will walk away empty-handed.

I forgot to mention, after the wedding, you can sell your gown back to the boutique Unless you are planning on saving your wedding gown for a future daughter or daughter-in-law, which is also sustainable, here are some ideas.

I do feel you should go for new shoes, but you can always do what Carrie Bradshaw did in “Sex in the City” and buy Manolo Blahnik shoes in blue (or another color), which you will surely wear again. A pair of shoes like this can also be sold pre-loved if you decide not to keep them. Personally, I could not part with them! You will wear a shoe like this forever, and they will never go out of style and end up in the trash bin.

Sustainable Accessories for the “Fashionista” Bride

They say accessories can make or break your “look,” so let’s talk about some sustainable accessories to put the finishing touches on the stunning bride.
Every bride needs an elegant evening bag or clutch. You can find these at high-end pre-loved stores online in your area. Some of them you can order online, or you can look for stores online near you and go in person. New designer bags are expensive, and buying the pre-loved versions can be equally as good as the new ones, all the while being sustainable and saving you money. There are also plenty of non-designer bags you can buy new, but buy something you will use again.

Let’s talk diamonds! As Marilyn Monroe once said, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” Have you heard of moissanite diamonds? A moissanite gemstone is almost identical to a diamond, but they are man-made in a lab, which makes them eco-friendly and less costly. They are made from a naturally occurring mineral called silicon carbide. A Moisonite gem is about 1/10th of the price of a mined diamond of the same size and the second hardest to diamonds on the Mohs hardness scale. They are more brilliant as well. If this interests you, you can Google more information. My point is you can buy a beautiful engagement ring and/or diamond studs to wear with your wedding dress. High-quality, sparkly gems always make wonderful accessories!

Sustainable Venue and Décor

Looking for a sustainable venue and are not sure how to do it? Here is a list of tips to get you on the right track.

• Ask the venue to use locally grown and in-season flowers to decorate with.
• If the venue does not provide these things, then you can do the same, as well as renting tables and chairs.
• Find a florist that uses local and in-season flowers for your bouquet.

Choose Sustainable Catering and Dining Options

Food: I am a foodie, so I love this part. Find a venue or food service that sources local and organic food or will do so upon your request. Vegetarian dishes, Italian pasta dishes, etc., are delicious and more eco-friendly than a carnivorous menu. I could go on and on about all the scrupulous dishes that are vegetarian and use locally grown and in-season ingredients.

I assure you that you can make everybody happy with this type of menu. Ask that the portions be small and elegant. Nobody wants to gorge themselves at a wedding in their beautiful clothes and before dancing the night away celebrating at your wedding reception.

Eco-Friendly Travel and Transportation

 This part is impossible. Nobody wants to take public transportation or hotel shuttles and meet up somewhere to take said shuttle, ride a bike, or anything like that to a wedding. Another thing is nobody knows when they will want to leave the reception, and it’s highly unlikely anybody lives close enough to carpool or would want to. Not to a wedding.

Minimizing Waste and Giving Back After the Wedding

This part is not very doable either. The ways of minimizing waste have already been discussed. Also, unless they have more money than they know what to do with, they will not have any money left over to give back or donate after the wedding, reception, and honeymoon.

Conclusion: A Fashionable Bride with Purpose

You are a fashionista bride with a conscience! You will have your beautiful bridal gown, bouquet, venue, vendors, décor, and gastronomy choices all in place. Beautiful and smart! Now it’s time to go shopping and, of course, enjoy one of the most memorable days of your life. Cheers!