I hope you enjoyed last week's post full of zero waste wedding tips. Here are 5 more! I would say the core thing to remember is to plan ahead and to delegate well. Take time to walk through your wedding day in your head, picture your venue and consider where you will need to ask someone to step in or add something to your ‘to bring’ list.
FIND MULTIPLE USES
This is key to keeping costs down, to limit waste and make the best use of your resources. Flowers can get costly if you need to dress different spaces as well as provide buttonholes, bouquets and extra bits. Why not use the bridesmaid bouquets for some of your table decorations – get vases/jars with water in ready for them. Do the same for your bridal bouquet; find a prime spot where it will be seen and enjoyed! If you choose some special vases, you could gift the vases to your bridesmaids for them to take home with them. Ties work well as gifts for the groomsmen, while 'tying' (sorry!) them in to your colour scheme and style.
FORAGE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
Ivy is generally in abundance and can be gathered up to 2 days in advance before it starts wilting. Make use of what's around you for free. Spray pine cones and leaves gold and sprinkle them across your dinner tables. Rosemary and lavender can also be foraged and are great to use in buttonholes and table settings for a touch of nature and a lovely scent.
DITCH THE DISPOSABLES
Disposables might seem easier, but hiring really isn’t more of a hassle. For example, Fabric napkins feel much more luxurious and can add the finishing touch to your table setup. As with our fabric napkins, at Enamelware Events we allow you to return our dinnerware and cutlery unwashed, so it really isn’t extra work for you. Some venues will ask that you take all waste home with you, so save someone from that task!
KEEP THE CANDLES BURNING
Let me explain. We bought lots and lots of pillar candles for our wedding. Sadly they all came wrapped in plastic, and now we have boxes full of candles with only a bit used on each. I’ve been wondering about adding these candles to our hire list, and as they get burned down I will lower the hire price each time. What do you think – would you use second-hand candles? It would be amazing if local candle-making companies could recycle old candles and reuse the wax. Or perhaps even hire out their candles. Get in touch if that could be you!
PICK UP THE PETALS
Make your own confetti from dried petals. This is a lovely activity that you can do in the lead-up to your wedding. Use it as an excuse to get outside and go hunting for petals with your friends while you natter! You want to get freshly fallen petals. The two methods myself and my friends used were the microwave method, oven-drying and, my favourite, just leaving them by the window to dry in the sun slowly. Wildflower Favours give the run-down here.
PART 3 COMING SOON
Yet again, I still have more to say!
Please do email me or send an Insta message if you're planning/have had your own green, eco-friendly or zero waste wedding. I would love to hear your top tips and answer any questions! And just shout if you'd like to use Enamelware Events for your wedding.
PS I haven't been paid to mention these suppliers and brands – they are just personal recommendations.
Photo credit: Annie Spratt and Ornella Binni (petals), cover photo by Matt & Esther Photography
