Bin the Blood Diamonds: 5 Tips for the Ultimate Eco-Friendly Wedding

By Editor1SYS | April 19, 2022 0 Comments

Nowadays, we know that caring for the environment is a little bit of everyone’s responsibility. From rugged rural backdrops to zen moissanite rings, here’s five ways you can give your big day a small carbon footprint.

Venue

Transport to and from your venue makes up the largest chunk of emissions. That removes any hope of a high-flying destination wedding – but sometimes, finding someplace local can make for an even more beautiful ceremony.

Finding a quiet, beautiful nearby spot can elevate your night from run-of-the-mill to one of a kind.

Hosting the reception in a permanent building is definitely preferable to a marquee or tipi. As lovely as a marquee can be, they require a constantly-humming generator, and plenty of equipment and road miles to transport and set up. 

It’s only when you’re planning a wedding that you realise how far apart all your friends and family live. Some will unavoidably have to travel. However, it is easy to off-set the carbon produced by their travel.

Horse and cart is not only fit for a princess, they’re also much less carbon-emitting than their 4-wheel counterparts. 

Dress

Your dress is another super-important part of the day. You need to feel absolutely stunning, and reducing your carbon footprint shouldn’t dim that brilliance.

Most new, store-bought dresses are sewed abroad – sometimes by workers being paid pennies a day – and their shipping and flight miles create one hell of a carbon footprint.

Thankfully, thrifting is currently in vogue. This means that it’s possible to pick up beautiful vintage or pre-loved pieces – not only saving the world, but also your purse.

However, if you’re going for a specific look that a vintage dress can’t account for, there’s always the possibility of turning to eco dress designers.

Eco designers will craft your wedding gown out of sustainable materials, such as bamboo or recycled cotton. Other designers minimise waste by utilising their offcuts for other outfits or accessories. Even better, they will tailor-fit your gown into a sustainable, highly flattering piece.

The Rings

The rings are another vital part – not just to the big day, but for the rest of your relationship. The engagement and wedding rings are symbols of your faith and enduring passion for one another.

With the rings holding such an important symbolic role, it’s vital to be sure of your choice when you’re slipping the ring on your partner’s finger.

Traditionally, diamonds have ruled the wedding ring roost: in recent years however, the true atrocities of blood diamonds have begun to be brought to light.

Blood diamonds are stones that are mined in war-torn countries, often through incredibly inhumane and exploitative methods. Due to the lack of external regulation, it’s almost impossible to verify the conditions a diamond is mined in.

Instead, choose sustainability with your purse. If you’re a fan of larger gemstones, zen moissanite pieces and other lab-grown stones are a lifesaver. Literally – they offer brilliant and gorgeous wedding rings that do not cost others’ lives.