10 Steps to Pull Off a Sustainable Wedding

You shouldn’t be having a wasteful, trashy celebration knowing that after your wedding you’ll throw away half a cup of plastic and trash from your dinnerware… which was purchased for one night only. But I think a lot of traditional weddings are just that, taking place during the daytime, and it’d be hard to miss the impact of that.

In conversations about why we spend so much for the great illusion, the $450 billion wedding industry is rethinking what it’s all about, and couples are at the forefront of the movement, choosing celebrations that represent their personal values. 

Traditional weddings create 400 pounds of waste and dump 63 tons of CO₂ into the air (which is equal to four years of carbon emissions from four people)—mostly in the form of energy specs of venues and decor that aren’t recyclable.

Let’s break it down by step.

What Is a Sustainable Wedding?

A sustainable wedding is an event that promotes a low environmental impact during the wedding and post-wedding phase.

This is the future of a wedding: sustainable, reusable, locally grown, green, less planet trash, actually celebrating love.

And every decision — no matter how small counts. Your guests then see how easily sustainable elements can be part of such an important celebration and begin to think about how they can implement it in their day to day lives.

Why a Sustainable Wedding Matters

Sustainability is the flagship of today’s discussions, and it will not become irrelevant — on the contrary, it will gain the importance it deserves. Your guest’s travel footprint is part of global emissions, and weddings in total contribute as much waste as would fill a dumpster. Weddings are usually like this, but they don’t have to be.

It’s no longer a place, and everyone knows and the investors and the customers are crying out for it. According to figures, 73% of millennials and Gen-Z couples are willing to spend more on more ecologically sustainable wedding options. 

This is a shift within the wedding industry driving change and pushing couples to go wild in their imagination to cut down on waste and lower their wedding day emissions.

How to Plan a Sustainable Wedding

That’s why I want to share with you how to plan of a sustainable wedding.

That’s why I want to share with you how to plan a sustainable wedding. Like everything else, putting your own unique stamp on your plans is vital; planning your wedding is one of life’s most exciting milestones. There is something about that love we should remember. What kind of a legacy will your wedding leave not only for your memories, but for the earth? For instance, choosing stylish terracotta bridesmaid wear can blend eco-conscious fashion with a timeless aesthetic, setting a tone that’s both personal and planet-friendly.

I’m not talking about an outdoor wedding in a park, that’s trendy. On average a wedding creates 14.5 tons of CO₂, or enough to equal years worth of emissions for some of us. In addition, they generate 400 lbs of waste and much of that is unrecyclable decor, disposable, uneaten food.

In 2025, more couples are thinking about these norms. Today they are not just following sustainability trend, but are taking a commitment to find ways to create their special day in line with their values. From eschewing printed invites to getting married at venues powered by renewable energy, modern weddings are showing good taste and eco-friendliness can go hand in hand.

10 Steps to Plan a Sustainable Wedding

1. Choose an Eco-Friendly Venue

The venue is the cornerstone of your wedding’s environmental impact. Spaces with green certifications or if you have the option: outdoor settings such as gardens, beaches for instance, which use less artificial lighting and climate control.

Ask venues what they do with their waste. Do they compost food scraps, recycle, or use energy-efficient systems to keep the space moving? Close to most guests, decreasing emissions from travel choosing a venue. For destination weddings, offset your carbon footprint via verified programs that support renewable energy projects.

2. Send Sustainable Invitations

You don’t have to create needless waste with invitations anymore. Such digital options are also grabbing many couples who like to share RSVPs, details and updates instantly.

If you simply cannot give up printed invitations, opt for recycled paper or seeded paper that can be planted and will grow herbs or flowers. Have minimal and compact designs, and include a QR code to direct guests’ mobile phones to your wedding website for further details.

3. Select Sustainable Wedding Attire

Bridal fashion doesn’t have to be wasteful. Giving a beautiful gown a second life would be by renting, or shopping second hand. If you’re looking for style without sacrificing your values, look at designs of recyclable fabrics, hemp or recycled mhemp,aterials. Set the tone with your bridal party and ask them to choose outfits that they would wear again, or to rent their attire in order to be as eco friendly as possible.

4. Plan a Green Catering Menu

The reason weddings are more likely to have food waste is because there are ways to avoid it. First, go with caterers who focus on local and seasonal ingredients that don’t have to travel as far and tend to be fresher still.

More and more institutions are offering plant-based menus, with research showing they can help cut catering’s carbon footprint by up to 50%. Are you serving meat? Pick an ethical option and collaborate with your caterer to reduce waste. Donate leftovers to local shelters or compost what’s left.

5. Use Sustainable Wedding Decor

Going green in decor is one of the easiest things to do. Renting your tableware, linens and furniture means you aren’t contributing to landfill waste.

Velvet, bamboo, jute, or recycled glass—the decor should be biodegradable or at least reusable, as well. Floral arrangements can be donated to hospitals or nursing homes after the event and potted plants can be laid out as decor and guest favors. For an elegant, natural touch, ditch plastic confetti in favor of dried petals or herbs.

6. Wedding Favors

A lot of the time, traditional wedding favors wind up collected in a box never to be seen again, or in the trash. Rather, pick gifts with a purpose. Tote bags, for example, are great because they are reusable, and small potted succulents are fun and memorable.

Another adorable choice is seed packets, which will help guests customize their experience post-wedding. Instead, you can opt to donate from your event to a reforestation project or local animal shelter—one that impacts those you have invited to your party.

7. Limit Transportation Emissions

Wedding transportation is a big source of emissions. Reduce the number of cars on the road by choosing venues close to most of your guests, or by providing shuttle services.

Promote carpooling; include ride-sharing options on your wedding website. When it comes to hosting a destination wedding, help offset emissions via carbon offset programmes. A lot of airlines also offer eco-friendly travelling – check with the airline about their sustainability initiatives.

8. Capture Memories Sustainably

There’s nothing cherished in a wedding like photos, but you can make your photography more sustainable. Unlike with traditional film, digital photography is chemical-free and the online albums make sharing memories a snap.

When you have printed photos, select recycled paper and eco-friendly inks. Say no to disposable cameras and ask guests to upload photos directly to an online shared album on their phones.

9. Reduce Waste During the Event

It’s important to practice waste management to help keep your event eco-friendly. Label recycling, compost, and trash bins clearly so guests know what to throw away where.

Instead, use compostable or reusable tableware and forgo single-use plastics altogether. Any leftover decor can be donated, sold or reused at future events; leftover food needs to be donated to shelters or composted.

10. Start a Legacy of Sustainability

Your wedding can help inspire others to practice sustainability. Planting a tree as a marker for your marriage is a powerful marker.

Another way to carry your celebration’s meaning past the moment is to donate to an environmental organization in honor of your guests. By showcasing your journey, whether that’s through social media, wedding blogs, or something else, you are inspiring others to make the same decisions, which therefore helps your sustainable wedding multiply the good that came from it.

Conclusion

If you’re throwing a sustainable wedding, it’s more than just a party. It reflects your values and a way of starting your marriage on purpose. You choose eco-friendly venues, thoughtful favors and menus sourced locally and you reduce your impact to create a day uniquely yours.

Celebrating sustainably, you’re making memories, and setting an example. Make your wedding a celebration of love that spurs beyond the two of you, and makes a difference for the planet and the people who live on it.

How do you plan to bring sustainability to your big day? Let us know in the comments and encourage others to make their celebrations a little kinder to the Earth.