Planning a wedding is never as easy as we fantasize about when we are young. For many of us our imagination runs wild, thinking that the planning of our special day will be stress free and smooth sailing. In reality, it takes a huge amount of joint effort from all parties involved, especially if you decide to go green!
Here at Villa Bighi we strive to help as much as we can. We aim to help the happy couple as well as the environment. To our luck, eco-friendly and small weddings are becoming more popular as the days go by, but planning a sustainable wedding is easier said than done. It’s a challenging process and you might not know where to start.
So, we are here to help you! With a few guidelines we are certain you will ask yourself why you didn’t think of this before!
The steps involved to organise a sustainable wedding start way before the ceremony and it’s important to note that wedding waste includes a lot more than plastic and electrical energy. Waste can also be the paper used for the invitations, the wedding favours (souvenirs), the food, the decorations and so much more.
Here are 9 small changes that you can easily make to have a more sustainable wedding:
BEFORE THE WEDDING
1. Outdoor Weddings
The first step is thinking about the season in which you plan to wed. Spring weddings are usually the most sustainable since the weather is neither too cold or too hot, therefore you can enjoy an outdoor wedding and use as much sunlight as possible. This reduces electrical energy as it will only be used after the sun goes down and for the entertainment. At Villa Bighi, we specialise in outdoor weddings since we have plenty of outdoor venues for you to choose from, some of which overlook the majestic Grand Harbour.
2. The Guest List
While it may seem tempting to invite everyone you know to your special day, the smaller the guest list, the less waste you will produce. We also understand that we live in Malta, a country where everyone knows everyone, and it might be that the couple cannot limit the guest list. Not to worry, as in such cases Villa Bighi can accommodate up to 1000 standing guests!
3. Catering
When it comes to planning the food and drink for your wedding, try to find caterers who buy their supplies locally. This will cut down shipping fuels and costs whilst helping Maltese businesses and the economy.
4. The Perfect Attire
Perhaps the most expensive piece of clothing you’ll ever buy in your life is your wedding dress. There is a stigma that buying the perfect dress means that it has to be a brand new, high-end designer dress, however this is not necessarily the case. The perfect dress needs to be a dress which makes you feel good and confident, a dress which makes you happy to start your big journey.
You can opt to make your own dress by following a few points:
If this is something you don’t want to do, you can opt to research designers who work on ethical bridal dresses. Research the fabrics they use, the location they are made in, the work conditions of the workers who will be making your dress. Make sure to check the delivery methods and finally, see that they satisfy your values, both morally and financially.
5. Sustainable Diamonds
Speaking of ethical attire, have you ever thought about Ethical Rings? Thinking about how dangerous diamond mining is, has it ever come to mind how many resources and materials are wasted just to make one ring? Have you ever thought about tracing the origins of the diamonds/gemstones found on your ring?
You want your ring to be authentic and cleared of all crimes! No one intentionally wants to wear blood-gems or stolen diamonds.
A growing trend and an alternative to blood diamonds are lab-created stones. These jewels are man-made and cause far less harm to the environment than mining. Another advantage of lab-created gemstones is the price. These gems cost far less than the authentic ones, with some stones such as the lab-made Emerald costing a quarter of the price than that of a real Emerald.
Another alternative you can opt for is to use a family heirloom engagement ring, which will have both sentimental value and a new romantic meaning.
6. The Invitations
Next come the invites. Believe it or not – white paper is not the only option. There are many more environmentally friendly options like making your own invitations. This can be possible by using either online invites, recycled paper or vellum paper (which is 100% recycled paper made from cotton and wood pulp).
The best option would actually be plantable ‘paper’. This type of paper is quickly gaining popularity because once the invite is received, the guests can take note of the details and plant the paper in soil, which then grows into different plants.
DURING THE WEDDING
7.Confetti
Plastic confetti is a thing of the past! As of 2021, it is in fact illegal to use single-use confetti and balloons., We have a few alternatives you can use instead such as:
These alternatives will not only save the planet, but are also animal friendly. They will also have a very nice outcome in the photos and are a colourful alternative. Think about it… those bright coloured flower petals contrasting against your black and white attires! Truly a dream come true – captured on film!
8. Venue Decor
The wonderful day has finally arrived, but sustainability doesn’t stop there. While Villa Bighi is already decorated with 17th Century neo-classical architecture and magnificent seascapes, it still needs to be dressed to fit the couple’s dream wedding.
There are many things one could use here but we plan on staying away from all the plastic confetti, cutlery, decorations, cups, plates and all those single use plastics.
The list below is just a few examples of how this can be done.
Decorating with real seasonal flowers will make your wedding more lively. There will also be a natural aroma from the plants which will automatically make the guests feel a bit more relaxed. Make sure to scatter them and try to keep certain flowers away from the centerpieces just in case your guests are prone to hay fever (especially in the spring).
The bouquet is an extension of the dress and your personality and there’s nothing more personal than making it yourself. You can pick and choose the leaves, flowers and embellishments to your personal liking.
Whether you choose to make the bouquet yourself or not, you can choose to keep it afterwards. You can preserve the bouquet in resin or use the petals to transform them into jewellery which you can wear for years after the wedding. If you choose non-natural materials, for example to make the bouquet from fabric flowers or from ganutel, these can be kept to decorate your future home.
This step is probably the most harmful part of the entire wedding, in relation to sustainability. This is because you never really realize how much plastic and non-recyclable materials you are using.
So, here’s what you can do, firstly you can start by using biodegradable material, bamboo, wooden cutlery or washable cutlery, glasses and plates.
Decorating the table can also be an easy and fun DIY project for the wedding party. Having a crafts night with your closest friends and family to make your own centrepieces could be an exciting and authentic idea.
You can create anything that reflects who you are as a couple. A few ideas or sustainable materials to use may include:
Really and truly you can go wild and create an endless spectrum of things, to help you we have put together some pictures.
AFTER THE WEDDING
9. The leftovers
After all the guests are gone, after the halls are cleared and cleaned and the party is over, everything went smoothly and the wedding was a happy one, all seems well…. Except for the tons of food left!
Donating the excess food to people in need is one of the most special things you can do. There are many foodbanks, nunneries or homeless centres which the newlyweds can donate to. Another idea would be to plan and leave the food to the people who worked at your wedding. It is a small gesture to show gratitude to the staff who worked all night and this will serve as a small token of appreciation.
Speaking of donating and giving, food is not the only thing the happy couple can spare after the wedding. They can choose to donate/ resell the wedding decorations that they can’t fit into their new home. Imagine helping another couple for their upcoming nuptials, or a simple donation to someone who’s been going through a rough patch. Even a simple flower bouquet can make their day.
The above are just some ideas for all those who would like to plan a sustainable wedding – changes that will not make a big difference to us but will definitely make a huge difference to the planet and its environment.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article! Do you have other sustainable ideas that we have not mentioned above? We would be very pleased to hear them. Feel free to write your comments and suggestions on our Facebook Page @villabighi
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