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Eco Conscious Wedding Planning

Eco Conscious Wedding Planning

When it comes to planning a wedding there is so much to talk about and seemingly endless tasks to get through! One thing that is not often talked about when it comes to planning a wedding is the impact that your event may have on the environment.

The typical wedding will create a sizeable amount of waste, and although your special day may leave a beautiful imprint on the mind of every guest, it can also leave a mark on the planet.

When it comes to how eco-friendly your wedding can be, then there is no need to dream small! Today we are going to share some simple but effective ways to have the day of your dreams whilst also showing some love for the environment.

The Wedding Dress

This is often thought of as the most important part of a beautiful wedding – for the bride at least anyway! The amount of money that is typically spent on wedding dresses sits just above £1,300 – with the majority of these dresses only being worn once!

Shopping for a re-purposed or up-cycled wedding dress is a great way to have fun and get creative with your event planning, as well as saving money and resources. You may also decide to simply rent a gorgeous gown for the day and then return it afterwards.

Impact on the Planet

Research from The Green Bride Guide illustrates that the average wedding will produce a massive 272kgs of waste, as well as an incredible 63 tons of CO2 emissions. Additionally, an approximate 1,500 miles will be clocked up transporting the wedding food from farm to table.

So, how can you go about planning the wedding of your dreams without compromising on luxury?

Choosing a Venue

When choosing a venue for your wedding it can be a fantastic idea to hold your ceremony outside. The natural beauty that surrounds you will limit the desire for decorations. You will also be saving energy as your day will be lit up by the sun instead of indoor lighting.

If you do want to have an indoor wedding with decorations then consider asking the venue if they have any that you can repurpose. It is also easy and effortless to find decorations made from recycled materials, and of course to recycle yours after use!

You can also opt to have the wedding ceremony and the reception in the same venue so that you eliminate the need for travel between the two. If you have a large number of guests at your wedding then you’ll really be making a saving on vehicle emissions.

Some great choices for an outdoor wedding venue are a farm, an orchard, a botanical garden, the beach, or even your own garden!

When you are looking for an eco-friendly wedding venue, you may find Mapperton to be your ideal location. The stunning views of the tumbling countryside present the perfect setting for your romantic wedding.

The Garden Pavilion on the main lawn is a particularly beautiful choice for exchanging your vows, with the choice to then continue the celebrations in the newly renovated Coach House.

The Coach House was first built in 1670 and can accommodate up to 120 seated guests. Since the completion of the renovation, this building is heated by a new energy saving biomass system. This helps Mapperton to help you keep the carbon footprint of your wedding to a minimum!

The Invitations

Sending out hand-written invitations is a tradition that has fallen in popularity over the last few years as more people opt to send paperless digital versions.

You might also decide to go the extra mile and create a very basic wedding website for your big day that you can put all of the information and instructions on.

The Flowers

It would be difficult to imagine a wedding without flowers, and there is no reason that your environmentally friendly wedding has to forego them.

It is easy to source locally grown flowers for your event, and you can always find fun ways to use these flowers again afterwards – or give them to someone else!

The Food

Similarly to your flowers, sourcing your wedding food from local producers is another great way to keep the carbon footprint of your special day down. You can look to nearby farms for in-season fresh produce, and also to local breweries for your beverages.

It will likely be easy to find an eco-conscious local caterer to do all of the legwork for you when it comes to sourcing, buying, and creating your environmentally friendly wedding menu.

If you would like Mapperton to alleviate you of this responsibility, then our catering team are at the ready to provide you with an extensive range of locally-sourced food!

Booking Your Wedding at Mapperton

When you choose Mapperton as your wedding destination then we will work with you to create the flawless day that you have always dreamed of.

If you are keen to implement some or all of the eco-friendly wedding ideas from this article then it would be exciting to discuss this with you, as well as any other ideas that you might have!

For the rest of February you can take advantage of an incredible special offer when you decide to have your wedding at Mapperton. If you book before March 1st 2019 then we will wave the ceremony fee, adding up to a saving of £500!

Get in touch with Laura today to discuss your big day, and book your date! Call 01308 800114.

The Gardens at Mapperton, Dorset Wedding Venue. Photograph by Paul Underhill Photography

The Gardens at Mapperton, Dorset Wedding Venue. Photograph by Paul Underhill Photography

Sources

– http://www.urbanmeisters.com/sustainable-wedding-planning-with-eco-wedding-planner/
– The Green Bride Guide by Kate L. Harrison
– Featured image: Katherine Newman Photography

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