As of 2019, the average wedding cost $28,000. That might seem like a lot upfront, but when you consider everything from catering to a venue, things add up quickly. Needless to say, it’s not uncommon for couples to want to cut back and find ways to save on their big day.
Now, with sustainability at the forefront of everyone’s mind, combining a budget wedding with a sustainable one only seems natural. Having a wedding budget will help you to avoid financial problems and let you start your marriage with some money saved up.
Thankfully, many sustainable solutions are also much cheaper than their traditional counterparts.
So, if you’re trying to save some money and the planet at the same time, let’s look at a few ways you can do both on your wedding day.
Use What’s in Season
Two of the easiest ways to save money while being sustainable are to use what’s in season and use what’s local. This can apply to nearly everything from your flowers to your food. You can purchase beautiful flowers from a local grower or even from an area farmers market. Selections will vary depending on where you are in the country and what season it is. Planning a spring wedding? You can look for varieties like:
Looking for something warm and inviting for a fall wedding? Try local marigolds or goldenrod.
When it comes to catering, use local produce instead of hiring a caterer who will have food shipped in. Some caterers pride themselves on a “farm-to-table” process, but if you can’t find one locally willing to work with area farmers, you might be better off DIYing your food or having a friend or family member take care of it for you.
Virtual weddings have become hugely popular over the last year. At first, it was out of necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many couples who didn’t want to cancel their weddings opted to host them virtually over video conferencing platforms like Zoom.
Now, even though restrictions have eased up, there are people still choosing to go virtual for their big days. It saves a lot of money since you don’t have to worry about catering, hiring a DJ, or even booking a venue if you don’t want to. Because you’re not going for a lot of the traditional trappings, it’s also a much better option for the environment. Simplicity and sustainability often go hand-in-hand.
Another benefit to virtual weddings that’s important to touch on is that they can be much less stressful. You won’t have to feel anxious about the planning or the details going into the big day, so you won’t have to try to find extra ways to calm yourself, which might actually make your anxiety worse. You can simply be self-compassionate and practice self-care while focusing on your commitment to your partner.
Make Ethical Choices
If you really want to be sustainable with your wedding, look at every possible choice you have to make. Now, consider how you can make it more ethical. Everything from the textiles you choose for your wedding party to the ring on your finger can be made more sustainable. Do your research on some of the following when you’re picking out jewelry to wear for the rest of your life:
- Transparent supply chains
- Lab-grown diamonds
- Ethical certifications
- Sustainable manufacturing practices
With a bit of time and effort, you can find information on companies and brands that take sustainability seriously. Often, you can save money by going that route because you won’t necessarily be giving in to something that’s in “high demand.”
These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg for a budget-friendly, sustainable wedding. But, they can help you to get started and inspire more eco-friendly ideas to make your special day something you can feel even better about.