Gone are the days when a ‘big fat Indian wedding’ was considered a necessity. Blame the pandemic or the deteriorating climatic conditions but now weddings are all about being Eco-friendly and also easy on the pocket. As far as Indian weddings are concerned, the decorations is where most plastic or useless products are used. If implicit measures are taken only in the decoration, most of the waste can be avoided and the wedding will also be much under your budget. In this blog, I will be providing fairly simple and creative ideas that will keep your wedding environmentally accurate without compromising on the quality or the fun.
1. Small is the new big!
We Indians have huge families and gazillions of friends and it won’t be fair to not invite them. But is it really important to invite your hairdresser? I guess not! Decide the guest list very carefully and invite only those people who you genuinely want to see on your big day. Take as much time as you want to shortlist guests as this is your big day. The pandemic has already made your work easy as people have become more conscious of travelling or attending parties, so use this excuse to keep your wedding small.
2. DIY Wedding signage
Many wedding planners now use display signs that are reusable and aesthetic at the same time. Handwritten chalkboard signs are trending nowadays and will also provide a chic look to the entrance. Vintage old mirrors can also be used if you plan to keep the vibes royal. Such props can be repurposed easily and are also available at a nominal amount. This also helps wedding planners that are new in the industry as such props require minimal investments.
3. Reusable table centerpieces
Table centerpieces are very important in making the decor picturesque but if you don’t want expensive and huge floral centerpieces you can use old straws to make geometric shapes. Paint them golden to give a metallic look. Candles,small plants or tiny lanterns can be placed inside these pieces to complete the look. Potted plants as centerpieces are also gaining popularity as they can be gifted to guests at the end of the ceremony.
4. Earth-friendly invites
As the world is becoming more digitalized with every passing day, e-vites are gaining popularity. The best part is that they can be sent with just a click so you don’t have to roam around from house to house or even spend hefty amounts on speed posts. But if you still want your invites to be traditional, ask your vendor to use seed paper or recycled paper to print the invitation cards. Moreover you can use both options according to your guest’s preferences or location.
5. Unique wedding gifts
Wedding gifts do make a long-lasting impression on your guests but that doesn’t mean you have to go out of your way or your budget to impress them. Simple gifts like edible hampers including local grown products such as coffee, jams or tea can work wonders. This way you will also be able to support local businesses. Seeds, potted plants or herbs also make for unique gifts as they are sentimental and eco-friendly as well.
6. Donate the leftover food
No matter how accurate your guest list or your caterer’s food quantity estimate is,there is always a pile of leftover food waiting to be thrown away. But the good news is that there are many charities or NGOs that provide the facility of picking all the leftover food from weddings and providing it to the needy with required safety measures. Bangalore based NGO, Manav Charities is doing an amazing job and has been acknowledged multiple times for their efforts.
7. Use seasonal and local flowers
Yes! flowers make all the difference when it comes to the decorations but at the same time they create a lot more waste than you expect. Go for flowers that are in season or easily available at a local flower vendor. This will support the declining floriculture industry and also be eco-friendly. You can then donate the used flowers to companies that make compost or holi colors.
8. Cost effective venues
Due to increased demand, wedding venues have become very expensive but you can still save big bucks by planning an outdoor wedding. Also a day wedding will save a lot of electricity as events that happen at night need to be well lit. But then you also need to keep in mind the weather conditions before choosing an outdoor location. Public parks, beaches or even small gardens can be perfect venues for your wedding and moreover they are free of cost. Well! that will definitely save half your money. At such venues, you can use whatever is already present for decor ideas such as flowers in gardens or parks.
Well! This may all seem very difficult or overwhelming but even if you implement some of the ideas, you will be contributing a lot towards the environment. You don’t have to make a lot of effort and only a small amount of awareness goes a long way after all its about giving back to our community in small but meaningful ways and weddings are a great opportunity to do the same.