Environmentally Conscious Wedding Ceremony Trends

We have a guest on the blog talking to us about eco-friendly and sustainable wedding trends and ideas. Please welcome my friend, Katelyn, from Katelyn Mallett Photography. Katelyn is not only a creative and talented wedding photographer, she’s also passionate about the environment and finding ways to make weddings more sustainable. Read on to get to know Katelyn and her super awesome ideas for making your wedding ceremony more eco-friendly.

Hi, Katelyn, welcome to my blog! Before we get started, can you please tell me a little about yourself, your business, and your passion for the environment?

Hi Maria, hi everyone! I’m Katelyn, a wedding photographer and educator located in Southern Maine. I’ve been shooting weddings professionally for about 7 years all around New England, celebrating and capturing super fun weddings with incredible couples in love.

I specialize in romantic and adventurous wedding photography. I enjoy connecting with couples who love the New England landscape and want to include it in their day, whether that’s by the ocean somewhere in Acadia, or on top of a mountain in western Maine.

I find a lot of inspiration in the natural beauty that surrounds us, which is a big part of why I want to work hard to protect it.

My husband works in renewable energy and each day he is working to make the world a better place, so I wanted to also do my part by incorporating advocacy into my business. While it’s challenging to work in an industry that isn’t set up to be green, I see it as a huge opportunity to encourage and enlighten couples to the options they have and to become an ambassador for the environment.

Great! Now, let’s dive in. What are the eco-trends you’re seeing right now in weddings in general?

I love that one of the top 2020 trends in weddings is sustainability. Couples are becoming more and more aware of the impact that global warming is having on our planet, and honestly we can’t afford not to pay attention to this fact. I think the overall trend and direction weddings are going is less waste. People are realizing that the event industry isn’t set up to be environmentally-friendly, but there are ways to change that.

What are a few ways that couples can make their wedding ceremony more environmentally sensitive?

Here are a few of my favorite ideas I’ve seen couples implementing, along with some I would love to see in the future!

9 ENVIRONMENTALLY-SENSITIVE WEDDING CEREMONY TRENDS

Toss petals or dried herbs (lavender smells amazing!) during the recessional. It not only is eco-friendly, but it looks amazing in photographs. Avoid rice to save the birds!
Print your vows on seed paper so you can later plant the paper at your home. Those wildflowers will come back each year and bring you back to your special day. Encourage your guests to do the same with any program materials.
Have a tree planting ceremony where you plant a sapling together, symbolizing the growth of roots, and creating oxygen for the planet.
Use planted pots along the aisle instead of floral arrangements or plastic items. Ditch the DIY items that you’re going to use once, and get rentals that you can move to your reception to repurpose!
Instead of building an arch, choose a ceremony spot that encompasses natural beauty such as in front of the ocean, or under a tree in your backyard. Another option is to repurpose your arch. You can also use your arch as the backdrop for your sweetheart table or for a photo booth backdrop during cocktail hour.
To cut back on electricity, host an intimate ceremony that doesn’t need sound equipment.
If you’re having a welcome sign, use the reverse side for your menu or bar options.
Make your flowers do double duty. Any florals being used during your ceremony can be moved to your dessert table or head table during your reception.
Save water (and soggy feet) by turning off the sprinklers 24 hours before the ceremony, if you’re having a lawn ceremony.

What are the benefits of having an environmentally conscious wedding ceremony?

Your wedding day is the biggest event of your life, but it can also be the most wasteful. Reducing the carbon footprint of your wedding can seem like a daunting task, but luckily going environmentally-friendly is getting easier each day. Your wedding vision doesn’t need to be sacrificed to also support mother earth. The benefits are of course, the “feel good” aspect of knowing you’re contributing to saving the planet, but the real benefits are more for the earth than for you.

Does it cost more money to bring eco-trends into a wedding ceremony? Or is there a cost-savings?

I’m not going to say it’s cheaper, cost-efficient, or a way of saving money, because generally the choices aren’t yet. It’s important though- tremendously important- and I think that’s worth the extra cost or hassle to choose these options over ones that harm the earth.

That being said, choosing potted plants and seeded paper programs are much more valuable as far as cost goes than cut florals, single-use plastics and paper products.

Where can couples get ideas and inspiration for making their ceremony and their entire wedding more sustainable?

Here are some of my favorite resources for eco-friendly weddings:

Thanks, Katelyn, for sharing your passion and wisdom with us. Where can my readers find out more about you and your wedding photography business?

Thanks Maria! One last thing. “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” The wedding industry is unfortunately not really set up to be environmentally-friendly at the moment. That is why it is so important for more and more people to incorporate sustainable aspects into their weddings, even if it is something small. As an environmental advocate but also a realist, I know completely eco-friendly weddings aren’t always feasible. Do your best, and mother nature and I will thank you!

If you want to learn more about me and my wedding photography, head to Katelyn Mallett Photography.