Carbon Neutral Wedding Tips

Having already set your mind on an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral wedding, you’ve planned some sustainable details. The floral arrangements are local and in-season. Check! Invitations are printed on plantable seed paper and your rings are sustainably-made. Check, check! But oh, your dream wedding venue is not central so guests will have to drive to get there. What now? You’re not alone.

Most traditional weddings create multiple times more carbon emissions than the average person does in a year.

Some details are tough to cut out — such as flying in your loved ones from out of town for the ceremony. In these moments, there is still an option: carbon offsets for weddings.

The idea is you calculate your wedding’s carbon footprint, then invest an equal amount of money into green businesses such as efficient energy or tree planting projects. Doing this is also called planning a carbon neutral wedding, which means balancing out your event’s emissions with activities that lower greenhouse gases.

It’s a nice way to show environmental commitment and compassion to yourself for the wedding details you need to keep.

With that, here are some steps for planning your carbon neutral wedding:

1. Choose as many sustainable options as possible first

Narrow down your guest list. Less people means less on-the-road or air travel, less food, and even a smaller indoor venue with less heating and cooling needed. Going outdoors is a way to lower the energy use as well. Find compostable alternatives for decor, such as bowls of lemons as creative tablescape arrangements!

2. Calculate your carbon footprint

Everything you could find alternative eco-friendly options for has been swapped out. Kudos to you! Now, it’s time to figure out the total carbon footprint of your wedding as it’s planned out right now. There are a few calculators online available to use for free including Less Stuff More Meaning, and Outdoor Chronicles Photography.

3. Work with a carbon offset company

Choose an organization to help you find a green project to invest in as a carbon offset for your wedding. Some options include Less.ca (for general carbon offsets in Canada), Tentree (a carbon offset package for a 100-person Canadian wedding) Terrapass (for general carbon offsets in the US) Greenfleet (for general carbon offsets in Australia), Feast It (for general carbon offsets in the UK). They’ll help you get set up!

4. Enjoy your wedding knowing you’ve done your best!

Reducing waste at your wedding is about progress, not perfection. Give yourself credit for putting in the effort to be eco-friendly. Every little sustainable choice matters.

You can buy seed paper sheets for eco-friendly papercraft projects from Botanical PaperWorks. We have a variety of seed options, including wildflower, herb and veggie, and over 25 seed paper colors. Join our mailing list to receive emails with freebies, projects, coupons, green living tips, and decor ideas and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest