find the perfect place to set the scene
keep it local
A destination wedding may seem like an appealing alternative to a big wedding closer to home —smaller guest list, less food, fewer favors. But the environmental cost of putting a group of your nearest and dearest on a plane can be enormous, especially to wildlife. If traveling is a must for your special day, consider destinations like beaches or national parks that are closer to home. Look into train routes or sprinter van/bus rentals to help minimize the number of cars on the road, and book an eco-friendly hotel for your guests to stay in. Depending on where you end up, your eco-hotel may have wildlife-friendly excursions available.
Avoiding one round-trip transatlantic flight a year can save 1.6 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per person.
pick A CENTRAL SPOT
Nowadays, families and loved ones are often living all over the country and sometimes even the world, making it harder to find a spot that’s easy for everyone to get to. Pick a city where most of your guests are located and suggest a central airport or travel hub to lessen the load on your loved ones and the environment.
ALL-IN-ONE
One of the easiest things you can do while planning your wedding is choosing to have both your ceremony and reception at the same place. It’s less coordinating for you beforehand, and you won’t have to deal with transportation headaches. It also cuts the carbon costs of your guests driving from the ceremony to the reception.
be cool and carpool
Coordinate transportation if there’s a central location your guests are coming from, like a hotel. Renting a shuttle bus, sprinter van, or charter bus can transport a large number of guests to and from your wedding. It’s safer, easier and carbon-saving. Some charter buses can fit up to 56 people. Bonus points if you can use a service that has hybrid vehicles.
An average bus carrying 42 people can remove up to 42 cars from the road during a commute. That means a bus running every 15 minutes can take as many as 168 cars off the road each hour.
get outside
There are so many options for an outdoor wedding these days: parks, museum courtyards, backyards, and forest clearings. Often these locations are cheaper than the average venue, and sometimes only a small permit fee is required. And the best part: The breathtaking outdoor backdrop can replace decorations.
Wherever you decide to set up, make sure to follow the “leave no trace” rule and pack out whatever you pack in. Always make sure to check with whoever manages the area to find out if there are any restrictions or limitations. And since Mother Nature can be unpredictable, have a backup plan. It may be as simple as using the visitors’ center or an approved tent for shelter.
choose an established venue
Though you can turn almost any place into a wedding venue these days, you may be left supplying everything from chairs and tables to trash receptacles and porta-potties and that can get expensive. The benefit of choosing a venue that already has dedicated services for big events like weddings means you don’t need to rent many additional items. This eliminates the transportation emissions and extra coordination needed for those rentals.
support a good cause
Choose a nonprofit-owned venue like a historical site, nature center, museum or park whose rental fees go toward supporting their mission. If you’d like to go further, you can also let your guests know why you chose the venue, why it means so much to you, and how they can make a donation.
keep it green
Look for venues that are Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified and have strong sustainability policies, such as responsible waste management and renewable energy use.
One study found that on average, green buildings use 26% less energy, emit 33% less carbon dioxide, use 30% less indoor water, and send 50%-75% less waste to landfills and incinerators.