Happy Friday! I am writing to you this week from The Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada where I’ve been all week with my husband on a work trip of his – stay tuned in a few weeks for a blog post all about our trip! Going on work trips with him is the best because he has to work and I get to play (and write blog posts of course … which is basically like playing for me since I love it so much!). Anyway, this week’s post is all about how to throw a sustainable pre- or post-wedding party – whether it be an engagement party, wedding shower, bach party, or wedding reception – and honestly these tips can also be applied to any other kind of party you are hosting!
First, if anyone needs a reminder on why it is so important to throw a sustainable wedding (and pre-wedding parties definitely fall under that umbrella), click here to read my blog post about sustainable weddings. tl;dr- weddings (and parties) can exponentially increase the amount of waste we create, but with intentional planning a lot of that waste can be eliminated. Something I definitely felt when I was planning my own wedding was that it does take more time and effort to be sustainable. The “last minute” options are almost always plastic or paper and disposable. But the result of your extra time and effort spent planning can be felt in each and every detail, and to me that makes it much more special.
This year in 2024 I have been embracing the idea of “eventizing” – if this is a new term for you, it technically means treating a mundane task or obligation as if it is something really special and becoming excited about it (e.g. getting dressed up, lighting candles, setting the table, and listening to your favorite record while cooking and eating a meal all by yourself vs just plopping on the couch and watching a show in your jammies while you eat cold leftovers). I’m also applying this philosophy to things that already are events, and just doing the absolute most to make everything feel more and more special.
I think that early in my sustainability journey I took the idea of “less is more” a little too seriously. But sustainability in 2024 is not deprivation. You don’t have to give up things that bring you joy just for the sake of sustainability. Sustainability is being conscious of how you are impacting the earth and utilize creative problem solving to do what you can to minimize waste and resources. This list of ways to make your party more sustainable is by no means comprehensive, but hopefully it will at least inspire you to find your own way to be sustainable!
Sustainable Invitations
There are so many cool options to make your invitations sustainable! 2023 Bree probably would have just told you to send an electronic invitation – and if that’s your jam, go for it! But I’ve also listed a few other options for you to consider.
Electronic Invitations
What I love about it:
- Eliminates paper waste
- Completely customizable
- Budget friendly
- Easy to RSVP
What I don’t love:
- Can be harder for older guests such as grandparents to navigate
- Even though you know that the reason you are choosing to send an electronic invitation is for sustainability, some people may just think you’re being “cheap” – by the way, there’s nothing wrong with saving money in one area that you can then devote to a more expensive sustainable option in another area … or to paying your bills … or to your honeymoon. Those people aren’t paying for your life. Don’t bother yourself with whether or not they think you’re “cheap”.
How I would do it:
- Use a pre-made customizable email template
- Have a note at the bottom of the invitation explaining your reasons for choosing electronic invitations and the amount of waste you’ve saved (according to this blog post by Brightly Eco, digital invitations save approximately 140 grams of carbon dioxide per invitation – that’s the equivalent of four plastic grocery bags or nine disposable coffee cups. It might not seem like much, but these numbers can add up pretty quickly).
- You can also use the electronic option in combination with another option. Send a physical invitation to anyone who might have trouble navigating an electronic invitation, then send an electronic invitation to extended family and friends.
Thrifted & Crafted Invitations
What I love about it:
- You get to go thrifting, duh
- Giving new life to someone else’s unused materials
- Budget friendly
- Each invitation has your personal touch & showcases your creativity
- Very customizable
What I don’t love:
- Can be time & labor intensive
- Harder to match a set color scheme or style (I personally don’t believe that the colors of everything for your wedding have to match exactly, but I know that is important to a lot of people)
How I would do it:
- Plan ahead! Give yourself plenty of time to find the materials you need – you may have to visit several different second-hand stores. Some have large craft sections and some don’t have a craft section at all.
- Think outside the box when hunting for materials. Look at fabrics, ribbons, paper, ink stamps, vintage books, art prints, even clothes and linens – the possibilities are endless!
- Don’t stress if all the invitations aren’t made with exactly the same materials!
- Gather a few of your craftiest friends together for an afternoon of card making. *Be sure to show them exactly how you want it done
Plantable Invitations
What I love about it:
- It’s basically like sending each guest flowers, if you think about it
- Reduces paper waste
- You can choose to order from a small business stationer or order the paper and write your own invitations (be sure to use “compostable” ink – vegetable or soy based)
What I don’t love:
- May cost more than regular (non- sustainable) invitations since it’s so niche
How I would do it:
- Choose paper that has seeds that match at least one flower in your wedding bouquet
- Order from a small business, local if available.
- Include a note explaining what seed paper is, why you chose to use it, and exactly how to plant it
Sustainable Decor
Decor may be one of the most wasteful areas of party planning. The party planning and wedding industries have made a lot of money by telling us that everything needs to be monogrammed with our initials and that all the colors must match exactly and that everything needs to be disposable for easy cleanup. In reality, none of those things are true.
I would be willing to bet that you could decorate your party beautifully with items that either you or a family member/friend already own, that are thrifted, or that can be used for something else long after the party. This list of decor tips is everything I would do if I were planning a shower for one of my friends (or myself)!
- Location – Instead of renting a random plain room somewhere, find somewhere that is already decorated in a style you love – thinking outside of the box really helps here! Think cafes, libraries, coffee shops, greenhouses, gardens, antique shops, etc. A cost saving alternative could be a friend’s house (or even a friend of a friend’s house) that you love how they’ve decorated.
- Live Decor – Gather all of your houseplants (and have your friends bring all of their houseplants as well) to add greenery to your party. Depending on your budget, you could even buy plants to decorate your party, then use them as party favors to send home with your guests.
- Flowers – Using houseplants as part of your decor can help a smaller amount of flowers go a long way. Saving and cleaning glass bottles or thrifting interesting cups and containers to use as flower vases can create a unique look. Always make sure you are buying flowers that are ethically grown (I use the slow flowers website for reference).
- Tableware – Beg, borrow, and … thrift. No need for paper or plastic plates, cups, silverware, or tablecloths. Seriously, I bet your mom, grandma, or aunt has a set of china they almost never use but that they would love to pull out of the cupboard for your party! And everyone has silverware – if you asked two or three friends to lend you silverware, you would easily have enough for everyone attending. Another option is, of course, thrifting (are you tired of hearing me talk about thrifting yet? Too bad, I can’t help it!). If there’s a certain style or color palette that you’re wanting for your party that your mom’s good old wedding china just doesn’t match, head to the thrift to see what you can find. This is what I did, and I enlisted my mom to help me. And guess what? We found exactly what I was wanting, and I’ll have it for parties in the future as well.
- Thrifting – Everything from a special chair for the guest of honor to a unique serving platter to a frame for a print of the engaged couple can be found at the thrift. Maybe even your party outfit. Anything is possible at the thrift.
- Buying New – There are, of course, things that cannot be borrowed or bought second hand. Investing in a high quality print of the engaged couple can be a beautiful decor piece for the party as well as for their home for generations to come (not sure where to order high quality prints from? I’ve got you! Click here to read how to order prints from me). It’s important to remember that buying high quality items that will last more than a lifetime is imperative to staying sustainable, especially when buying things brand new.
Sustainable Food
Whether the party will be catered or the food will be homemade, there are several steps you can take to make sure the food will be sustainable.
- For catered food, hire a local, small business (click here to check out my blog post on how to search for sustainable vendors) and communicate your desire for locally sourced, in-season ingredients to be used. Also communicate that you do not want disposable wrapping or serving platters or utensils to be used – offer to provide your own serving trays or platters to the company ahead of time (I did this for my wedding when I ordered pies from Estes Park Pie Shop & Diner (You Need Pie!) in Estes Park, CO for our reception)
- Communicate to your guests what type of food will be served at the party (appetizers, a full meal, dessert, etc.) so that they are able to plan their day accordingly. Especially if you are serving a full meal, guests who are expecting dessert only may eat a meal before coming to the party, leading to increased food waste.
- Make every effort to gather RSVPs from your invited guests so that you can buy or order the correct amount of food without having too much food leftover
- Consider donating any uneaten food to a local food bank
Sustainable Gifts
There is so much to say on the topic of sustainable gifts that I wrote a whole blog post about it. Click here to check it out! But here are the main points:
- When choosing a registry website, make sure it’s sustainable (a quick Google search and a few deep dives is a good starting point)
- Kindly ask your guests to stick to the registry, and explain to them why (you may already have a lot of things for your household and have only registered for the remaining things, you may want money to put towards your honeymoon, etc.)
- Give your guests some fun options for cash funds (e.g. a gift card for a couples massage, to your favorite restaurant for a date night, the airline that flies out of your local airport, etc.)
As you can see, planning a sustainable pre- or post-wedding party doesn’t have to be hard, but it does have to be intentional. I’d love to know if this post was helpful to you or if there are any other sustainable wedding planning tips you have! I’m always looking to up my game when it comes to sustainability.
*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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