Don’t worry, you can still have the wedding of your dreams

According to The Green Bride Guide, the average wedding produces around a quarter of a ton of rubbish. Just to put that into perspective, that’s more waste than the average person creates in six months. All carelessly chucked in the bin as soon as the disco ball stops spinning. That’s just insane when you think about it, isn’t it?

And that’s why I do everything I can to keep my wedding photography business as sustainable as possible. All my packaging, leaflets and business cards are biodegradable, and I recommend sustainable suppliers whenever I get the opportunity. But with 250,000 weddings a year in the UK, it’ll take more than just little-old-me to make a difference.

But the good news is, sustainable weddings are trending and the tide is turning. And talented, creative, eco-friendly suppliers are nudging their way with hemp-clad elbows into the mainstream.

Proving that you can be sustainable, without making sacrifices. Have the wedding of your dreams and enjoy your day all the more, knowing you’ve done the right thing.

Wellington Wood Norfolk eco show venue

I’d been thinking about doing a wedding show for a while, but never found any that really resonated with me. But then I was approached about the Wellington Wood Ethical Wedding Show. And I booked myself in for it immediately. The idea of connecting with like-minded couples and wedding suppliers was just too good to miss!

And it was such a wonderful day! It started off a little drizzly, but as soon as people started to arrive, the sun started shining. Almost as though Mother Nature knew we were on her side!

Our stands were all together inside a giant tipi. With all-hardwood floors, the natural wood tones of the tipi worked so perfectly with the theme and the aesthetics of everyone’s stand. And even though most of us had never met each other before, all our stands looked like they had been coordinated! And we were all on the same wave-length, too. Good vibes all the way!

My stand was next to the lovely celebrant, Jamie Walker and we spent all day chatting, with beautiful music from Laura Wyatt Music filling the tipi. And as pets were allowed, we even had the occasional dog stopping by our stands! It was a wonderful way to spend the day.

My sustainable wedding photography stand

I wanted everything on my stand to hit that sustainability mark. So it was quite a fun challenge keeping everything ethical and recycled! And it occurred to me afterwards how being ethical and sustainable often just means using your imagination. Seeing beauty in things you might otherwise overlook.

I brought the green sofa, the coffee table and the rug from home. I gathered the spirits bottles from my friend who had used them at her wedding. Then filled them with dry flowers from a local seller, as I knew I could use them time and time again.

My backdrop was sourced from a UK carpet company (of all places!) that stocked sustainable and eco-friendly backdrops. The plants and bottles came from my father-in-law and his own garden. And I used a local supplier (Shelly Bakes Vegan) who made some branded vegan cupcakes for me.

I really wanted my stand to look like a living room so people felt like they could come and sit down, and just take a moment to chill out. And look through some of my video work and galleries without feeling pressured or rushed.

Sustainable wedding suppliers

I spent a lot of time at the show walking around and getting to know the other suppliers. And one of the things that struck me was how having a sustainable wedding doesn’t mean you can’t have your dream day. It just means making a few small changes.

You can still have exquisitely beautiful wedding flowers. Just choose a florist like The Wild Folk Florist who works with nature to provide seasonal home-grown wedding flowers.

You can still have stunning stationery. Just choose a company like I Like Pens, who use biodegradable materials and recycled paper.

You can still have the wedding dress you’ve always dreamed about. Just get it from a supplier like Ivy and Gold Bridal, who offer pre-loved and ex-sample wedding dresses.

And I think that’s why sustainable weddings are becoming more and more popular. Because couples are realising you don’t have to make endless sacrifices. You just have to choose the right suppliers.

March 2022 - Willow Grange Farm Eco Wedding Show in Cambridge

I’m really excited to be going to another sustainable wedding show in March, the Eco Wedding Show near Cambridge. Because I really felt at home at the Ethical Wedding Show. The suppliers and the couples I met there were ‘my kinda people’!

And if you’re passionate about sustainability, or if you just fancy chatting to some suppliers and doing your own research, I can’t recommend it enough. If nothing else, you’ll get some gorgeous wedding inspiration and meet some lovely people.

So if you’d like to meet me in person before your big day and have a chat about your wedding, why not come along? There’ll be loads of other incredibly talented sustainable wedding suppliers there too. And who knows? You could sort your whole wedding out in one day!

If you're in the Cambridge area, or fancy making a special trip out of it, you can buy tickets here. Come find my stand and let’s chat!
If you love my work but can’t make it to the show, I’d still love to hear from you. Get in touch today.