How to Have a Sustainable Wedding

Written by Chris Waldron

Weddings are generally celebrations that lean heavily toward excess. From huge flower displays and massive amounts of food to mailing hundreds of invitations, they typically do not lend much to the cause of sustainability. However, there are many ways to minimize the footprint of your special day. Here we will get into some of the ways to have an environmentally friendly wedding. 

Eco-Friendly Venues

If you are sustainability-focused, there is no better way to communicate that than by choosing a venue that shares your beliefs and practices them throughout its operations. This can take many forms, whether that is recycling practices, philanthropic action, or the use of renewable energy. At Linganore Winecellars we exemplify this in numerous ways. We run on 100% solar energy and restored one of our venues with concrete insulation to cut down on energy usage, to name just a few. In any case, green venues tend to place their efforts in their marketing, so determining whether your venue suits your carbon-neutral needs should be fairly easy!

Flower Power

Your choice of materials for your wedding will be key in reducing its environmental impact. While you certainly can opt for Evites, most people like to send out physical wedding invitations. Not to worry though, there are plenty of companies out there that create eco-friendly wedding invitations. In fact, Botanical Paper Works creates invitations out of seed paper that will grow flowers when placed into topsoil! Regarding flower arrangements, the best eco-friendly choice is to look for locally sourced and in-season flowers. Many florists have adopted this practice so be sure to ask yours if they do too. Winding Root Farm and Blossom & Basket Boutique are great florists who embrace these nature-friendly ways! You can also consider repurposing wedding party bouquets or flowers on a wedding arch as decor for the reception. 

Eco-Friendly Meal Service

One of the biggest debates most couples have when planning their meal service is buffet versus plated. There are some aspects to consider regarding these choices within the eco-friendly theme. While generally more expensive, plated meals are the most environmentally friendly option. This is because when you order a buffet-style meal caterers will tend to supply an excess of food to ensure that they do not run out; Whereas plated meals are equally portioned. Subsequently, depending on your headcount, plated meals can potentially be cheaper than the buffet route due to this practice. You can also improve your green meals by speaking with your caterer about selecting food items with less environmental impact, such as locally sourced meats or vegetarian options, packaging leftovers to take home, using washable or biodegradable cutlery, and renting linens instead of purchasing. All 5 caterers at Linganore Winecellars offer sustainable meal service options and eco friendly cutlery options.

Fund Conservation

Finally, one of the easiest ways to offset your wedding’s impact on the ecosystem is to add an environmental philanthropy fund onto your registry. This is super easy to accomplish on The Knot. They have even written a step-by-step guide on asking for charitable donations instead of wedding gifts! Through these means your green wedding can start supporting organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, or other charities you may have in mind. Since your registry can interface with GoFundMe, the possibilities are endless!

Make an impact

For anyone beginning to plan an environmentally conscious wedding day, we wish you the best in your eco-friendly endeavors! To begin building your sustainable wedding here at Linganore, feel free to contact our Director of Private Events, Mary Beth Davis, at marybeth@linganorewines.com!

Next: Learn about Linganore Winecellars: One of the Best Wineries in Maryland or learn about Things to do at Linganore Winecellars

About Chris:

Chris joined the Linganore Winecellars Private Event Team in 2022. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience from another local winery. Chris is creative, personable, organized and is committed to interpreting the clients’ vision of their event and turning it into reality. Calm and professional under pressure, he is an assertive individual who ensures each client’s event is a success.