Are you excited about planning your beautiful PNW wedding but also worried about the tons of waste (literally!) that weddings can produce?
Well, if you’re lucky enough to be getting married in the Pacific Northwest then you have access to lots of eco-conscious wedding vendors who are dedicated to helping you celebrate your love in a sustainable way.
The move towards greener weddings is growing and that’s a good thing for sure!
Are you ready for a sad/scary statistic?
A typical American wedding creates more carbon than the average Seattle household does over an entire year! Yikes.
According to a 2017 article in Stanford Magazine, the largest contributor was “Transportation” followed by “Lodging and Venue” and “Imported Flowers”.
This reality is one of the reasons why I try to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of my business. It’s also why I cap my events at 50 people or less. Fewer people on your guest list = fewer people flying or driving to your wedding, less energy required at venues, and fewer flowers needed for centerpieces.
There are so many ways that a smaller guest count can reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding. Secret Bonus: Most couples find that a lower guest count also leads to an elevated experience for everyone, a deeper connection to their guests, and the opportunity for a more authentic and personalized celebration. (If you want to know more, see my post about the Secret Sauce of Micro Weddings and Elopements!)
So, how do you go about creating a greener wedding?
The best way, of course, is to work with vendors who share your values of sustainability in general and know how to incorporate those into weddings in particular. But how do you find these magical eco-conscious wedding vendors?
Well, the good news is that there is an organization called Emerald Hour and its purpose is to inspire and empower wedding professionals to create more sustainable events.
I’m a proud member (and co-founder) and I’m thrilled to be partnering with vendors of all kinds here in the PNW to make weddings more sustainable through intentional choices, expertise, and creative techniques.
On our website we have a directory of vendors who have demonstrated their dedication to sustainability and their commitment to doing even more.
None of us claim to be perfect but we do claim to care about the earth, A LOT!
We claim that the wedding industry needs to do better, can do better, and we want to be part of the solution.
We’re committed to learning and growing together through workshops, tools, and resources so that we can help our couples create gorgeous, meaningful, memorable celebrations in sustainable ways.
You can find the Emerald Hour directory here to start finding vendors to help bring your wedding vision to life. There’s also a Green Swaps Guide for Couples filled with tips for how you can create a more sustainable wedding.
If you’re looking for vendors who care about the earth like you do, thanks to Emerald Hour, they’re easy to find!
And if you’re looking for someone to help you create gorgeous tables for your guests to gather around, click here to book a quick chat and see if we’re a good match to work together.
I’d love to help you celebrate!
Photography by Brianna Parks Photography
