Top tips for planning an eco-friendly wedding

1) Choose an eco-friendly wedding venue in Kent

A sustainable wedding all starts with your venue. Reduce the amount of time spent in the car by opting for an all-in-one setting that includes the ceremony, reception, catering, and on-site accommodation. Having this all under one roof means that you won’t need to transport your guests to and from separate locations, which dramatically reduces travel emissions. 

Our eco-friendly wedding venue in Kent provides the perfect blank canvas to host your green wedding in style, without the need to criss-cross the county. Get ready in the Pamper Suite or Dovecote Cottage, before saying “I do” with nature as your backdrop in the glorious Godric’s Garden or inside our recently repurposed and renovated Old Stables. Once you’ve exchanged your vows, head inside the elegant Dutch Barn for feasting and dancing, and finally drift off to sleep in the Honeymoon Suite at Solton Manor House.

2) Incorporate green wedding décor

Décor is one of the best ways to make your wedding your own, but it’s also where waste can sneak in if you’re not careful! Instead of buying mass-produced décor items made from single-use plastics, consider hiring or buying your props second hand (Facebook is a great place to find some bargains). That way, they can be reused and repurposed time and again.

For centrepieces, we highly recommend using potted plants such as herbs or succulents, buying seasonal flowers, or picking your own wildflowers from a local farm. Indoor or outdoor plants look great and also double up as wedding favours for your guests to take home and replant in their own gardens or add to their favourite spot in their homes. You could even borrow wooden wayfinding signage or bunting from friends or family, and with their consent, then pass them on to other couples for their own celebrations.

3) Support local wedding suppliers

By choosing local wedding suppliers within 25 miles, you are helping to cut down on transportation-related emissions and also supporting small businesses. If you want to ensure that every element of your day is green, consider partnering with ethical suppliers who share your commitment to the planet.

We work closely with some fantastic Kent-based suppliers who fully embrace sustainability. All our catering is delivered by Invicta Food Design, who craft seasonal menus using locally grown ingredients. We also supply drinks from Chapel Down Vineyard, Maidstone Distillery, Whitstable Bay and Barnsole Vineyard to give your celebration a distinctly local flavour. For flowers, we always recommend J’s Perfections and House of Mimi Fleur, who offer both fresh and faux arrangements with a low-impact approach. 

4) Take steps to reduce waste

If you want to host a truly green wedding in Kent, you’ll need to make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of waste produced. Here are a few small changes you can make:

Rethink confetti

Traditional confetti often contains microplastics that are harmful to the environment. Consider trading this for a biodegradable alternative like real or dried flower petals, or leaves.

Digitise your stationary

Digitise your wedding invitations, RSVPs, and menus, and ensure that any printed materials use sustainable methods i.e. vegetable-based inks and recycling paper. Talk to Tavern Creatives, who recently tied the knot at Solton Manor, to talk through some sustainable stationary options. 

Donate or redistribute

Avoid unnecessary food waste by asking your caterer to arrange post-wedding donations to local charities or shelters. You could also donate your floral arrangements to hospitals or local nursing homes.

Eliminate single-use items

Steer clear of throwaway décor, cutlery, and tableware. Instead, opt for hire companies that supply reusable glassware, china, and linens, like Black Saucers.

5) Opt for a sustainable wedding dress

One of the biggest expenses to both your wallet and the planet is the bride’s dress. Wedding dresses are typically only worn for one day, making their carbon footprint fairly extortionate. But there are plenty of ways you can walk down the aisle with both style and sustainability in mind.

If you do opt for a new dress, make sure it’s made locally using eco-friendly fabrics. Some of our top recommendations include Vicki’s Bridal Boutique and The Bridal Boutique of Jules. Alternatively, you could consider purchasing a secondhand dress from sites such as Bridal Reloved and Bride2Bride. Or, you could take it one step further and rent a wedding dress from By Rotation or Something Borrowed. After your wedding, consider passing your dress onto another bride to give it a second lease of life.