Sustainable Wedding Flowers: A Guide to Sourcing Environmentally-Friendly Florals
Find out how to incorporate eco-friendly florals into your micro-wedding or elopement.
As you embark on your not-so-conventional wedding journey—whether it’s exchanging vows atop a breathtaking peak in Patagonia or saying ‘I do’ after a sunrise hike in Telluride—one thing remains a steadfast detail: flowers. These natural wonders add life and color to your celebration. However, in your quest for an eco-conscious wedding, you seek sustainable options to minimize your carbon footprint. You’re not alone in this endeavor - let’s explore greener alternatives that don’t compromise on beauty or meaning.
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The Billion-Dollar Wedding Flower Industry & Why Many Couples Are Deciding to Go Green(er)
You and your sweetheart have already decided to part with convention and do something rather thrilling and extraordinary for your wedding. Maybe you are eloping atop a striking peak in the Dolomites; or you plan to exchange I-dos after a sunrise hike in Telluride…
And yet, while you have decided to forgo many of the customary accouterments of a standard wedding– the 100 person+ guest list, the sprawling and elaborate catered meal, the big band– there are certain sweet details that you are just not going to do without… Namely, flowers!
But, in keeping with your whole laid-back elopement vibe, you are hoping to do something a little more environmentally sustainable, a little greener… And you are not alone. These days, many brides and grooms-to-be are looking for ways to incorporate more eco-friendly choices into their weddings, which have, sadly, historically left huge carbon footprints on our fragile planet. One single wedding typically results in 600 to 800 pounds of garbage and 60 metric tons of C02 emissions! Over 6 billion dollars are shelled out in the U.S. each year on wedding flowers alone. And many of those lovely arrangements, as we all well know, just get trashed at the end of the night.
How to Incorporate Eco-Friendly Flowers Into Your Elopement
So what’s an environmentally-conscious bride to do?! Thankfully, you have lots of good options when it comes to choosing sustainable flowers for your wedding.
Dried Flowers
There is a growing trend amongst brides of using dried flowers, which is an excellent choice as a) you can use flowers that typically are not in bloom during the season of your elopement, and b) the arrangement will last for years, not days. Both HeavenFlowersGifts and The Flower Patch on Etsy offer gorgeous, affordable selections.
Hand-Crafted Flowers
Flowers made from materials like silk and crepe (and even felt and burlap) are another great choice. As with dried flowers, you can use blooms that are not “in season” and your arrangement will not ever wither or wilt. Altar Floral and H Botanics on Etsy have stunning, inexpensive selections. Note that both of these vendors are in the UK; however, Etsy offsets any carbon emissions resulting from the delivery and packaging of your purchase.
Paper Flowers
Paper flowers have come a long way from the rudimentary and sad-looking blooms from the days of yonder that you might be envisioning. These beauties are a super-fun way to include sustainable flowers in your wedding. You can hold onto them forever, or simply recycle them after your I-dos. Peruse the delightfully pretty options on Etsy at Paper and Bead and The Flower Craft Shop.
In-Season, Locally Sourced Flowers
You can absolutely include fresh-cut flowers in your elopement and do so in a way that minimally impacts the environment and honors our planet’s beauty and integrity. Just follow these tips:
Shop locally– But flowers that are sourced locally from a sustainable-minded farmer or florist to cut down on needless transportation and extra toxins.
Choose in-season blooms– Growing flowers out of season uses more water, energy, and chemicals than necessary.
Consider incorporating herbs, succulents, and branches into your arrangement.
Work with an elopement florist specialist– This is imperative if you are traveling to a destination and bringing flowers with you! Errant stems, seeds, or berries that escape from your arrangement can inflict serious damage on the local environment.
Donate your flowers– Reach out to a company like Petals for Hope, who will repurpose your flowers and deliver them to places such as cancer treatment facilities and homeless shelters.
Let Nature be the Only Decoration You Need
To really simplify things– and be 100% eco-friendly– just let the wild world around you be the perfect and only “accessory” you need on your big day. As an elopement photographer, I work regularly with the landscape and its myriad lovely features and can lead you to just the right spot for what you are looking for! We will collaborate to ensure that we not only capture the most wondrous photographs of you and your sweetheart in the destination of your dreams, but also that we tread through that domain softly and respectfully, and that we leave no trace!
Ready to Celebrate Your Day Your Way?
Elopement Photographer Andrea Enger (Portrait by Realm Studios)
Find out how I can help make that happen!
If you’re ready to get the ball rolling to secure your photographer, that’s great!
You can do that by filling out the form below, by emailing me directly at andrea@andreaengerphotography.com, or by calling/texting me at (720) 739-0784. I look forward to hearing from you!
If you’re still in the research phase, I hear ya! Here are some more resources that my couples have found helpful. I hope you do, too!