Wedding season is upon us and the Longhouse has been refreshed with a new layer of paint, new curtains have been hung, our solar panels are soaking up the sun and the gardens are springing in to life. As we ready ourselves for our 2018 wedding couples we thought we’d share some of our favourite eco-friendly wedding decoration tips from 2017.
Paper straws
First up is straws! You will no doubt have seen the myriad of alarmed environmental activists and conservationists talking about the horrible effect that plastic straws are having on wildlife and the environment. These plastic tubes don’t degrade and are a real hazard to ocean dwellers such as turtles. There is an easy straw solution in the guise of pretty and decorative paper straws. These are fun and affordable and look absolutely lovely. They can be found online, in department stores or at party supply shops and they come in every conceivable colour so will perfectly compliment your decorations.
Bunting made out of reclaimed fabric
Another great way to channel your inner environmental warrior is to use bunting made out of recycled and reclaimed fabric. This can be anything from old tablecloths to dresses or even vintage curtains. Recycling fabric cuts down on the carbon footprint of your wedding, saving thousands of litres of water that would otherwise be used in the fabric manufacturing process. By recycling materials you will not only be helping to save the planet, you will also end up with an eye catching and original decoration that says something personal about you and your wedding day.
Recycle jars and bottles to use as vases
I don’t think we had a single wedding last year that didn’t deploy upcycled jars and bottles as part of the wedding decorations. This is such an easy way to keep down costs and take care of the environment. There is huge scope to personalise each vessel and to breathe a new lease of life into it whether it be gluing on lace, tying round ribbons or painting them.
Upcycled vintage suitcase or hamper as a card box
Having a stylish receptacle for your wedding cards is a must and if it is something that is recycled and characterful all the better! We have seen some great card boxes at the Longhouse, from antique French post boxes to upcycled hampers and even vintage suitcases. Each item looked fantastic and helped the environment in its own small way.
Use compostable mini flower pots for confetti
At the Longhouse we request that all confetti is biodegradable which means that we encourage the use of rice paper or petal confettis. Both look gorgeous! A great alternative to paper cones to hold the confetti is biodegradable mini flower pots which can be fancied up with a ribbon and then composted after the ceremony.
These are just some of the great ideas our couples bought with them in 2017. We’re looking forward to 2018 and seeing what other eco-friendly decorating innovations our couples share with us!
