Green weddings

The evidence for man-made global warming is now established as “incontrovertible” (this description comes from the American Physical Society but you can find similar statements from the Royal Society and numerous other scientific bodies) so it behoves a web site like ours to run something on green weddings. The following advice is taken from the British government.

Perhaps the easiest way to make an impact on emissions is by reducing the amount of travel everyone needs to make. The most obvious measure is to select a venue close to where you and most of your guests live. It also helps if the ceremony and reception are held in the same location or at least only a short distance apart.

Once you’ve found your venue, you can help by including details of how to get there by public transport. Many brides and grooms have their own wedding pages on line. These can be a great way to help coordinate car sharing. If you do have separate venues for the ceremony and the reception, you could lay on a coach to take the guests between them. On-site accommodation is another way to cut travel.

It’s likely that more of us have friends and family abroad than ever before, so some flights are unavoidable. However, you could provide guests with details on carbon offset or, if your budget can support it, take care of it yourself.
Not all environmentally friendly measures involve an element of self-denial. You could arrive at the venue in a horse-drawn carriage instead of a limousine or consider a more off-the-wall idea like a tandem, a rickshaw or even on foot.

Outside of travel, you could ask your venue about its recycling policies or whether it has any energy-efficiency measures in place. Will the menu include locally-sourced food that is in season and sustainably produced? The money you’re spending on your wedding is a good incentive to venues to improve their policies and performances.
Finally, you could consider a venue that already supports environmental causes including woodlands, park lands or nature reserves, such as the National Trust and rather a lot of privately-owned venues.

The pictures are of The Pines Calyx in Kent, Rosliston Forestry Centre in Derbyshire and The Great Hall at Mains in Lancashire.