One subject I have found is being searched for more and more on the blog is sustainable weddings. Eco weddings and ethical weddings are really coming into their own now, with more and more couples really caring about the impact that their wedding day is having on the planet. For that reason we are delighted to team up with the team behind the UK’s first Ethical Wedding Show, Magpie Wedding, to talk about sustainable and eco-friendly weddings, and how making a few small steps in your wedding choices could make a big impact on our planet.

Have a Sustainable Wedding with The Ethical Wedding Show

The Ethical Wedding Show is coming to Manchester’s Victoria Baths on March 29^th and promises to be more of a day out rather than just a standard wedding fair. Their mission is to provide choices for their creative couples that remove single use plastic, recycle more, create less waste and reduce your carbon footprint. Their suppliers involved all have to pass 3 of their 5 values – supporting local, no single use plastic, best recycling practices, caring for wildlife and supporting eco initiatives – which can only be a good thing right?

When: Sunday 29th March 11am – 3.30pm

Where: Victoria Baths – Manchester

Cost: £5 standard – £10 VIP

Willow and Fig Events – Katie DeSilva Photography

The day is filled with informative talks such as How To Have A Wasteless Wedding and Questions To Ask Your Venue To Make Sure They Are Sustainable but also workshops where you can learn a craft such as making bridal headbands and hand painted signs as well as learning how to write your own wedding vows. Plus, they are giving £1 from every ticket sale to Brides Do Good charity, helping stop child marriage in the UK and worldwide, and planting a tree in the Amazon Rainforest for every VIP ticket sold…

With all this in mind, we caught up with Kate Beavis from The Ethical Wedding Show to talk all things green and how we can all help love the planet as well as each other.

Wellbeing Farm – Martyn Hand Photography

I’ll pass you over to Kate

“The average wedding costs over 30K so we are on a mission to suggest alternative ways to spend that money, which can make a real difference to our environment and the planet we live in. Often this goes out the window when we see all the amazing things we can buy for our big day, but by simply making a few switches, we can ensure that future generations aren’t affected by our one day. And by helping couples make these choices it makes wedding suppliers think more about their impact too.”

“The Ethical Wedding Show is not about being a die-hard ethical supporter, it is about making small switches which are simple to do which can make a huge impact. For example, before you go out and buy new, we suggest going through a thought process first – ask yourself can you borrow the item, can you make the item, can you thrift the item (buy it second hand), can you hire the item – and if not, then is the time to buy. But buy locally, support the community and afterwards consider giving the item away so it has multiple uses.”

“However, this does not, and should never, mean a compromise in quality or beauty – all our suppliers involved at the show design lovely products that you will love.”

To Be Revealed – Chris Currie Photography

I am sharing my 5 simple switches with you today, there are loads more in a free Ethical Wedding Guide which can be downloaded here.

Re-use and re-wear

Don’t just buy shoes, accessories, suits, bridesmaid dresses etc that can only be worn once. Choose styles that can be worn again and again – or can be re-used for another purpose. And if not, then pass them onto another couple.

Recycling Practices 

Look at the recycling practices of your venue and your suppliers – if in doubt ask them what they do! They should be recycling everything where possible, and if not re-using. Also donate items bought for the wedding to charity shops or resell. 

Think where you stay

Support local businesses where you can when finding your venue and suggesting places to stay for your guests. Find local hotels and Bed and Breakfasts instead of the hotel chains.

Donate afterwards

Try and have as little waste as possible. Think about what you will do with your flowers afterwards; you could donate them to a charity, local hospice or care home to brighten up someone else’s day, or take them to a local hospital!

Choose less stuff

This is probably the hardest one of all as it is easy to get carried away! Try to buy and use less stuff in general; think about what you really need and what you really want…trust us there’s a difference!

Bridal Reloved – Beyond the Frame Photography

We have teamed up with the show and are offering all our readers 20% off standard and VIP tickets (where you will enjoy British gin and get a goody bag including vegan eye lashes, makeup, cakes and a copy of Simply Vegan Magazine) which can be bought here.

Use the code BW20.

WWW.MAGPIEWEDDING.COM/ETHICAL-WEDDING-SHOW-MANCHESTER/

this is a sponsored post