9 Tips for Planning a Sustainable Wedding (big or small!) | Bay Area Wedding Photographer

Wedding

Dec 6

As a wedding photographer, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen full table arrangements and flats of food tossed out by a tired vendor crew after an event. It is heartbreaking! Luckily, planning a sustainable wedding in the Bay Area is not as challenging as it may sound as many vendors are already making a concerted effort to source locally grown food, flowers, and grapes (for the bubbles, obvi!).

Below are a series of attainable tips on planning a sustainable wedding from my dear industry ladies, Carrie (Boheme Events) and Kellyne (Hand + Heart Events). Sometimes the smallest tweaks can make a huge difference. Below our sustainability tips + tricks, you will find a gallery with examples of an elopement applying the information below. If you have any questions, please reach out - I have amazing resources to share.

Happy wedding planning :)

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT: Sustainability Checklist by Carrie of Boheme Events:

Forage your flowers or use/rent plants that can be repurposed

Make your registry a donation to a cause you are passionate about
Create your own homemade favors for your guests and use recycled materials to gift them
Ditch the printed materials and make a website (email all your guests to RSVP and find all important information there)
Choose vendors who support your local farmers for your food menu and flowers
Buy ethically and responsibly sourced jewelry

A deeper look into Venue, Florist & Caterer from Kellyne, of Hand + Heart Events:

Choose your location wisely. The farther your guests have to travel (planes, cars, etc.), the more impact it will have on the environment.
Find a florist that works with locally sourced florals and foliage. Buying from local farmers and vendors is always the way to go. You can showcase the beautiful bounty that naturally surrounds you while also supporting local farmers and vendors. Even better if your florist can forage from surrounding areas!
Do your homework when hiring a caterer or baker. Look for chefs that use local and seasonal ingredients. We are lucky that the Bay Area is basically synonymous with farm-to-table cuisine, but it is always good to ask questions at your tastings to make sure the ingredients used are coming from local farms and don't have to travel too far to get into your belly :)