It’s great to know what people are looking for in their entertainment, and it is always fascinating to know what brides and grooms have planned for their special day and how they are going to make it happen.
Various economic factors can often make planning a dream wedding extremely challenging, especially for anyone on a modest budget. Thankfully, cutting corners does not need to mean cutting standards.
In the current age of austerity, more and more couples are utilising their DIY skills and planning eco-friendly weddings, enabling them to not only help save the environment, but also save money along the way.
As such, here are a few things that brides and grooms have told us about… hopefully they can help you plan your own green wedding more effectively!
Invitations
Wedding invitations can cost a significant amount of money for those getting married on a budget, and companies who offer ‘green’ recycled invitations made from paper and other materials usually charge considerably more for the privilege.
In the age of the Internet and photo printers, it’s very easy to design and send out home made wedding invitations.
The Internet is littered with templates and designs allowing couples to add their own personalised touches and unique details to each invitation, something that would cut a substantial chunk of the budget if outsourced to a company.
Getting eco-friendly invitations printed professionally can cost around £3 per invitation whereas home made invitations start from as little as £0.40!
We’ve seen all sorts of creative invitations, even “save the date” cards made out of bits of old cereal packets! Online RSVPs are almost always a good idea.
The Dress
Many brides on a budget are now recycling their mother’s, or even grandmothers wedding dresses to use on their big day. Not only does this save money, as many brides spend up to 8% of their wedding budget on the dress alone, the dress will also hold a special meaning, adding an extra layer of sentimentality to the big day.
It’s possible to alter dresses relatively cheaply, especially if it only requires a few nips and tucks to get the perfect fit. Think of it this way… by recycling a wedding dress, it can also act as something borrowed and something new!
The venue
Wedding venues are by far one of the most expensive parts of your wedding, and if not planned far enough in advance can also cause minor (or major!) delays and setbacks to a wedding day. If details such as live music curfew, public liability insurance, necessary power sources and even laws regarding confetti are left ignored, problems can easy start to stack up.
In the spirit of keeping a wedding green and eco/budget friendly, backyard receptions can tick all the boxes – this doesn’t always have to mean in your garden! Relatives with larger houses, or even business premises can sometimes be altered to hold a modest crowd.
Very popular in hotter climates, marquees or tipis keep out the rain, are cheap to hire and can house electric lighting and live music. A backyard reception allows you to make your own rules and not worry about music venue curfews or confetti laws. The party really can last all night long!
Green Entertainment
For those looking to enjoy eco-friendly wedding entertainment, acoustic musicians, bagpipes, barn dances and string quartets are ideal, as no or little amplification is needed. However, if couples have their heart set on a 5-piece rock band or a DJ with disco lights then green power generators should be considered.
Using solar panels to generate energy, eco-friendly power generators are perfect for those interested saving the environment whilst also enjoying the sweet sound of a rock n roll band! Please take a moment to check out our list of the top 20 most popular wedding bands.
There are some great materials all over the internet for helping to plan a green DIY wedding, so hitting up google and YouTube is generally a great idea.
There are many other green touches you can add to your wedding. For instance, some flowers will use harmful pesticides, and can be avoided with careful research.
Many wedding caterers have started offering alternatives for cutting down on single use plastics, and generally trying to cut down on the amount of waste your wedding day creates is a great plan.
Do you have any top tips for a green or DIY wedding? Post them in the comments below…
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