You’ve hopefully heard of “zero-waste” by now…but do you know what it means? My friends at EcoCycle have a good article here to explain - and their below graphic depicts how it’s more than just recycling.

But how does the concept of “zero-waste” translate to your wedding? For many couples, planning their wedding is the biggest and most expensive event they’ve ever coordinated. It’s like being a project manager, or in this example, a CEO - that’s right, you are the head honcho of your wedding, and you’ve got some important decisions to make…after all, you probably have more purchasing power now than ever. So now, with your CEO hat on - spend some time reflecting on each component of this graphic.

What are the “Responsible Policies” I want to use as my guiding light? For example, minimize shipping and transportation of goods by sourcing everything locally, or limiting the purchase of anything new by purchasing used or renting supplies and decorations.
How can I make sure I’m purchasing from companies that are environmentally conscious?
How can I encourage my community of vendors and guests to help reduce waste?
Does the venue have a great recycling and composting program available?

Incorporating your answers to these questions into every part of the wedding planning process will set you on the road to a zero-waste wedding. For more tips and tricks for planning a green wedding, check out my post titled “10 Tips for a Green Wedding” …and here’s to you for making it happen!