Environmentally Friendly Weddings

Make your wedding environmentally friendly. 

Your little bit to help, it can be done, without any loss of wow factor!

I always had my suspicions that weddings may be quite unfriendly to the environment, but a Google search or two and I realised just how much damage is done! From waste, to plastics and products shipped over long distances, it's time we all took notice to how we are affecting the planet!  With the environment in the news all too often, plastic in the oceans and man-made climate change pretty well agreed upon, should we not all have some responsibility? Of course, a destination wedding in itself can have a large carbon footprint, the flights and transport for one! While we certainly don't think your dream of a destination wedding should end (it's such a fantastic thing to do), what if you could at least offset some of your carbon footprint and be kinder to the environment your children will grow up in? 

Plastics and Balloons:

Cutting down on, or excluding plastics at your wedding is also a good idea, for too long those plastic fans and trinkets have been piling up in waste sites! Plastic-based confetti is also a nightmare; it makes sense that we should be looking for environmentally friendly options for the future! Balloons can be very bad too and there are biodegradable options to replace PVC or Latex balloons. Used with care and disposed of properly, balloons can make a great addition to your decoration, but the most important is to avoid the Helium Balloon release, which has been quite popular at weddings in the last few years. Released helium balloons travel for miles; they end up spread throughout land and sea, where creatures can mistake them for food, or become entangled in their strings; it's a nasty business!  Plastic drinking straws are also a no-no, as is practically any "single-use" plastic, as that is as bad as it gets! Try to think of ingenious ways and alternative products to reduce the plastics used at your wedding. 

Marbella Bride have banned Balloon release's on all our weddings, we are sorry for the inconvenience, but your conscience will be clear! 

Flowers, go local and sustainable!:

It's hard to see where flowers come into environmental issues, but they do if they have been transported halfway around the world! Sourcing in-season, locally produced flowers could save you some serious carbon back! Did you know that in Europe, roses are most often imported from Africa, for example? Or, of course, Holland; in both cases, the flowers are hauled in temperature-controlled trucks and locked up overnight in cold boxes before their final journey to the local florist, leaving them bearing a large carbon footprint. So, why not consider locally sourced, seasonal flowers? After all, this is Spain, and we have plenty of lovely, more natural, in-season choices available! Live, potted flowers are also an option; these can be replanted, not just binned, or if that's not possible, they could be donated to a worthy cause that could maybe enjoy them after your wedding, rather than just throwing them in the bin! Marbella Bride can help with more environmentally friendly solutions.  

Cutting back on the Wedding Waste:

Another way you can help reduce the burden on the planet is to reduce waste! It's a matter of personal choice, but I guess we should be asking, do we really need that huge wedding cake that never gets eaten, or the wedding favours most people will leave at the tables and will end up in the bin? Could we not have draught beer in Kegs, which are of course re-used? Yes, we know glass bottles and aluminium cans can be recycled, but only a small percentage ever are! Whatever way we can cut down on waste might just be a good thing, right? 

Locally produced Food and Drink:

The best tip here is to use locally sourced food and avoid those products that have had to be imported from miles away! Spain produces some wonderful food, wines, beers and Cavas that will satisfy the palate of even the most critical of foodies! So why demand imported Prosecco or that strange beer from your homeland, when in Rome (or Malaga), eat what the locals have! Also, choosing locally sourced Organic food can be another step in the direction of environmental care and is probably really good for you too! After all, less pesticides killing all the insects and less fertiliser leaching into rivers, killing the fish, it's all a good thing! 

Go Digital, it's easy!:

Come on guys, it's the year 2026, soon to be 2027! You message your friends through a host of online services; you carry a smartphone in your pocket and so do they; even your granny has one! You have email, Facebook, WhatsApp, yet you still want to print out all those invitations and send them out in the post? When was the last time you actually wrote a letter to someone on paper and posted it? Could it not save a lot of waste and money to send out those invitations, in an imaginative way, by email, messenger, or via a website designed for your wedding? You can even do the order of service that way too, and the menus in fact, there is no real need to waste paper, or indeed spend all the money printing them at all, is there? Paper has a large carbon footprint, so if you really feel the need to print, why not consider using recycled paper?  Why not consider sending Christmas Cards this way too? 

Watch out for small Batteries!

Disposable batteries, especially the small ones used in modern battery-powered candles or battery-powered fairy lights, are a real burden on the environment, mostly ending up in landfill sites, leaching dangerous chemicals into the soil. Millions of them are discarded each year. Whenever possible, rechargeable batteries are far better, as they can often be used up to 500 times and can also be recycled, provided you dispose of them in the correct manner.  So if you must use a lot of battery-powered lighting or accessories, try to avoid the single-use type battery! 

Group Transportation. 

One coach holds up to 52 people, which would take approx 13 taxi cabs to move the same amount of people! If you need to transport your guests to and from your wedding venue, it is clear that coaches, or minibuses, are going to work out better for the environment. It’s sensible to block book a single hotel for as many of your guests as possible, rather than having them stay all over the coast. That way you can use larger transport and it’s a simple move from point A to B!   Alternatively, choose a venue that can accommodate most, or all of your guests on site, eliminating the need for extra transport altogether! 

Water-wise weddings in Andalucía
Southern Spain is beautiful, but it is also dry, and water is precious here, especially in the summer months. A few simple choices can make a real difference. Pick a venue that waters its gardens sensibly, choose drought-friendly Mediterranean plants such as olive trees, lavender, rosemary and bougainvillea for your decoration, and serve chilled water in jugs or dispensers rather than plastic bottles. Olive trees in pots make stunning table centrepieces or aisle markers, and they can be replanted afterwards, so they keep giving long after the last dance.

Natural confetti, Spanish style

Paper and plastic confetti look great for a second, then blow into gardens, beaches and the sea. Dried flower petals, lavender or even olive leaves give you the same magical photo moment and simply return to nature. They smell wonderful too! Many venues on the Costa del Sol now only allow natural confetti, so it is worth choosing it from the start.

Say "I do" to pre-loved and hired outfits

The wedding dress and suits are often worn just once. Renting suits, choosing a pre-loved or sample dress, or selling your dress after the wedding are all great ways to cut waste and save money. Bridesmaids can pick dresses they will happily wear again on a summer evening in Marbella.

Leftover food doesn't have to go in the bin

Work with your caterer on realistic guest numbers so less food is wasted in the first place. Where it is safe and allowed, leftover food can be shared with staff or donated, and food waste can be composted rather than sent to landfill. Ask us, and we will talk to your caterer about the best options for your venue.

Travel smarter and offset what you can

Flying is often the biggest part of a destination wedding's footprint. Encourage guests to fly direct where they can, as take-off and landing use the most fuel, and to share transfers once they arrive. Book coaches or minibuses between the hotel and the venue rather than lots of separate taxis. If you would like to go further, you and your guests can offset your flights through a certified carbon offset scheme, and some couples even ask for donations to a green charity instead of wedding gifts.

Choose suppliers who care

More and more venues, florists, caterers and decorators in Andalucía are working in a greener way, using solar power, local produce, reusable decoration and recycling. As local wedding specialists, Marbella Bride knows who they are. Just tell us that an eco-friendly wedding matters to you, and we will build your day around suppliers who share your values.

Can an eco-friendly wedding still feel luxurious?

Absolutely. Local seasonal flowers, Spanish wines and cava, candlelight and natural decoration often look more elegant than imported extras. Being green is about smart choices, not cutting corners.

Is a green wedding more expensive?

Usually not. Going digital with invitations, using local produce and hiring rather than buying often saves money as well as the planet.

Can Marbella Bride help plan a sustainable wedding?

Yes. We can recommend eco-minded venues and suppliers on the Costa del Sol and help you make greener choices at every step, without losing any of the wow factor.

Make it greener with Marbella Bride!

Let's work together to make your wedding kinder to the environment. 

Here at Marbella Bride, we can help you with ideas on how to reduce the carbon footprint and environmental damage of your wedding in Spain, so that you can indulge in an amazing day, with your conscience a little clearer! Why not contact us and let's create a wedding that respects Mother Earth! The time for change is NOW, so let's make that change, together!  There are many more ways to help offset the carbon footprint and environmental damage that your destination wedding in Spain may cause. Every step you take is a bonus! Mother Earth will thank you! 

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At the end of the day the choice is yours!

But will your children have a choice?