Singaporebrides | Weddings 101

June 2023

6 ACHIEVABLE WAYS TO PLAN A SUSTAINABLE, ECO-FRIENDLY WEDDING IN 2023

By Jaclyn Lim

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As we move away from “pandemic weddings” in 2023, how can we continue to keep our carbon footprints low when planning weddings?

With the end of the pandemic in sight, there is no longer a need to navigate ever-changing COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, bridal couples are zooming in on the things that truly matter – like the long-lasting impact their once-in-a-lifetime event can have on Mother Earth. And as we find out, it is possible to plan a truly sustainable wedding, right here in Singapore. SingaporeBrides lists six ways to do it creatively.

From the food and flowers to favours and flights, it is no secret that weddings are wasteful. Even with each event lasting only a few hours, they leave behind a formidable carbon footprint, and by consequence, a devastating impact on the environment.

But since COVID-19 hit, weddings have been downscaled, postponed, or outright cancelled. Safe-distancing regulations trimmed down the guest list while regional lockdowns forced overseas guests to attend via Zoom instead of flying into the city. So that big, fat wedding with all the frills (Balloons! Confetti! Exotic blooms!) no longer seemed necessary, or wise. Instead, micro, and more meaningful celebrations gradually became the norm.

With weddings being redefined by the pandemic in recent years, priorities—and mindsets—have also begun to shift, and they lay the foundation for deeper conversations about greener, more sustainable weddings to take root. Post-pandemic, bridal couples want to mark their special occasion responsibly. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. THE VENUE

Our tiny red dot is getting greener. To cater to eco-conscious bridal couples, more wedding venues are adopting environmentally-friendly wedding practices. PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, for example, doesn’t just look like a tropical paradise with lush, verdant greens on its façade. It has solar-powered systems installed and harvests rainwater to reduce waste. These energy-efficient measures are said to be able to power 680 households a year, so you can exchange vows on its beautiful grounds minus the guilt.

Better yet, have your solemnisation at home. This is no longer unusual, since everyone has gotten used to micro-weddings during the pandemic years. In fact, that newly-renovated BTO flat provides the perfect and meaningful backdrop for your nuptials! With lesser guests, a smaller space to decorate and a shorter ceremony, you can expect the environmental impact to be greatly reduced.

2. THE INVITE

Here’s the hard truth – wedding invitations are going to end up in the trash anyway. So don’t feel compelled to stick with those standard complimentary wedding invitations that comes as part of that hotel banquet package. Stay sustainable by looking for local wedding stationery vendors that use 100% recycled paper for printing. Besides being able to customise your own design, you can also expect great quality and affordability as you reduce your carbon footprint.

Or, go paper-less with e-invites. Sure, it’s a less romantic choice. But attitudes have changed since the pandemic, with digital invitations becoming more common and accepted. Pro tip: Put a QR Code on the invite to allow your guests to give you an e-angbao with ease. You won’t even have to prepare a large angbao box or stress about the logistics of safeguarding the cash on your big day. Your pandemic-weary guests would likely prefer it as well – besides the convenience, e-angbaos are way more hygienic.

3. THE DRESS

The search for the perfect dress is never easy. And it’s harder if you want one that does no harm to the environment. Still, it’s not an impossible feat – the most obvious way is to rent instead of buy. Most bridal shops in Singapore offer this option without fuss. For recent bride, marketer Josephine Lai rented two out of three gowns. “It’s common for local brides to rent the wedding kua, and it was part of my package with the bridal studio. I also chose my day gown off-the-rack and had it sized down to fit me.”

If you must have a bespoke gown, consider turning this one-use item into a keepsake piece for future occasions. Many designers now design separates or convertibles that seamlessly takes a bride from day to night (and beyond!) with removable details like an embroidered cheongsam collar or deconstructed elements that can be worn separately after the wedding!

4. THE DECOR

Fresh flowers make a wedding truly beautiful, but they generate a high carbon footprint because of industry practices like the need for strong refrigeration and long-haul flights to reach us. So that gorgeous Lily of the Valley bridal bouquet you dream of is really not good for the environment.

Go for flowers from local or nearby farms. With the popularity of the Crazy Rich Asians movie, tropical flowers like orchids and Birds of Paradise are now better appreciated. These flowers are hardy, suited to our climate, and best of all – they come from neighbouring Malaysian farms. Next, seek out reputable wedding florists who make sustainability a priority.

Finally, repurpose your flowers. A fuss-free way to do this is to make an announcement before the wedding ends to let your guests know that they can bring the floral arrangements home. You can even encourage this by grouping reusable mason jars and bottles of flowers at each table instead of ordering one big traditional arrangement – perfect if you’re planning a laidback, rustic affair!

5. THE FOOD

From leftover food to excess cake slices, the food waste generated by a single wedding is startling. One of the easiest ways to reduce your environmental impact is to choose food vendors who pledge to be sustainable. They can do this by consciously sourcing for local organic ingredients and uses reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable cutlery, or have a food waste programme in place. Some venues may also offer an all-vegan or meat-free menu.

For example, at Open Farm Community, Singapore first sustainable urban farm and restaurant under one roof, your guests can expect to dine, guilt-free, on a menu of mostly meat-free dishes that focuses on using local and organic ingredients. Imports, if necessary, are always ethically-sourced.

6. THE FAVOURS

Every guest has done it before – pocketing that wedding favour out of politeness but throwing it away after the event. It’s impossible that all of your guests will use that keychain with your names and wedding date on it. But if you must have wedding favours, check out our list of sustainable, eco-friendly options here.

To truly share your commitment to the environment, consider doing without wedding favours. Set up a photo booth instead – your guests can have fun taking digital snapshots that get sent to their inboxes. Or, have a dessert table with brown takeaway bags at the side – your guests will be able to choose the kind of sweet treats they want so that means less wastage.

When you actively make eco-conscious choices to plan a sustainable wedding, those tiny tweaks go on to make a big difference. In our post-pandemic world, with our newfound sensibilities, they guarantee the survival of what truly matters – our planet’s well-being. And with that, it will yet again redefine what a wedding should simply be – a celebration of love.

Feature image from Ming Tong and Daryl’s Sustainable Wedding With Gold Accents At Botanico At The Garage by Bottled Groove Photography.

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