Our SUSTAINABILITY PLEDGEOur Environmental & Social Responsibility Pledge
The Green Bride Guide by Kate Harrison states that the average wedding produces 181 kg of rubbish and 63 tonnes of CO2. With an estimated 2.5 million weddings per year, that is approximately 1 billion lbs of rubbish and as many emissions as approximately 4 people would produce in a year in just one single day. When we read this statistic, we knew we had to make a change for the greater good.|
On January 29, 2022, we made a pledge to grow our modern business into a sustainable, eco-friendly, and environmentally conscious brand. As international wedding and event planners, we travel regularly for work, and the reality is that this is not something we cannot change. To be totally transparent, we would be lying if we said we wanted to stop flying around the world to serve our wonderful clients. However, that does not mean we should just sit back and do nothing; there are ways in which we can offset our carbon footprint for the greater good. And so, we have decided to make a pledge for all the things we can control and the little changes we vow to make as a business for our beautiful planet.
Floristry
Since 1954, florists have been using Oasis (a foam) as a foundation for floral installations and arrangements. Oasis is a cost-effective option; it’s easy to use and provides florists with a lot of flexibility in their designs. However, it is terrible for the environment. Oasis contains the same amount of plastic as 10 plastic bags; the foam is not biodegradable; and it contains black carbon, phenolic resins, or phenol formaldehyde. These chemicals are not only hazardous to humans but also affect the quality of the water in the environment and cause toxicity in animals.
Our Vow
We only work with florists who are happy to use alternative options to Oasis in our designs. Such as chicken wire, pebbles, gravel, clay, marbles, wood aspen, compact moss, or even fruit. We do, however, understand that with larger installations, this can be a little harder to manage, and therefore, in these cases, should the florists have to use Oasis, we ask them to provide us with proof that they have a post-event plan to offset their carbon footprint. Some of our florists, for example, turn all the flowers over to local farmers for them to be reused as compost; some dry the flower petals and make biodegradable confetti for future weddings; and some repurpose the flowers for local charities and hotels.
We are part of the National Trust's Plant a Tree Scheme and the Green Fingers Trust Charity. If Oasis is used at any of our events or weddings, then post-event we personally donate a percentage of our profit to one of the charities above. These charities are committed to planting various native plant species each year.
We encourage our clients to use in-season flowers, and we use clever designs for clients who are more eco-conscious to incorporate naturally potted plants and trees into our designs - or reuse installations where possible.
Transportation
The carbon emissions generated from guest travel to your wedding or event are a huge issue for the environment. Reports have shown that on average, 200 guests will generate more than 40 tonnes of carbon emissions, which is twice the average American’s annual carbon footprint. And this doesn’t take into consideration the other components of a wedding or event, such as deliveries, imported flowers, etc.
Our Vow
We are encouraging clients to arrange carpools for their guests or to use eco-friendly transportation options where possible. We help them by providing a dedicated logistical assistant to manage shuttle services, arrangement of carpooling, or sourcing of chauffeurs with all-electric vehicles. On event days, we use an all-electric van to transport our goods, and we limit the number of vehicles by staying locally at the wedding or event venue.
Stationary
Paper waste is another enormous problem within the wedding and event industry. Government reports showed that in the UK, we use about 12.5 million tonnes of paper each year, and the trees needed to produce this amount would cover approximately 21,000 square kilometres, roughly the size of Wales to put that into perspective!
Our Vow
We encourage our customers to invest in stationary made from recycled paper and plantable invitations and help source eco-friendly suppliers who match their styles. We offer an in-house digital stationery design service to prevent clients from purchasing paper-based stationery. We also offer a free recycling service post-wedding or event for any left-over stationery they have, recycling all paper-based materials on their behalf to ensure that it doesn’t just end up in a landfill.
As part of the National Trust Plant A Tree Scheme, we donate to plant a tree for every wedding or event that we do, whereby we have directly encouraged, ordered, or arranged for large quantities of paper-based stationery to be printed. And lastly, we send out all wedding and event documentation digitally, not via post.
Catering
Weddings and events are joyous celebrations filled with love, laughter, and, undoubtedly, an abundance of food. In pursuit of ensuring no guest goes hungry, couples often tend to overestimate the amount of food required, leading to waste. The extravagant nature of the wedding or event feast, with multiple courses, elaborate buffets, and diverse food options, often means that the quantity prepared surpasses the guests' appetite. In fact, statistics have shown that for every £3,000 spent on catering, £500 worth of food is thrown away. This excess not only squanders precious resources but also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions produced during the production, processing, and transportation of food.
Our Vow
We encourage our clients to use caterers who specifically source organic local produce, and we educate our clients on quantities based on our many years of experience to avoid unnecessary wastage. In the event that there is a lot of waste left over, we encourage the caterers to box up the leftovers for the wedding or event staff to take home with them. We also encourage them to recycle the leftovers and provide them with free assistance in arranging this.
We also encourage any unopened, out-of-date, or close-to-use-by items to be given to local food banks post-event. Often clients like to give edible favours to their guests; instead, we encourage them to give out gifts such as wildflower seed packets or reusable items, ensuring that these thoughtful gestures have a long-lasting positive impact on Mother Earth.