Eco-Friendly Farm Weddings

Our environmental crisis is a global problem, a mess we’ve all made together and we must face the consequences of together. I’m not going to get on my soap box here, but lowering the waste generated by weddings is something we strive toward at Emily Katherine Events and we hope to inspire and educate both couples and other wedding professionals to work toward more eco-friendly weddings. And since we’re all in this together, we wanted to share some thoughts from our friends across the pond about eco-friendly wedding planning!

Windy Hill Farm Wedding

Photo by Vanessa Ray Photography.          Windy Hill Farm.

Harriet Thame is the marketing head at Crockwell Farm, a venue specializing in barn weddings. She also organizes the Taster Evenings, where couples begin the planning process after witnessing Crockwell’s best features. Here she’s shared with us her ideas for an eco-friendly farm wedding. We have so many beautiful farm weddings each year in North Carolina, and these tips from the UK certainly apply here as well!

How to Have an Eco-Friendly Farm Wedding

by Harriet Thame, Crockwell Farm

Many couples today are opting to have an eco-friendly wedding. So why not enjoy the splendour of a
farm wedding instead? In fact, farms are perfect venues for lovers who also have a passion for Mother
Nature. Whilst some may think that this type of wedding theme could be too expensive, this is not the
case. Here are some eco-friendly tips that can help both your budget and the environment.

snipes farm wedding

Photo by Kayla Shope.            Snipes Farm Retreat

1. Reception Venue

Of course, choosing the venue is one of the most important decisions in the run-up to any wedding. By
deciding to have your ceremony on farm grounds, you can save on electricity as the sun will provide all
the lighting you require. In addition, if you choose to exchange your vows in the garden, you will be
surrounded by a wide variety of beautiful flowers. And remember, most farm wedding venues are
equipped with modern toilets and bathroom facilities so hygiene won’t be a problem.
If it’s not possible to hold the ceremony and reception outdoors, you could always bring it indoors and
still make it eco-friendly. Consider keeping the ceremony and reception in one place (for example, the
barn) as this will not only save time but also ensure that your guests don’t create excess fuel emissions.

Oakland Farm wedding.

Photo by Heather Gunter Photography.          Oakland Farm.

2. Catering

It goes without saying that food is central to any celebration. Fortunately, farm-to-table cuisine is not
only environmentally friendly but also very tasty. However, organic food is often more expensive so you
should consider asking your caterer if there are any in-season fruit and vegetables or locally grown
products available. This will guarantee you fresh produce and keep your costs down.
Furthermore, if you obtain your food directly from the source, you will be able to eat it when it is ‘fresh
out of the ground’. This will help the environment as the food will have had less time in the fridge and it
will require less packaging.
In addition, as the food is coming from a nearby location, there will be fewer fuel and transport costs
too. You can also impress your guests by adding a display of herbs to your table decor.
Many farm venues, such as Crockwell Farm, have caterers who can design your wedding menu
using locally grown/produced food.

fresh local wedding food- Snap Pea Catering

Photo by Three Region Photography, Catering by Snap Pea. Snap Pea focuses on locally sourced, seasonal menus.

3. Stationery

The production of paper requires millions of trees to be felled every year and this is of course bad for
the environment. Nowadays, you can invite people to your wedding without using any paper at all; you
can simply inform guests about the time and date of the ceremony over the internet via emails or social
media platforms. If you do want to use stationery, why not consider recycled paper and vegetable-based
ink?

Paperless Post Save the Date

Save the Date from PaperlessPost

4. Wedding Attire

Another eco-friendly idea is to wear a second-hand wedding gown. For example, why not use the dress
worn by your mother? If the style is not to your taste, you could have a seamstress modify it to suit your
exact requirements. If this is not an option, you could check vintage clothing shops or boutiques. There
are also online sites that offer pre-worn dresses for sale or rent.
However, if you would prefer a brand new wedding gown, then consider working with a designer who is
passionate about the environment; they often use materials such as hemp, organic cotton or silk.

Second hand wedding dress from Still White. Photo by Angela Zion.

Photo by Angela Zion Photography. Gown purchased second hand from Still White.

5. Favours

Staying on an environmentally friendly theme, consider providing your guests with plantable favours
such as:
● potted herbs, succulents or saplings
● biodegradable seed packets
● a bag of signature coffee beans
Or you can go for tasteful alternatives like chocolate bars, candies or jams in reusable jars.
Another excellent idea is to give your guests wedding flowers. You could even have someone arrange
the flowers into individual bouquets. Or, perhaps you would prefer to make a charitable donation. You
could put up a sign to let your guests know that you are donating to charity instead of giving favours. In
fact, you may like to donate to the charitable organisation of their choice.

Local coffee wedding favors

Photo by Stephen Thrift Photography. Coffee beans favors from Joe Van Gogh Coffee.

6. Gift Registry

It has become increasingly popular for the happy couple to ask their guests to present gifts that are
environmentally friendly. For example:
● Cloth shopping bags
● Natural kitchen or bath products
● Organic bedding
● Reusable bamboo plates
In lieu of gifts, you could ask guests to pitch in for your honeymoon or donate to your favourite charity.

The Knot Honeymoon Fund

Honeymoon registry through The Knot.

There are various ways to make your farm wedding friendly to Mother Earth. Besides your choice of
venue, you can avoid wastage by using recycled materials rather than paper and by wearing a wedding
dress that has been pre-owned. Whilst no wedding is complete without flowers, a more earth friendly option is to choose the organic variety. By doing your bit for the environment, you
will be ensuring that your wedding is even more rewarding and enjoyable.

Barn Wedding Venue- 1870 Farm. Photo by Melissa Maureen.

Photo by Melissa Maureen Photography.          1870 Farm

Thank you, Harriet, for sharing these tips for an eco-friendly farm wedding!

We hope couples find these tips useful in planning their own eco-friendly wedding!

Harriet Thame Crockwell Farm