Last June, we had the pleasure of being interviewed by one of the most influential portals in business and sustainability in the Spanish-speaking world, El Bien Social. In this interview, we aimed to introduce the world of sustainable wedding planning, characterized by low environmental impact weddings and considering their implications beyond the big day.
If you are an alternative couple, with constant contact with nature, and want to consider the impact of your wedding on the environment, this interview is for you. Let’s get started!
1. Let’s start with the basics: What is a sustainable and eco-friendly wedding?
A sustainable wedding is a celebration aimed at reducing its environmental impact through various elements, all while maintaining the dream wedding for the couple. A wedding emits a significant amount of greenhouse gases in just one day, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2).
These types of weddings can be adapted to any couple and any decor style. Generally speaking, the couples who inquire about our services tend to be for intimate, non-protocol weddings held on weekends with 50 to 80 guests. They have a strong connection with nature and live a lifestyle that aligns with the wedding they desire.
2.What motivated you to start?
After more than 10 years of experience in marketing and events, working for various international companies, I realized that, although they served as learning experiences, they didn’t fulfill me professionally or personally. They didn’t share my philosophy of a sustainable lifestyle.
I am passionate about events and decoration, and I’m a very creative person. Combining those skills, I felt the need to create something of my own that would make me feel whole. When I started thinking about this project during the pandemic, I only had one thing clear from the start: Create something related to events where I could unleash my creativity, share my sustainable philosophy, and contribute my little grain of sand.
3. You describe yourself as an “eco-wedding planner”,
What is your daily routine and what training is necessary for your profession?
I have a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a master’s in Marketing and Sales. I’ve trained as a Wedding Planner, and have specifically worked on becoming an entrepreneur for this project. Additionally, I currently have a mentor who helps me take each step along the way.
I continuously train to stay up to date on sustainability topics through the Barcelona + Sostenible association, which we are a part of, attending conferences, collaborating with companies that consider sustainability in the manufacturing, production, or distribution of their products, and reading blogs that promote a sustainable lifestyle.
In my day-to-day life, I visit new suppliers, conduct technical visits, meet with couples, search for inspiration on international blogs, coordinate all social media posts and advertising campaigns, and fulfill all the steps I’ve planned for the year.
I provide a service that traditionally hasn’t been offered in Catalonia and adapt my services to the forefront of sustainable practices. I always try to be up to date on the development of activities and products with a lower environmental impact so that my clients can enjoy the latest options.
4. What are the least sustainable aspects of a traditional wedding?
The least sustainable aspect of a wedding, yet one that is essential, is the wedding banquet or catering. This accounts for about 70% of the total wedding budget, and, on average, 30% of the food is wasted. Additionally, the production of food and the transportation of both the food and staff makes it the first aspect to consider.
Therefore, one of the key elements we offer any couple organizing their wedding with us is to avoid unnecessary food waste and donate it to social dining rooms to help those in need.
Secondly, there’s floral decoration. Around 70% of the flowers sold in our country come from places like the Netherlands, Colombia, and Kenya, or use unsustainable materials like polystyrene foam. We advise couples to work with florists who offer ecological, local, and seasonal flowers. We also guide them in choosing floral arrangements that can have a second life, such as planting in pots or using preserved flowers, which can then be repurposed as home decorations.
And lastly, there’s the CO2 emissions generated by the transportation of guests and suppliers, and the generation of waste. At Nature Elements, for every wedding or event we organize, we plant an indigenous tree from the desired region of Catalonia to offset the CO2 emissions over the long term.
Ultimately, it’s important to seek advice and assistance, whether through a wedding planner, a consultancy, or by working with the different suppliers involved.
5. What are the five key elements that a sustainable wedding must have?
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Reject: Couples need to shift from thinking about ephemeral things to long-lasting ones. The first step in achieving this for their wedding is to reject everything that will end up in the trash right away and that they don’t need. The most immediate? Any plastic, whether single-use or not, and evaluating whether certain items are really necessary, such as switching paper invitations to digital ones or replacing the commonly used polystyrene foam in floral arrangements. The options are endless—sky’s the limit!
- Reduce: Gone are the days of ostentatious weddings with food galore. There’s a long-term trend toward intimate weddings where quality takes precedence over quantity. Sustainable weddings pay special attention to high-budget items and how to reduce them, such as balancing the amount of food for a wedding or donating leftover food to reduce waste. This reduction can also mean significant savings for the couple. Everybody wins!
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Reuse: The third step is finding substitutes for any disposable products at the wedding, whether they are biodegradable or not. The goal is to reduce waste. This can involve renting dinnerware, using cloth napkins, or borrowing or buying secondhand decor. Catering and decoration rental companies have beautiful options available for different budgets.
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Recycle: Having a solid recycling system for the wedding is crucial, especially for the catering and cocktail areas. Both the plates and the beverages contribute to generating a lot of waste. It’s also essential to consider other overlooked items, like cigarette butts.
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Recover: In wedding terms, “recover” means making the most of elements that were once thought to be discarded, such as floral decorations. A wonderful artistic floral arrangement doesn’t have to be fleeting. What if we incorporate pots into the decoration so guests can take them home, or the couple can keep them?
6. Do you think there is more awareness after the COVID crisis for more sustainable weddings?
From my personal perspective, environmental awareness among younger generations has increased in recent years, largely due to better access to information, such as the rise of blogs and online magazines dedicated to environmental topics like El Bien Social.
I definitely believe that the COVID pandemic has brought more global community awareness and less individualism. The world has become smaller because of the pandemic, and we’ve all had to be part of both the problem and the solution.
I believe that this COVID crisis is raising awareness of more sustainable lifestyles, which can extend to weddings and other celebrations.
7. What does “El Bien Social” mean to you?
For us, the greater good refers to actions taken by institutions, companies, and groups that aim to improve the quality of life for all living beings, promote a society with sustainable awareness, and foster a sense of social responsibility.