Sustainable Wedding Inspiration at Kingston House

Last fall I worked with some awesome wedding professionals to create a sustainable wedding shoot at the Kingston House venue.

Sustainability has always been a core value in my business. So much so that I co-founded a sustainable wedding initiative here in the Pacific Northwest called Emerald Hour! Emerald Hour organized this shoot to bring together wedding pros who all share a commitment to sustainability. We wanted to provide some practical ideas to help couples create a more sustainable event.

My biggest tip for couples who value sustainability is to plan their event with intention from day one. It’s unlikely that every choice you make will be an environmentally-friendly one. By deciding what is and isn’t important to you, you can figure out what to prioritize and where to compromise.

This sustainable wedding at Kingston House was full of intentional choices that led to a joyful and beautiful day. I’m excited to finally share inspiration from this shoot to help you create a more environmentally-conscious wedding without sacrificing beauty or the overall experience.

Choose a venue that values sustainability!

Where you decide to get married has a huge impact on the environmental footprint of your wedding. Luckily there are venues like Kingston House that have sustainable practices built into their venue and business practices. Just by starting there, you’ll already have a jump start on creating a more eco-friendly wedding.

Work with a floral designer that prioritizes local and seasonal blooms

Manette Flower Co. sourced all the flowers for this event from local growers and was even able to use blooms foraged on the Kingston House property (with the venue’s permission, of course!)

Using flowers that are local and seasonal goes a long way towards reducing your event’s impact, vs. shipping in flowers grown in South America, for example.

Avoid floral designs that involve foam and other harmful products

NONE of these beautiful floral pieces required any type of floral foam, which can be extremely harmful. By collaborating with a floral designer with sustainable practices, you can significantly reduce any waste associated with the floral pieces at your wedding.

Craft a bar menu that incorporates local ingredients

Using local ingredients and products in your drink menu can support small businesses and add a truly special touch to your wedding. Whether it’s beer from a craft brewery or a small-batch simple syrup used in a specialty cocktail, you can create a story behind your bar menu while boosting the local economy.

Avoid disposable cups, plates, and cutlery!

Using real glassware and tableware will lead to a huge reduction and wedding waste AND make a statement. How good does this signature cocktail look in a crystal coupe? (Now think about how it would look in a cheap plastic cup…) The waste from disposable items can really add up over the course of an event. Consider swapping for rented items wherever you can.

Feature unique pieces from a local rental company (instead of buying them online or at retail stores)

It can be surprising to learn just how many wedding day items can be rented! Rentals go way beyond linens and china. You can find everything from vintage dessert stands to colorful throw pillows.

Shop for your wedding dress at a boutique that specializes in consigned and gently used gowns

You might not think to consider a second-hand wedding gown, but it’s an impactful way to choose eco-friendly attire and save money at the same time. There are a number of boutiques in the Pacific Northwest that specialize in consigned and gently-used gowns where you can find high-quality dresses by name-brand designers.

Shop for your wedding bands and jewelry at a small business with sustainable and ethical practices

Venture outside the big-brand jewelers when shopping for your wedding bands or other wedding day jewelry pieces. Studios like Adrienne Key Studio offer couples the unique experience of crafting custom wedding bands and jewelry with ethically sourced or upcycled materials.

If you’re committed to paper stationery, consider using seed paper

Seed paper is completely biodegradable and can also be planted!

Choose favors that guests will actually use (or eat!) and buy them from a local small business

Instead of bought-in-bulk drink koozies, we opted for a few locally-made goods that guests could choose from. Wedding favors are becoming less and less common, but if it’s important to you to offer a small thank you to your guests, be sure to do so in a thoughtful way.

Up-cycle thrifted finds to create special details

Clover Society Sign Co. made this sign out of an old, run-of-the-mill frame purchased at Goodwill. With some paint and touches of dried flowers, it became something beautiful and totally unique.

Feature a few thoughtful and high-quality decor items (vs. a bunch of inexpensive items that will get tossed after the event)

These unique candles made by a local artisan, DeBaec Candles, created such a statement. Plus, we didn’t need to use many to make an impact. Think quality over quantity!

Create a more intimate wedding experience

By keeping your guest list to the most important people in your lives, you’ll create a meaningful and intimate day full of connection and conversation. (Not a day full of haphazard hello’s and awkward hugs with extended family you haven’t seen in years.) It’s not always easy, but lowering your guest count is one of the biggest ways to reduce your event’s environmental impact.

Take advantage of everything your wedding venue has to offer

Making use of your venue’s tables and chairs (if available), means you won’t have to have these larger items brought in by a big delivery truck.

Ready to get started?

I absolutely love to help couples create more environmentally-friendly events. I’m lucky to have access to a network of sustainability-minded wedding pros across the Pacific Northwest through Emerald Hour. I hope to make it easy for couples to find conscious vendors for their day, while also offering tips and guidance throughout the whole planning process. It can be hard figuring out how to make a wedding more sustainable, but by working together we can make sure your event is a reflection of your values.

If you want to get started planning your sustainable wedding, learn more about how I can help, or schedule your discovery call now!

Collaborating Vendors

• Organization: Emerald Hour
• Photography: Marla Manes Photography
• Venue: Kingston House Events
• Planning: The Hummingbird Event Co.
• Videography: Ochoa Wedding Films
• Hair & Makeup: Anne Timms Makeup & Hair | Elizabeth Dolan Makeup Artist
• Dress: Brides for a Cause
• Floral Design: Manette Flower Co
• Officiant: Officiant Grace
• Grazing Table: Gema Collective
• Rentals: Celebrations for Every Season
• Bartending: Hitched Mobile Bar
• Cake & Desserts: Alpenglow Baking Co
• Jewelry: Everling Jewelry
• Calligraphy: Clover Society Sign Co.
• Linens: Pedersen’s Event Rentals
• Candles: DE BAEC Candles