The Altruistic Traveller
  • Home
  • Travel Resources
    • What is Responsible Tourism?
    • How to be a Sustainable Traveller
    • What is Community-based Tourism
    • Responsible Volunteering
    • The Rise of Impact Travel
    • Ethical Animal Encounters
    • The Importance of Fair Trade
    • Responsible Travel Websites
    • Sustainable Tourism Organisations & Experiences
    • Sustainable Tourism Podcasts
    • Travel Insurance (that covers COVID-19)
  • About
  • Blog
  • Media
    • Featured In
    • Work with us
  • Contribute
    • List a Sustainable Tourism Organisation or Experience
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Travel Resources
    • What is Responsible Tourism?
    • How to be a Sustainable Traveller
    • What is Community-based Tourism
    • Responsible Volunteering
    • The Rise of Impact Travel
    • Ethical Animal Encounters
    • The Importance of Fair Trade
    • Responsible Travel Websites
    • Sustainable Tourism Organisations & Experiences
    • Sustainable Tourism Podcasts
    • Travel Insurance (that covers COVID-19)
  • About
  • Blog
  • Media
    • Featured In
    • Work with us
  • Contribute
    • List a Sustainable Tourism Organisation or Experience
  • Contact Us

The Altruistic Traveller

News & Resources On Advocating For a Better Tourism Industry

Sustainable Travel

6 Unique Places to Have a Sustainable Wedding

by Guest Submission January 28, 2022March 20, 2022
written by Guest Submission January 28, 2022March 20, 2022
sustainable-wedding
Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash

It’s no secret that the event planning industry can be remarkably wasteful. Many party supplies and decor are plastic and/or disposable, they get enjoyed for an hour at most, and then most likely end up in a landfill. However, it is possible (and even easy) to have a sustainable wedding without having a negative impact on the environment.

Here are ideas for 6 unique places to have a sustainable wedding for you and your eco-conscious spouse-to-be.

A Locally-Owned Vineyard

Using an idyllic winery as a venue is perfect for your unique, sustainable wedding. A majestic landscape of rolling grape-covered hills makes a classic backdrop for your dream wedding. Vineyards are known for their stunning event venues, and you’ll most likely have excellent service and professionalism during the planning process and the event.

It’s not too hard to look for a winery that hosts sustainable receptions and uses environmentally friendly practices in its wine productions. Plenty of eco-friendly wineries exist, like this one in California which uses solar panels and maintains local wildlands. Plus, you’ll have no problem finding locally-sourced wine.

Depending on the size of your wedding, you could also schedule a vineyard tour for your guests when there’s a break in the festivities. For instance, when the bridal party is out taking pictures after the ceremony and the rest of the guests are hanging back. It’s lovely to get some fresh air walking around the beautiful scenery, and your guests will have a deeper appreciation for the venue. 

A Ship

Imagine how romantic and unique a wedding out at sea would be. Take to the water and rent out a majestic vessel for your special occasion. Not many people can say they’ve been to a wedding on a ship, and it’ll certainly be memorable.

If you’re going for a sustainable wedding, however, be wary of which ship you choose. Cruise ships are notoriously awful for the environment, so try to steer clear of these big fuel-guzzling waste generators. Plus, be sure to choose a warm time of year so you won’t need to use climate control. 

Only pick this option if you have a relatively small guest list. Any ship capable of accommodating 200+ people is going to create a lot of waste. If you decide to go this route, make sure you do all you can to leave the area as untouched as possible so future visitors can experience it fully. There have been a number of beautiful areas that have been tainted by mass tourism through either pollution or environmental damage.

Related Reading: Sustainable Wedding Trends

Summer Campgrounds

Turn your wedding into an adventurous outdoor outing. A campground in a place of unique natural beauty is a fantastic option for an eco-friendly wedding.

Many national or state parks allow weddings, so you can host your special event in some of the most magnificent scenery in the country. Campgrounds and parks have strict environmental standards, so you can host your special event in a place that respects local wildlife and takes care of the world we live in.

Be aware: most parks do require you to have a special permit and follow certain local laws, so do your research and make your bookings well in advance. For bigger and more popular parks, you may even need a full year in advance.

Photo by Victoria Priessnitz on Unsplash

A Theatre

Dim the lights and start the projector for a fun, unique wedding in a theatre. You could host your wedding at a classic, historical movie theatre or you could shoot for a local theatre where they put on plays. Either way, you have a venue that’s already set up for crowds and entertainment.

This couple had a gorgeous Old Hollywood-themed cinema wedding in a historic movie palace in Florida. They made their own film to show on the big screen, and then replaced the screen with a live performance. There are plenty of super creative ways you can put on this show.

Related Resource: Book Sustainable Accommodation with Social BnB

A Local Farm or Orchard

One of the most sustainable weddings you could possibly have is at a local farm. If you’re after the rustic, cozy, homegrown wedding feel, this unique location is perfect for you.

Celebrate the natural landscape and bask in the fresh air with a farm or orchard venue. You can choose a location that specializes in event planning, or you can put a little more effort into the planning process and set up a venue yourself, perhaps in rental canopies or a barn.

Sourcing food from a local farm means your food won’t have to travel far to get to you, thereby reducing waste at your event. You’ll be able to get seasonal and organic food much easier, too. Having your wedding at a local farm means your food (and your local guests) won’t have to travel far to reach you, reducing your carbon footprint as well.

Botanical Gardens

Botanical gardens are picture-perfect, designed for crowds, and spacious. What more could you want out of a venue? If you do this close to home, you can bask in the beauty of your home environment without having to decorate at all.

While we’re talking about local flora, let’s talk flowers. A big sustainability problem that is often overlooked when it comes to weddings is using exotic flowers. Non-native blooms require a great deal of energy to grow and transport when compared with local flowers, and they do a number on your carbon footprint. 

If you source your flowers locally, you’re not only doing a good deed for the environment, but you’re also paying homage to the landscape you’re getting married in.  

Tips To Enjoy Your Unique Sustainable Wedding

Here are a few other sustainable wedding goals before we go:

  • Opt out of wasteful decor like confetti and balloons
  • Ask for useful gifts made using sustainable practices like engraved luggage tags
  • Rent formalwear rather than buying fast fashion you’ll only wear once
  • Use natural, biodegradable materials for decoration 
  • Use local resources wherever you can, from catering to florals
  • Try to buy only fair trade favors and clothing
  • Purchase conflict-free, ethical rings

We hope you’ve gotten some valuable inspiration from these ideas. Have an incredible wedding.

0 comment
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinRedditStumbleuponEmail
previous post
Sustainable & Ethical Eateries in Siem Reap
next post
A Fair Trade guide to shopping in Phnom Penh Cambodia

You may also like

A Spotlight On The Importance Of Sustainable Tourism...

January 15, 2020

Where To Find A Beach Clean-up in Malta

June 20, 2022

These Organisations Will Inspire You To Save Our...

June 4, 2019

The Best Water Filtration Bottles For Travelling

September 21, 2019

The Safaris in the Maasai Mara Powered By...

December 9, 2021

Travel Bloggers Share Their Off-Season Travel Experiences

May 24, 2019

How to help the hotel industry eliminate food...

September 10, 2019

Where to book sustainable accommodation online

May 9, 2023

6 things to ponder if you’re looking to...

January 31, 2019

What Trends Are Shaping Sustainable Travel In 2022?

October 19, 2021

About Us

About Us

Meet the team

We are Bianca & Faye, two passionate storytellers with a common mission to share ways in which tourism can be approached in a more sustainable way. We share discussions, ideas and recommendations on how to travel with more compassion, integrity and conscious awareness.

Keep in touch

Facebook Pinterest Linkedin Youtube Spotify

Receive Our Articles In Your Inbox

Sign up for the latest news & content from The Altruistic Traveller [no spam ever ;)]

Please wait...

Thank you for advocating for a better tourism industry.

Listen to The Altruistic Traveller Podcast

2022 Award Winner

The Altruistic Traveller has been included by Twinkl as one of their picks for Top Sustainability Blogs 2022.

House Sit & Travel The World

trusted-housesitters

Save $$$ on your currency conversion while you travel

Transfer-wise

Offset Your Travel with Offsetra

Offset Your Travel with Offsetra

Get Travel Insurance

incurance-that-covers-covid-19

Learn a language online with Live Lingua

Get green hosting for your website

Browse Sustainable Accommodation options

social-bnb

JOIN THE IMPACT TRAVEL ALLIANCE MEDIA NETWORK

Are you a content creator specialising in sustainable travel? Join the ITA media network.

Donate a meal to someone in need

sharethemeal web graphic_0

Book Travel with Kiwi


Learn how to become location independent

Use code thealtruistictraveller10 for 10% off courses

NomadsSkillshare

Dine with Locals on EatWith

eat-with-coupon-7B728BBE

Find Ethical Food Venues Nearest to you with Fair Food Forager

fair-food-forager

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
  • Email
  • Spotify
  • RSS

@2023 - The Altruistic Traveller. Developed by Cybernite Technologies and sustainably hosted by Green Geeks.
The Altruistic Traveller uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase using a link, we may receive a commission. Such revenue helps keep this website running, and allows us to keep the content free for readers like you.
This website uses cookies. To learn more or opt-out please visit my Privacy Policy.


Back To Top

Soul Truth Pop-up