The Green Wedding Series: Transport
Eco-friendly transport
We know it’s rarely the most interesting part of the day, unless you’re really into things with wheels (no judgement here) but transport can be one of the biggest carbon footprint factors of your entire wedding so it’s important to give it some thought.
All weddings need transport of some sort but depending on the decisions you make you can balance your carbon footprint to make your big day more eco-friendly. In this chapter we’ll take a look at carbon balancing your flights, an eco-friendly way to choose suppliers and more sustainable travel options for the wedding party and guests on the day.
Image: Lyndsey Goddard
Destination Weddings and Elopements
If you’re going to some far flung destination to get married our guess is that even if you happen to be a really strong swimmer, you’re still flying there, and as useful as those big metal tins in the sky are, they pump out a lot of CO2. So what can you do about it? If you’re set on a destination wedding or elopement then the best way to ease your conscience is to carbon offset, not just for you, but for everyone who is traveling over.
There are several websites offering a carbon calculator and offset options. We spoke to Daren Howarth, Director of C Level, a company who can work out your wedding carbon footprint and then compensate for that through projects that genuinely help the planet.
Daren says “Carbon offsetting is a broad term and can mean many things to different companies. It is important to look into the projects available and the certification they have so you can contribute to something that is meaningful to you and those its helping. All our projects are community minded with people and nature at the heart of them, and they always receive a Plan Vivo Certificate, which means the projects we run hit criteria that have been set by a charitable institution to aid communities on the forefront of climate crisis.”
This flight carbon calculator can be used to work out the environmental cost of flights. C Level also offer an option to brand the calculator in line with your wedding design so it’s bespoke to you. Carbon Footprint also offer a wedding list for carbon offsetting free of charge.
Once you’ve worked out your carbon balance cost, whack it into your wedding budget so its not forgotten about and either cover the amount yourself or you can ask guests to do this in lieu of a wedding gift.
wedding Suppliers
A wedding involves lots of people behind the scenes, from caterers to florists to hired furniture. All of them need trucks, vans and cars to get the goods to your big day and all of that has an impact on your carbon footprint. The best way to combat this is to book suppliers that are local to your wedding venue so they’re not driving a six hour round trip. There are lots of wedding suppliers all over the UK, they’re not just based in big cities. Ask your venue, look at online directories, ask the suppliers you’ve already booked to recommend local suppliers they’ve worked with in the past or work with a wedding planner (shameless plug!).
The obvious downfall here is if you live three hours away from your venue and all your suppliers are local as it impacts your face time with them, but as shown in what we shall dub the ‘era of Covid’, a lot can be achieved over a video call. However, if you want to meet up with suppliers in person for a hair and make up trial, to try the cake or do an engagement shoot you can be savvy about this and schedule it all for the same weekend to avoid extra travel.
There is no perfect solution, some travel will be required, but if it’s just you and your partner driving a few hours versus all your suppliers coming from afar that will certainly ease the overall carbon footprint of the day.
Wedding Party Travel
Some alternative options for arriving at the ceremony on time include rickshaws, bikes/e-bikes or a rowing boat if your wedding is water adjacent! All options would make a great photo opportunity and they’re definitely a greener way to travel but not the most wedding dress friendly. Another eco friendly option to consider is a traditional horse and carriage. Of course please do your research to make sure it’s a reputable company and the horses are well cared for.
Classic cars weren’t really built for the environment but there is a growing market for converting these to electric although it may be a while before it’s a commonplace option for wedding hire. However, the iconic taxi has had a makeover and there are several companies operating electric taxis. The good news is that the prices tend to be lower due to the cheaper running costs, they’re quieter and more environmentally friendly.
On the Day Travel
A wedding doesn’t usually take place all in one venue, travel from the ceremony to the reception needs to be considered. A practical option for this is to hire a coach that can transport your guests from A to B. Westway Coaches, based around London and Surrey, offer zero emission coaches which is the greenest form of public transport, not only does it have the lowest carbon emissions, but for every coach, 20 cars are taken off the road.
If you’d prefer to be as transport free as possible then a key priority for your venue has to be somewhere where you can enjoy your whole day in one place or at least host the ceremony and reception within walking distance. You could also consider venues that have accommodation on site so your guests only need to stumble back to their rooms at the end of the night.
