Many couples opt for a cheap wedding abroad, especially as the average UK wedding is now said to cost over £25,000 while the average cost of a wedding abroad is more like £7,000. There are more than financial costs to take into account, as more of us become more eco-conscious, many couples also tot up the carbon cost of their weddings. The average wedding costs between 14-62 tonnes of carbon (the average carbon footprint of one person for one year is 14 tonnes).
Flights add the biggest chunk to the carbon cost so think about the location of your wedding if you want to keep your carbon footprint down. Count on Me, a Dorset-based organisation committed to cutting carbon, has worked out the carbon footprint of different wedding destinations:
What is the carbon cost of a wedding
Sri Lanka – 573 tonnes
This popular and tropical wedding destination comes with a hefty carbon price tag - unless you’re from Sri Lanka of course.
Italy – 135 tonnes
The most romantic country in the world may seem like the perfect wedding destination but flying your nearest and dearest out to Italy really eats into the carbon budget.
UK - 7 tonnes
A wedding at home dramatically cuts the carbon cost (based on no flights being taken and only 10 people staying at a hotel with the addition of car journeys).
If still spending 7 tonnes of carbon on one day is too much there is another option, you can choose a ‘green’ wedding. A green wedding doesn’t need to compromise on luxury, style or quality and as they increase in popularity, more and more options are now available.
Choose a carbon-friendly wedding venue such as The Green House Hotel in Dorset. The Green House is entirely self-sufficient and carbon neutral generating its own electricity on site and producing energy from solar panels.
Recycle 100% of your waste or choose a venue that can do this for you.
Food air miles If you’re eating steak from Argentina and drinking wine from New Zealand, your carbon footprint won’t thank you for it. Try and keep your food as local as possible.
Flower air miles Around 90% of cut flowers are imported into the UK – if you can source these locally then you’ll lessen your impact on the environment.
Start as you mean to go on with recycled invites, making a conscious consumer decision on these will lower your carbon footprint and set the tone for your green wedding.
Would it really make a difference to your carbon footprint if you followed these guidelines? Count on Me worked out the carbon emissions of a wedding at The Green House Hotel and the results speak for themselves…
Green House Hotel – 2 tonnes
This eco-venue cuts your carbon emissions down to less than a third of what it would cost at a non-eco venue in the UK.
Voted Best Green Hotel by Condé Nast this year, The Green House Hotel boasts private events rooms, beautiful gardens and is situated a stone’s throw from Bournemouth’s stunning beach. The popular wedding package includes exclusive use of this fabulously restored Victorian villa which has been voted the Number One Boutique Eco-Hotel in the world.
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