The ABCs of a Sustainable Wedding

A beginner-friendly guide to what makes a wedding sustainable, why it matters, and how to start planning a celebration that’s beautiful, joyful, and lighter on the planet.

First things first: What is a sustainable wedding, anyway?

A sustainable wedding is a celebration that reduces environmental impact by making mindful choices around vendors, venues, travel, food, and waste.

Or, as we like to say: it’s a conscious celebration of love—with the planet on the guest list. You might also hear it called an eco-friendly, Earth-friendly, or green wedding.

At Earthical, we welcome all love stories—whether you're planning a spiritual ceremony, a secular celebration, a quiet elopement, a budget-friendly micro wedding, or a big fat Greek-style bash. We've built a one-stop platform for anyone dreaming of a mindful wedding. Psst... the secret? It's all about choosing the right venue and vendors.

Sustainable wedding planning is about shaping your celebration as an eco-event that reflects your values and leaves a lighter footprint behind.

Wait… My Wedding Has a Carbon Footprint?

Yep, and you’re not alone. Every event, road trip, taco Tuesday, or “I do” comes with a carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is the way we measure the amount of greenhouse gases generated by our actions. These gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere to keep it warm and cozy for life to thrive. But lately, human activity has accelerated this natural phenomenon too much. This drastic release of greenhouse gases has caused global warming and climate change.

Why is climate change bad? Because it's causing more extreme weather, such as heatwaves, floods, and wildfires. It melts glaciers and ice caps, raising sea levels and threatening coastal cities. Animals lose their habitats, crops can fail, and life is harder for people around the world.

And yet, we can do something about it! Understanding your carbon footprint is the first step.

Just so you have an idea: the average U.S. resident produces about 16 tons of CO₂ per year. That’s four times the global average of around 4 tons per person. Yikes! But hey, awareness is the first move toward change.

How Much CO₂ Does the Average Wedding Produce?

Did You Know… Your Wedding Might Be the Biggest Emission Day of Your Life? Behind the romance, weddings often come with a high environmental cost.

According to The Guardian, the average U.S. wedding hosts about 116 guests and generates around 60 tons of CO₂. That’s the same as taking 71 round-trip flights from New York to Los Angeles. In other words, it's four times the annual footprint of the average American. One day, one party, one giant carbon footprint.

So where’s all that impact coming from? Let’s break it down:

• Guest travel (especially flights)
• Venue energy (lighting, AC, sound systems)
• Food & drink (meat-heavy menus pack a punch)
• Wedding fashion (fast fashion bridesmaid dresses + low-quality tux rentals)
• Waste (from florals, favors, and single-use everything)

How to Begin Your Eco-Wedding Journey?

The good news: You don’t have to aim for perfection to reduce your wedding carbon footprint, just be mindful. That’s why we created our eco-wedding formula: a simple way to start making choices that lead to a Happily Eco After.

Looking for real eco-wedding inspo? Read how Katie brought the eco-wedding formula to life with her own thoughtful celebration and picked up six bonus sustainability wins along the way.

Ready to start planning? Browse Earthical’s curated list of sustainable vendors!

Keep reading ⟶ Is A Sustainable Wedding More Expensive? Not Necessarily. (Coming soon!)