5 Easy Tips for a More Eco-Friendly Wedding
Planning a wedding is an exciting time, but it can also come with a big environmental footprint. Especially for couples who try to live a sustainable lifestyle, we know the thought of hosting a big (and potentially wasteful) event can feel stressful. But here’s the good news: making eco-friendly choices doesn’t have to mean sacrificing style or making your life harder. By being intentional with your planning, you can reduce waste, lower your carbon footprint, and still have a gorg celebration. Here are five simple ways to make your wedding more sustainable:
1. Rent What You Can
One of the easiest ways to make your wedding more sustainable is to rent instead of buy. Many wedding items—everything from décor to attire—are only used for a few hours, making them perfect candidates for rental instead of purchasing new.
We at Romee Willow Florals offer a variety of rental options to help you create a stunning, eco-friendly wedding while reducing waste. When you go through us for your flowers, you can also rent the following:
✨ Ceremony backdrops – Perfect for framing your vows in a way that’s both beautiful and sustainable.
✨ Vases & vessels – Ideal for floral arrangements, without the need to buy and store dozens of vases afterward.
✨ Votives, candle holders & lanterns – Elevate your tablescapes and ambiance without contributing to single-use décor waste.
By choosing rental options like these, you cut down on unnecessary production and waste, while still achieving a stylish, personalized wedding aesthetic. Plus, rentals are often more budget-friendly than purchasing everything new!
2. Choose In-Season & Locally Grown Flowers
Flowers are a stunning part of any wedding, but sourcing in-season, locally grown blooms can make a big difference for the environment. Imported flowers often travel thousands of miles before reaching your bouquet, increasing their carbon footprint. By choosing seasonal flowers from local suppliers, you’ll get fresher, more vibrant arrangements while supporting sustainable growing practices. We source many of our local blooms from Gold Fern Farm, a beautiful flower farm dedicated to growing seasonal, eco-friendly florals right here in Illinois. We also work with Chicago Flower Market, a hub for locally grown flowers that helps us create stunning, sustainable designs without the need for long-distance shipping. We love working with unique, seasonal blooms that reflect the natural beauty of the time of year. Whether you're dreaming of lush summer peonies or rich autumn dahlias, we’ll help you create a floral design that’s both breathtaking and eco-conscious.
3. Have Your Wedding Close to Home
One of the biggest contributors to a wedding’s carbon footprint is guest travel, especially when flights are involved. If you live in the Chicago area, it’s an easy choice to host your wedding here. By hosting where you and most of your guests already live, you can significantly reduce emissions from travel while still offering a breathtaking and unique celebration. Luckily, Chicago is full of stunning, eco-conscious venues that make it easy to host a sustainable wedding right in the city. Many venues, such as The Joinery, Salvage One, and Fairlie, prioritize sustainability with energy-efficient spaces, natural light, and reclaimed materials.
Plus, keeping your wedding local means:
✅ More public transit options for guests (Chicago’s CTA and Metra make it easy to get around!).
✅ Less need for long-distance travel, reducing your overall carbon footprint.
✅ Supporting local businesses—from florists and caterers to bakers and rental companies—who embrace sustainable practices.
If you have guests traveling from out of town, consider booking a central venue near public transit or hotels, so they don’t need rental cars. You could even arrange for group transportation (like a trolley or shuttle) to further reduce emissions. Chicago offers so many opportunities to have a beautiful, stylish, and eco-friendly wedding without the need for far-flung travel!
Left: Ed and Alieen Photography | Right: Emma Mullins Photography
4. Donate Your Flowers After the Event
After the wedding, many couples find themselves with gorgeous floral arrangements that still have plenty of life left. Instead of letting them go to waste (like putting these beauties in the garbage after less than a day of display!), consider donating them. Your wedding flowers can bring joy and comfort to others long after your celebration ends. We proudly partner with JourneyCare Hospice, an organization that repurposes wedding florals to brighten the spaces of hospice patients and their families. This meaningful gesture ensures that your flowers continue spreading beauty and love beyond your wedding day. Flower donation is a simple yet powerful way to reduce waste while making a positive impact. If you’d like to arrange for your wedding flowers to be donated, just let us know— we’d love to facilitate the process for you!
5. Swap Disposable Items for Reusable Alternatives
It may seem small, but replacing single-use items with reusable alternatives makes a big impact. Opt for:
✅ Real plates, glassware, and flatware instead of disposables (most caterers provide rental options).
✅ Fabric napkins instead of paper.
✅ Digital invitations instead of printed ones (or choose recycled paper).
✅ Edible wedding favors or other eco-friendly options that guests can consume instead of plastic trinkets.
Being eco-friendly doesn’t mean compromising on your dream wedding—it’s about making intentional choices that align with your values while still creating a beautiful celebration. By renting what you can, choosing local flowers, minimizing travel, donating florals, and opting for reusables, you can plan a wedding that’s as kind to the planet as it is beautiful. If you’re looking for an eco-conscious florist, look no further! Reach out to us via our contact form so we can talk about making your eco-friendly wedding flower dreams come true.