Your wedding day is one that should focus on you and your partner’s love story – a chance to celebrate and mark this significant milestone in your life together with friends and family. If you don’t want end up with a lot of extra ‘stuff’ that cost money as well as increase environmental footprint, learn about these four items that can be recycled after your Scandinavian wedding.
All too often, the romantic notions of the day can get lost in the rush and stress of organising a big occasion, especially if you get caught up in creating a day that follows all the latest trends. As a result, you end up with a lot of extra ‘stuff’ that not only costs money but also creates waste, increasing the environmental footprint of your day.
In total contrast, Scandinavian weddings tend to be focused on nature from the start, with an understated elegance and minimalism that results in a relaxed, happy day. Whilst every couple will have different preferences, many people choose to use natural decor, neutral colour palettes and rustic seating, all of which automatically tend to have a smaller carbon impact – especially if they’re not custom-made for the day.
But what can you do with the items that you do purchase especially for your Scandinavian wedding? Let’s take a look.
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Related: Five Ways to Enjoy a Traditional Scandinavian Wedding
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Your outfits
Whilst dress and suit hire options are increasing, most people still prefer to buy their wedding outfits, particularly brides. Unfortunately, whilst suits may get used for other special events, most dresses will only be worn once before being packed away.
However, if you have chosen a dress in the minimalist style to match your decor, you have more options to choose from after the big day. You could get your dress dyed, to make it more wearable for different occasions, shortened, or even repurposed completely to make a different outfit such as a jumpsuit or top and skirt combination. With 42 million tonnes of plastic waste created in the textiles industry per year, it’s really important to think long-term about what happens to your outfit after the day is over.
Table decorations
Scandi wedding decor is all about pairing sophisticated neutrals such as white, cream, taupe, pale pinks and soft greens, with natural textures such as wood and foliage. Candles and seasonal flowers are often interwoven to plain tablecloths and runners to add a touch of colour without it feeling artificial or too bold. The whole aesthetic is cosy – the bride and groom want their guests to feel relaxed and comfortable.
Fortunately, with a bit of thought, many of these items can be reused or repurposed after the day. For example, candles can be given to guests to take home, or stored up for use on your own. Using raw linen for the table means it can be easily reused, either as a tablecloth or even turned into napkins that you can use for years to come. The key here is to try and use as many natural materials as possible – both for the vibe, but also because the less plastic, the less likely things are to get thrown away.
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Related: The Ultimate Jaw-Dropping Scandinavian Wedding Destinations
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Bridal crowns
It’s tradition in many Scandinavian communities for a bridal crown of some sort to be worn. Historically, these would have often been owned by the church and loaned out to brides across the parish for their special day. In modern culture, many people no longer attend church, so this practice has reduced.
But, if you do decide to have a bridal crown, you may want to consider commissioning one that can long outlast your love story, and be passed down through the generations. Or, take a nod to this tradition by having some kind of hairpiece, but on a smaller scale, so it can be worn again for different special occasions.
Flowers
Flowers are often a big sustainability offender at weddings, as they’re picked for the day and then discarded. In addition to this, many couples have a set flower in mind, and they aren’t always in season – particularly for weddings that are in spring or early summer, when bad weather can delay the bloom of specific buds.
To avoid forcing tropical blooms to grow (and the carbon emissions that go with this), Scandinavian weddings tend to use local blossoms combined with evergreen foliage to create a soft, timeless look. You can encourage your guests to take flowers with them when they leave, to display in their own homes, as well as you taking some for your own. Because they’re seasonal, they should last longer.
Or, you can even get these flowers dried and pressed, and create a special memento of your day. You could even include some in the envelope with your thank you notes.
Whilst your wedding is just one (incredibly special) day, there’s no reason that your decor and outfits need to be one-time use as well. By repurposing, you can do your bit for the planet but also let the day live on for years to come.
Four items that can be recycled after your Scandinavian wedding, written dedicatedsly for for Daily Scandinavian.