2020 changed the face of weddings forever. Rising costs, shrinking venue sizes, and a need to plan even more ahead of time have led to a revolution of small and green weddings according to USA Today. The latter aspect, of having green-focused, environmentally friendly ceremonies, is becoming increasingly important in the wider market – starting with the most important of wedding factors, the wedding band, and how it interacts with the mining and precious metals industry.
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Making gold ethical
It’s become commonplace for wedding bands to be exactly what the couple wants, rather than the classic gold band. In other words, there are lots of new wedding band options for couples – including sustainable, recycled, and renewable products. One of the biggest trends being embraced by the wedding industry is upcycling; in a review of some of the best sustainable rings, Vogue highlights the pairing of craftsmanship with using small amounts of renewable metal. By moving away from the fresh extraction of metals and materials and pivoting to the reuse of sustainable designs, there’s also a chance to capture some classic vintage designs that had been lost to time.
Changing the venue
Weddings are an expensive matter when it comes to emissions. Estimates published by The Independent suggest that 12.5kg of CO2 is emitted from every single wedding – over the average entire yearly emission from one person. One way of changing this is by looking at venues. Rather than opting for grand, palatial homes, going for outdoor venues that are naturally heated through the sun, and smaller spaces that require less effort is helping to manage emissions.
Looking at the food
Weddings are also notoriously wasteful when it comes to food. According to The Guardian, a tenth of all wedding food is disposed of. This has led to an industry move towards food fairness campaigns, according to VOA News; not only do catering operators seek to reduce waste and provide ‘just enough’ they also contribute to food charities and sustainable farming practices. This could have the biggest impact of all on changing the face of weddings.
With these changes in hand, the wedding industry is moving towards a sustainable future. Making informed choices for wedding-goers is a big benefit for every single ceremony. It will help to drive up the quality and sustainability of weddings, and produce better quality days.
