6 SUSTAINABILITY QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR WEDDING VENUE

Today we’re talking wedding venues. More specifically, how to determine the sustainability of your potential wedding venue.

Weddings come in all shapes and sizes. Finding the perfect sustainable venue for your needs may seem like a daunting task but fear not, we’ve carefully crafted a list of questions to ask your potential venue so that your conscience is free to party as hard as you on your special day.

It goes without saying that the further afield your wedding is from the majority of your guests, the bigger the carbon footprint. Search for venues that are closer to reduce travel time. Your guests will thank you too!

1. Will our food and drink be locally sourced?
This is a no brainer. If your venue comes with a catering package it’s important to find out where your food and drink will be coming from. Not only will locally sourced produce be fresher and less travelled but it will support local businesses and the local economy. Win-win! Consider vegetarian and vegan cuisine for extra kudos. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the choices available.

2. How will you dispose of any leftover food?
Unfortunately leftovers are inevitable at events such as weddings, though how they are disposed of is important. Nowadays there are plenty of alternatives to the general waste. Leftovers can be distributed amongst guests to be enjoyed post party, donated to local charities that feed the homeless and people in need, or at the very least, composted.

3. What is your policy on plastics and recycling?
Plastics, single use plastics in particular are a big no-no. It’s important to find out where your venue stands on this matter and what they’re doing to reduce their need for it. It’s also good to know what recycling practices your venue has adopted. Do they recycle as much as possible? Do they reuse where they can? Are their suppliers observing good recycling and waste reducing practices as well?

4. Can we have both the ceremony and reception at the venue?
Reducing the amount of travel to and from a venue is a great way to minimise the carbon footprint of your wedding. Having the ceremony and reception in the same place will result in a high-five from your guests as well as mother nature herself!

5. How do you power the site?
Some venues take this very seriously, so seriously in fact that they use alternative ways to power the site. Whether it’s by 100% renewable electricity, biomass or their own solar energy. Don’t forget to take outdoor spaces into account too; do they rely on noisy generators that run on fossil fuels?

6. What makes your venue sustainable?
This is a great all round question to ask your potential venue. It gives them a chance to impress you with all of their eco-credentials. Perhaps the venue was built using sustainable materials, maybe they grow their own produce or distil their own gin to serve to their customers. The more eco initiatives the better!

TIP – Jot down the answers from each venue to refer back to later.