Planning an eco-conscious elopement
From Samantha Rose Photography - Arizona Elopement Photographer
One thing I’m equally as passionate about as elopement photography is caring about the environment. Although it’s easy to argue that small efforts don’t make much of a difference, I like to believe that they do. There’s no harm in leaving the planet better than we found it. When choosing to have an elopement, you’re already making a more sustainable decision than a traditional wedding. These are just a few more practices to take into consideration to go the extra distance in protecting our planet.
Take only pictures, leave only footprints.
Better known as the “leave no trace” principles. We are so lucky to have access to so many beautiful places, throughout all of Arizona, the United States, & the entire country. It’s important to be respectful of these areas so that they can be around long after we are gone & be enjoyable for anyone else that may visit them.
The seven principles of “leave no trace” include: plan ahead & prepare, travel & camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, & be considerate of other visitors.
When you’re having your elopement, wherever it is, choose a location for your ceremony site that you can stay on a trail. Avoid going off trails where you could risk stepping on plants & damaging the natural habitat. If you’re bringing any props, including flowers, be sure to take it all back out completely.
This is part of the reason why it’s so important to hire a photographer that you absolutely trust to capture your day. You want to be able to remember all the details about your location, ceremony, vows, & in between moments.
I am certified Leave No Trace Aware Photographer — keeping the LNT Principles at the forefront of my business so that I can continue to educate myself & my couples to protect the places that we go.
2. Go Paperless
When it comes to elopements, you may not be inviting any guests anyways, but if you’re still wanting to send something out to your friends & family to let them know about your day - consider going paperless. Create a digital download version of a ‘save the date’ or ‘announcement’ that lets people print it out if they’d like the keepsake. If you want to stick with the more traditional route, choose stationary that’s made from recycled material & completely recyclable and/or compostable.
3. Choose local, in season flowers
Many people don’t think about flowers not being sustainable since they come from the Earth. The truth is, many cut flowers are imported from all over the world - creating a large carbon footprint. I’m not telling you not to include flowers in your elopement day though because not only are they beautiful & add details to the day, but I love supporting florists (specifically local ones!)
There’s a few things you can do though to ensure you’re at least following good practice:
Choose to get your flowers from local growers or find a florist that uses sustainable practices.
Choose arrangements that have in-season florals & try to include as many native flowers as possible.
Make sure you’re choosing florals that will not leave seeds, pollen, or even insects out in the areas that you’ll be in.
Even though flowers are seen as “natural” - when you leave behind petals or remains that are not usually in that environment, you can cause damage. Invasive plants can cause damage to the native flowers - which is why even if you want to use flower petals or other ‘natural materials’ they need to be picked up afterwards.
*Most National Parks DO NOT allow flowers of any kind inside of the parks. If you’re thinking about eloping in a National Park, but still set on having a bouquet - consider having a silk bouquet created!
Camille purchased this wedding dress & her white Dr. Martens from Goodwill AZ.
4. Attire - Sustainable Brands, Renting & Second Hand
This might be one of the hardest because there are sooo many wedding dresses out in the world to choose from. The reality of it is though, a lot of the dresses that we see online & in magazines aren’t sustainable & are created unethically.
On the bright side, there are other options:
Purchase or rent from a sustainable brand - this article from The Good Trade shares a lot of eco-friendly dress companies.
This may not be for everyone, but consider shopping secondhand for your wedding dress! If you have the time, looking at vintage or thrift stores, even for a dress that could partially be used & altered, is a great alternative.
Consider renting or borrowing a dress (and/or tuxedo/suit)! Even if you can’t find a completely ethical brand, by renting a dress and/or tuxedo/suit - you’re allowing that piece of clothing to be used multiple times & carry a longer life span than a new dress that will only be worn once.
Shop small & local - one of my favorite options. There are SO many amazing designers & seamstresses that create custom dresses for a living.
I’ll be creating a blog soon that features some of my favorite small shop dress designers!
5. No Plastic - Water bottles, confetti, balloons
Reusable Water Bottle: When it comes to elopements, you’re more than likely going to be hiking at some point during the day & you’re going to need water - plan ahead & bring your own reusable water bottle (I also make sure to bring extra for my couples if it’s needed).
No Confetti (of any kind): I know it’s a fun idea to throw confetti in the air at the end of your ceremony to celebrate being married, but even ‘biodegradable’ confetti is bad for the environment. Any type of material that you bring in, if it’s non-native to the area, can cause harm to the area.
No Balloons: I wouldn’t say balloons are a very typical thing to be included at an elopement, but on the off-chance you had considered incorporating them into your day - it’s better to just stick with focusing on the natural beauty around you. In the event that you, or someone you know, is considering including balloons at any type of event, be sure to dispose of them properly. Releasing balloons into the area may seem like a cute idea, but the truth of it is, what goes up must come down, & balloons are extremely harmful to wildlife & the oceans.
6. Practice ethical tourism & reduce your carbon footprint
You may be asking what exactly is “ethical tourism”? The definition from the Sustainable Stuff website states: Ethical tourism attempts to redress the balance, with its proponents doing everything possible to ensure that, when they (e.g. tourists) go on holiday, their impact on the local environment, culture and people is positive rather than negative.
If you’re traveling for your elopement, shop local! Whether it’s where you eat, stay, or shop. When you shop small & local - you’re helping those businesses in so many ways. Be respectful of the environment around you & those local to the area. One of the biggest aspects of ethical tourism is going back to our first point of take only pictures & leave only footprints. With lots of tourists coming in & out of places, it’s easy for areas to get trashed. Pick up after yourself & others around you. Do research before you go to a new area & respect the customs & local traditions. You are coming into their home, treat people as your equals. Taking public transportation as often as possible will also help reduce your carbon footprint.
Consider traveling during the off season to avoid contributing to over-tourism.
The truth of it all is…
We only have one planet & it is so important for us to try & take care of it as much as we can. No matter your views on climate change, there is no harm in working on creating a cleaner Earth.
Leave it better than you found it & obey the rules.
By having an elopement, you’re already creating far less waste by not serving meals, having favors, using decorations, hosting hundreds of guests, & so much more. These steps just help you take the extra effort to create even less waste & be protective of the environment. We’re so lucky to get to have adventures & capture memories in such beautiful places all across the world - let’s do as much as we can to protect it.
Samantha Rose Photography is a Phoenix, Arizona based elopement photographer. She’s passionate about helping couples plan their dream elopement focused completely around themselves.
