The Power of Sustainability in the Big Fat Indian Wedding

The Big Fat Indian Wedding is a much talked about affair where richness and ostentation have become a common sight. In urban India, flaunting destination weddings has become integral to weddings with grandeur and opulence. Now that's witnessing a significant paradigm shift. Millennials are gradually becoming more aware and sensitive about the environment threatened by nature-invasive forces, which reflects in their weddings.

Even though eco-friendly weddings have been popular in India for a while, it has only recently become less difficult to plan one. The growing relevance of sustainability in weddings enables us to go green in every element - decor, invitations, and even favours. 

Little things like creating pathways for sustainable luxury weddings through the use of MDF placards rather than flex, and plastics with an environmental conscience to get rid of carbon footprints, for example, can make a difference.

Prerna Sexana of Theme Weavers Design has listed some exciting ways to make a big fat wedding eco-friendly. 

Vocal For Local

Sustainable weddings always need not be small and intimate. You can travel to destinations and plan luxurious weddings, yet they can also be eco-friendly. Using locally sourced vendors and materials for your wedding decor transmits the essence of the locality and contributes to sustainability. This provides opportunities for local artisans and adds to the local economy. For instance, the wedding theme can reflect local art and culture through the decorations. 

Natural Elements in Decorations

Natural decor elements effortlessly make for a sustainable wedding without losing the grandeur of the affair. Start by choosing a realistic backdrop which allows for an eco-conscious wedding. Further, decorating with natural materials such as flowers can bring a sense of elegance and opulence at the same time. For example, Seep and Saurabh's recent wedding is one of the excellent attempts at a sustainable luxury wedding planned by Theme Weavers Designs. Their marriage's main vedi/mandap was woven from banana stems, and the mats were made of banana leaves. Banana stems were carved for pillars and domes to resemble the aesthetics of temples in Banaras, which made for a royal appeal.

Reusable Decor Elements

The secret to being eco-friendly is recycling and reusing. People can decorate with eco-friendly elements such as mirror acrylic and hand-painted canvas, and reuse old clothes as a backdrop, giving the wedding a charming, classic feel. You can also have printed carpets for the pathways that can be cleaned and reused. Glass jars and repurposed tin cans can be used for lighting that adds to the attractive ambience of a wedding. Reusing colourful fabrics as the ceiling offers vibrancy to the venue. 

Wedding Favours

Wedding favours for guests have been gaining more attention, especially at Indian weddings. They can reflect the couple's personality or an element that ties to the destination, wedding theme, or decor. However, with environmentally conscious efforts, individuals choose sustainable wedding favours such as handmade soaps, paper lamps, terracotta diyas, etc.