I’m going to be writing a series of different ways to reduce waste during weddings & events. In writing these posts I know that as an engaged couple, you want your wedding to be unique, photo worthy, beautiful, the list goes on. Eco-friendly is usually something that goes out the window when planning a dream wedding for many reasons - budget, options available, or simply not thinking about it - even for those who do their part in recycling, composting, and walks for climate change. I just want to bring attention to things to consider and think about so that your wedding can be a little more eco-friendly and a little less wasteful.

First up: Florals

Florals are considered a necessity at any wedding. In wanting to understand how I can make more earth-friendly choices for my clients, I met with Amber Newman of Ediflorial who is a sustainable florist. What is sustainable floristry? Amber works to honor the earth by:

Composting all plant matter instead of trashing everything left over from a wedding
Buying from local growers who use organic farming methods
Partnering with other local MN makers and independent businesses
Avoiding plastic at all costs, and recycling anything that can’t be avoided
Never using toxic, single use floral foam
Increasingly growing more of her own flowers

*Flowers grown by Amber of Ediflorial in 2019. In 2020, she’s expanding to 1,000 sq. ft. of garden space!*

Here are some considerations to make while thinking about your day:

Centerpieces and Wedding florals

Consider the size. While pinterest is full of oversized and crazy centerpieces, these often look amazing just for pictures as they can block views and annoy the guests! I’ve seen a few events where oversized centerpieces were moved to the floor! Instead, ask your florist for low centerpieces that guests can see over.
Often people don’t consider how heavy a bouquet gets to carry around. I could barely move around in my outfit, there was no way I would carry a bouquet! Even small bouquets can be weightly - make sure you have a plan for someone to help during pictures, or make a plan for something lighter! See if your planner can help you repurpose the main bouquet into a centerpiece after pictures and the main event instead of tossing it.
Amber adds: “If your tables have a lot of other decorative elements like elaborate place settings with styled rentals (linens, glassware, chargers, menu, etc.), opt for a smaller floral arrangement or even bud vases.”

Faux flowers

Faux, or fake, flowers for centerpieces are popular as they are much easier to DIY because you can create them ahead of time, and as such can be an option for a lower budget. It is also an option for those who are set on using flowers that are not in season or or not from their locale.

How to be more conscious

Sola wood flowers - these are handmade wood flowers that can last long, be reused, and are made from natural materials.
See what you can find for options on marketplace or at local reuse stores.
Options may be available for rentals locally (especially for flower walls and premade centerpieces). I personally have a lot of faux marigold and jasmine strings, common in Indian wedding decor. Sites like Something Borrowed Blooms (@sbblooms) rent you curated faux arrangements.
If you are buying new, make it minimal. Buy something you might enjoy repurposing as part of your home decor.

Fresh Flowers

Amber came to floristry first through small-scale, organic farming, having traveled from coast to coast working on a dozen different farms and spending the most time on two flower farms. “In regards to sustainability, think about flowers the way you think about food. There are local farmers growing flowers using organic practices. There are also enormous farms across the globe, mass producing their crops with no regard to the health of the land or people, hosing fields down with pesticides, then shipping them thousands of miles,” she points out. “Buying flowers from small, environmentally responsible farms in your area means working towards a more sustainable future for everyone.” Flowers are also usually tossed at the end of the night, and even when the wedded couple intends to have flowers for guests to take home and enjoy, guests are often reluctant to take the centerpieces when people are still enjoying themselves at the event.

How to be More Conscious

Amber’s main advice is to choose a florist who prioritizes local flowers. “Most weddings take place at some point in the growing season in Minnesota, and for winter weddings, there are ways to reduce your carbon footprint and include locally-grown elements. Find sustainable florists and farmer-florists via Slow Flowers and Floret. These are growers and designers who have pledged to honor the earth in their work. You can also just run a Google search for Flower Farms Minnesota or ask around if anyone you know is part of a flower CSA - that can lead you to a sustainable designer.” [That is if Amber is unavailable for your dates ;) ]
There are some non-profits, nursing homes and hospitals that accept floral donations after an event - I’ll shoutout to Bluebirds & Blooms in Edina. Their website says they “repurpose donated flowers into bedside bouquets and get them delivered to memory loss or long term illness sufferers for some unexpected joy.” Reach out to organizations like this when you’re in the planning stage.
Dried florals are another option to explore. Afloral has some awesome dried options to explore online to add some color, fill, or interest. Amber gets dried flowers from local growers and notes that Etsy is a good place to look for premade, dried wedding bouquets and such.
Some couples express sourcing their own foliage, say, from their yard. “If you do choose to forage/grow your own florals, make sure to test their vase life,” Amber advises. “Try them out and see how they fare in the method you intend to use them in your wedding (indoors/outdoors, in water/out of water, etc.).” Nothing is more disappointing than when your hard work wilts right away.
Amber also suggests asking your florist if they compost and recycle before booking them. She says, “The materials that pass through our hands are mostly green and can be composted. Flowers from a typical wholesaler (as opposed to a local grower who stores in buckets of water) are wrapped in plastic and packed in cardboard boxes --both of which should be recycled.”
A quick note on sites, and even Facebook marketplace posts, that encourage you to reuse someone else’s flowers or try to have yours reused. Fresh flowers are fragile and very temperature sensitive. Assembly, transportation and storage requires a lot of care and attention. As many wedding flowers don’t have water sources, they aren’t meant to last much longer than one day. Without knowledge about different flower varieties, a cooler, and a great deal of amount of time and effort, repurposing event flowers will likely result in wilted and disheveled arrangements.

Floral Foam

Floral foam is FOAM! Amber explains that it is a single use plastic that ends up in waterways where, it does not disintegrate and unfortunately, gets eaten by even the littlest organisms. It also comes with a warning label indicating known carcinogens. I think it's deceptive as it is green and it seems to just dissolve in water. Foam for fake flowers is at least reusable (but still foam), the oasis water soaking foam for real flowers is not reusable.

How to be more conscious

Amber’s advice: “When you're looking for florists, simply ask them if they use foam or specify you're only looking for one who doesn't. There are a ton of other innovative ways to design. Even if you have a vision for complex installations, a good florist will be able to accommodate your wants by using alternative structural methods-- nothing requires foam.”

Ediflorial owner-designer Amber Newman uses mostly locally grown flowers from nearby farmers so that designs are innovative, seasonal and sustainable. Her priority is to support farmers and small businesses who advocate for the environment in an effort to build a stronger community and healthier planet for all. Find her on Instagram, Facebook and the web to follow along on her floral design and gardening journeys.

Green Weddings: Florals

Kahani Events & Design