Sustainability In Singapore: How to Plan A Low-Waste, Eco-Friendly Wedding
PUBLISHED August 26th, 2020 06:00 am | UPDATED August 28th, 2020 12:00 pm
Weddings tend to take the cake when it comes to wastage. From dresses worn once and never again, to all the flowers, favours, and other essential frills of the ceremony, there’s a hefty carbon footprint involved when you tie the knot. While sustainability might seem like another hassle atop the madness of wedding prep, spreading some love for the planet can dial up your big day from magical to meaningful. Here’s our roadmap to making your wedding sustainable in Singapore.
Support Sustainable Venues
The green lining to holding your solemnisation at an eco-friendly venue? You’ll likely be treated to lush scenery and fresh air as you exchange your vows. Case in point: PARKROYAL on Pickering, the iconic green-clad hotel with sprawling sky gardens and vertical greenery. Sustainably designed for energy conservation, this verdant venue has an outdoor terrace with lovely views over the city.
Then there’s Oasia Hotel Downtown, with its facade carpeted in climbing plants and its energy-efficient cross-ventilation design. Saying your ‘I dos’ in the rustic chic of their outdoor sky terrace? It doesn’t get much more romantic than that.
Step Out in Earth-Friendly Style
To strut your stuff sustainably, wedding gown rentals are the way to go – not only does it reduce waste, this cost-friendly option means more budget for your honeymoon. Truly Enamoured, for one, offers rental dresses from coveted international designers like Elie Saab and Alex Perry; thrilling threads in their latest lineup include Ines di Santo’s Spring 2021 collection, crafted from eco-conscious fabrics. Meanwhile, Giorgia Couture uses minimal-waste cutting techniques and eco-friendly lace to create their sumptuous gowns, with rental and resale services available.
To set off your planet-friendly gown, think sustainable sparkles. Offering an alternative to environmentally-harmful mined gems, Singapore-based label Scéona transforms 18k recycled gold and lab-grown diamonds into minimalist rings and earrings. Another local label we love, By Invite Only, runs carbon offset initiatives to neutralize shipping emissions for their jewellery.
Send Paperless Invites
Want to send out your save-the-dates while saving the trees? Digital invites are an easy-breezy way to send out and organize your RSVPs. These days, e-vites aren’t skimpy on the style factor either – Paperless Post, for instance, offers striking templates from fashion greats like Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta. To take your eco-consciousness to the next level, there’s Greenvelope‘s customizable, nature-themed designs. This Seattle-based brand donates a percentage of every sale to Mountains to Sound, a non-profit that works to conserve forests.
Gift Eco-Friendly Favours
Do the earth a favour with mindful wedding favours for your loved ones. To get your guests nurturing their green thumbs, you can pick out plant-themed gifts like Seastainable Co.‘s plantable paper coasters – nifty compostable coasters that can sprout into spinach – or Green Banana’s gorgeous potted gardens.
Alternatively, think sustainable products from our local artisans. Tea is a terrific crowd-pleaser, so Monsoon Tea‘s wild-grown, organic blends are sure to fit the bill. For a sweeter touch, Fossa Chocolate has sustainably-sourced, bean-to-bar chocolates for the gifting. And to spark the eco-spirit, look no further than Pass It On‘s candles – these soy wax candles have unique scents which pay tribute to endangered travel destinations like the Great Barrier Reef. Once the candles are finished, the wildflower seed-infused labels can even be planted in the jars!
Dine Green
Green up your wedding reception by holding it at one of Singapore’s zero-waste and farm-to-table restaurants. Romantic restaurant par excellence The Summerhouse, for instance, sources its produce sustainably from regional farms and kelongs, with some even plucked fresh from its in-house edible garden. Sky-high Mediterranean spot Artemis Grill brings together responsibly-sourced seafood delights with stunning views over Marina Bay. There’s no forgetting locavore pioneer Open Farm Community, where you can round off your reception with a locally sourced feast amidst a lush urban garden.
Repurpose Flowers
From bouquets to decor to table arrangements, flowers are a major source of wastage at many weddings – yet they don’t have to be. Let your bridal blooms keep spreading joy by redistributing them to others. Refresh Flowers SG is one program to reach out to – this social initiative repurposes wedding flowers for patients in hospices around Singapore. Similarly, local florist Bloomback runs repurposing programs for event flowers, with tie-ups with St. Andrew’s Community Hospital and other organisations.
Top Image: The Summerhouse
