Emerald and Ebony - Sustainable Wedding Planning

Photographer - Rainer Macalister

Weddings are one of the most memorable moments in our lives, but can also be incredibly wasteful. From single-use cutlery, plastic cups, and decorations, a wedding can produce up to 20kg of plastic waste! This motivated New Plymouth couple Jodie and David Munro to begin their sustainable wedding planning business – Emerald and Ebony. The unique name is derived from their engagement rings.

“Emerald for a love of nature and Ebony for standing out from the crowd,” says Jodie.

 A sustainable wedding helps couples stay true to their values while reducing waste from polluting the taiao - environment.

“Every bit as magical as you dreamed - without the carbon footprint,” says Jodie.

“Brides can choose a dress that they can wear again so it’s not just used for the one day.”

While zero-waste makes a big part of eco-friendly weddings, it also includes choosing sustainably sourced food, décor, makeup, and invites.

J

odie’s favourite example is of a simple floral bouquet.

Photographer - Rainer Macalister

“Visually, regardless of the construction, a bouquet screams ‘eco-friendly’, because we see it as nature. But a typical bouquet without any forethought, could contain flowers that were grown in coal powered greenhouses and flown half-way across the world before they even get into your florists' hands.”

It definitely takes a little thought, effort and asking lots of questions to ensure your 'eco-friendly' icon is actually eco-friendly.

Introducing new eco-friendly concepts is still possible while making a couple’s dreams come true so if you're planning a wedding use the following steps as a guide:

• Send virtual wedding invitations or use eco-friendly paper

• Look for a wedding dress that uses recycled materials and can be ethically traced back

• Use compostable/ reusable decorations

• Donate leftover food from catering instead of throwing them out

Photographer - Abi Hackling

Wedding planning can take a large toll on your energy so visit Emerald and Ebony for more ideas.