Throwing a Sustainable Wedding to Remember in the Caribbean

Across the globe, one of the biggest trends to make a comeback since 2020 is destination weddings. Nowhere on earth sets a better scene for a destination celebration than the Caribbean From Jamaica to Turks & Caicos, St. Lucia, white sands and azure seas make for picturesque weddings that go viral on Instagram but also enable the wedding party to enjoy a relaxing vacation post-wedding. If you are planning on enjoying a Caribbean wedding but you are concerned about the carbon footprint your event may impose on the Planet, make it eco-friendlier by keeping the following considerations in mind.

Choosing the Right Venue is Key

Brides and grooms have a host of suppliers to choose from when they wed, arguably the most important of which is the venue and catering company that takes charge of their reception. The companies you choose when organizing a green wedding reception should have a firm, open, transparent commitment to sustainability; one that includes energy and water savings. They should avoid single-use plastics, have an innovative design so as to reduce the need for air conditioning, and deal with local suppliers of organic fruits and vegetables. Venues that are truly passionate about sustainability often grow their own produce and have gardens that contain native plant species. This promotes biodiversity and reduces the need for transportation of ingredients to your chosen island. Just a few renowned green resorts in the Caribbean include Ladera Resort in St. Lucia, Tiamo in South Andros Island, and Small Hope Bay Lodge in Andros Island.

Reusing, Recycling, and Upcycling

Try to see how you can reuse, recycle, or upcycle before, during, and after your reception. For instance, instead of buying new wedding attire, opt for vintage clothing or using a dress or suit that has meaning and history in your family. Instead of decorating your reception tables with cut flowers, create upcycled artworks and ask your family to do the same. For your bouquet, hop on one of the latest trends—using sewn or paper flowers instead of cut ones. Organize for excess food from your reception to be brought to the needy and insist on the use of compostable dishes instead of crockery that will require liters of water to clean after your meal.

Go Digital When You Can

Instead of using paper for invitations, wedding books, and the like, try to store your photographs in a digital fashion. Savvy couples are setting up their own website, giving authorized users the right to view videos, photographs, and other precious mementoes of their big day. If you have relatives that live far away, instead of asking them to jump on a plane, make it easy on them by live-streaming the ceremony and sending them a copy of your menu, served to them by local suppliers in their area. 

Sustainability is an important value for many couples who are saying ‘I do’ this year. In the Caribbean, there is a vast array of sustainable or eco-friendly resorts and venues with sound energy and water-saving policies. Couples can reduce their carbon footprint by relying on local suppliers, prioritizing sustainable packaging, flower and clothing, and relying on digital technology to keep those who are far away close to them at heart on the most important day of their lives.