We all know that weddings have been hit hard by Covid. Since March 2020 there has been drastic restrictions on weddings with many couples having to postpone their wedding several times.
This has been a major blow for couples waiting to get married and to suppliers working within the wedding industry. And there is still a lot of certainty and unanswered questions about weddings going forward for the spring and summer 2021.
Some couples did not want to wait until restrictions were removed and so we saw a huge rise in micro weddings in 2020. Whilst this felt like a necessity for some couples who simply wanted to get married; I think that it will remain a popular choice even after restrictions are lifted.
Many couples have discovered huge benefits in a smaller, intimate wedding such as:
· They often feel that they have more freedom to do whatever they please on their big day.
· The restricted numbers mean that they don’t feel obliged to invite people out of politeness.
· The wedding day can feel more special with only very close friends and family present.
· The wedding becomes less expensive which is a bonus for people who have been hit financially.
There is another unexpected wider benefit of the micro wedding ‘trend’. It is better for the environment!
And here are some of the reasons why…
Guests
The fewer guests there are the less 'stuff' is needed such as invites, food, drinks, favours, outfits, buttonholes, cake etc etc. This is also likely to mean less waste.
The venue
With the current uncertainty around weddings and lower numbers, many couples are choosing smaller, more local venues. The fewer guests that are travelling to your wedding; and the less distance they need to travel is good news in terms of the carbon footprint of the big day.
The Wedding Breakfast
A lavish, formal wedding breakfast is likely to be too much for a smaller, intimate wedding and so many couples are scaling it down. And this lower consumption inevitably means less waste.
We have seen some lovely examples such as:
· Afternoon tea provided by a local caterer with hired vintage china.
· An intimate meal in a local favourite restaurant.
· A hired street food cart.
· A sunset picnic with champagne.
All of these ideas are sustainable and can help support local small businesses.
The Wedding Dress
Brides are less likely to opt for a lavish embellished bridal gown for a smaller wedding. And the less lavish and more-low key a dress is, the more sustainable it is likely to be.
Obviously at Frock Goddess we have always designed dresses and separates from sustainable fabrics and with simple lines so that they are less wasteful.
Also, with a more intimate wedding brides tend to feel that they can opt for something a bit more unusual and fashion focused than the traditional bridal gown. Many are opting for clothes that can be worn again after the wedding which is the ultimate in sustainability. Check out the Frock Goddess dresses and separates range for loads of idea of low key, contemporary bridal looks
Brides are likely to need their dress at fairly short notice and so are opting for either ready to wear or locally made pieces, rather than pre-ordering a gown that has to be flown half way across the world. This is a much more sustainable option.
And chances are the bride will have less bridesmaids at a smaller wedding so there are less dresses to buy for them too!
Hen/Stag Dos
Overseas Hen and Stag Dos are likely to be off limits for some time yet. And even local celebrations will be limited as nightclubs are likely to be the last places to re-open. Therefore, Hen and Stag dos are much more likely to be low key and local for a while which will be kinder to the environment.
We would love to hear your views on any changes you have made to your wedding plans. Drop a comment below or message us on Instagram of Facebook on @frockgoddess