NATIONAL REPORT—Tying the knot is increasingly becoming an area of interest in sustainability. Business Insider reports that increasing numbers of newlyweds in the Millennial and Gen Z cohorts are focusing on sustainability, with large amounts of brides now picking up second-hand dresses. For green property and events operators, the burden is now falling on them to ensure that their properties are green-ready and certified.
The Scale of Business
Ethical and sustainable drive aside, it’s a great idea for businesses to get involved in ethical wedding planning and execution. The NY Times has explored a number of key figures associated with the industry, noting in particular a 28 percent rise in searches for biodegradable wedding materials. At the same time, engaged couples are looking at ethical purchases in the high end of the wedding planning. Weddings bands and engagement rings are increasingly sought after when following ethical processes such as the Kimberley protocol, and countries with good environmental standards are finding an uptick in diamond sales. There is clearly a huge appetite and demand for sustainable wedding venues; adjusting your property to suit is a powerful way to generate growth and starts with your in-function processes.
Adjusting Processes
As part of the package you offer to planners and guests, look to make every aspect of your operation sustainable. Look at cleaning at first. Using ethically and sustainably sourced materials that have a minimal environmental impact on disposal, such as ecologically safe cleaners, is a great start. Consider the materials you use for serving food—are the materials in your plates and containers responsibly sourced and recyclable? Every step of the experience can, and should, be sustainable and presented as such.
Deeper Considerations
It can also be beneficial to look at your venue and see what changes you can make to the overall picture. Simple changes are well known to generate big overall changes in operations: think HVAC adjustments, window, and cavity insulation, and even just energy usage through the day. Taking a full-scale evaluation of the green-ready nature of your operation and making appropriate adjustments, and then presenting this as part of your product offer to planners and clients, can help to enhance your credentials and get on the sustainable wedding trend.
Having that presentable information as an eco-friendly provider will do a lot of work for you. More importantly, it will help to boost your impact on the climate, helping you to make a positive change in the world around you.
