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Here is a selection of Q&As from Your Cheshire and Merseyside Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@yourcheshiremerseyside.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Love Local
| Q | What is your advice on planning a sustainable wedding? |
| A | Chloe says: We're always looking for new ways to encourage our couples to be as sustainable as possible on their wedding day. Many are becoming more aware of the impact their celebrations can have on the environment and we're happy to help if they're not sure where to start. One of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint is the use of virtual invitations and websites instead of paper. You can still have beautifully designed invitations but send them via email. Many of these website also help you track your RSVPs. Check out Paperless Post and GreenVelope. We also discourage the use of single-use items such as flip flops, fans and foam glow sticks. As much fun as they are, these plastics take hundreds of years to decompose and have a detrimental effect on the environment. Try asking guests to bring a pair of flats if you're going to be dancing into the early hours and don't want sore feet! Think local and seasonal for everything. Not only will flowers and food produce be cheaper and fresher, but it'll have travelled fewer miles thus cutting down on carbon emissions; plus of course you'll be supporting local business. We work alongside some fantastic suppliers in the area who see the value in sourcing seasonal and British goods and will help you plan the menus and floral designs of your dreams. |
Chloe, The Oak Tree of Peover
Keep It Simple
| Q | What is your advice on planning a sustainable wedding? |
| A | Katie McHugh says: Embracing the essence of mindful décor, our venue’s natural beauty and lavender gardens serve as the perfect canvas, eliminating the need for elaborate embellishment. We encourage the use of minimal, reusable, or biodegradable styling elements, such as potted plants that not only beautify the space but can also be used later in your guests’ homes. Utilise personal items that infuse your celebration with intimate, meaningful touches. In alignment with our commitment to sustainability, we also advocate digital invitations and correspondence between ourselves and our couples to significantly reduce paper use. For those indispensable printed elements, we aim to use recycled paper and eco-friendly inks. |
Katie McHugh, The Swettenham Arms
Top Green Tips
| Q | What is your advice on planning a sustainable wedding? |
| A | Katie Poole says: I've witnessed an ever-growing concern over our environmental impact, with many individuals looking to make changes to the carbon footprint of their weddings. According to the Sustainable Wedding Alliance, there are approximately 278,000 weddings every year in the UK. Each of these can produce 14.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The scale of this is hard to imagine, but if each wedding reduced its emissions by 50 per cent, that's the potential of taking an equivalent of 850,000 cars off the road. Here are my top tips or small changes that you can consider, without making major sacrifices to the vision of your special day, while still reducing its harmful impact. •Eco-friendly confetti. A more sustainable alternative is water-soluble rice paper, or petal confetti, offering a vintage look with various colours and 100 per cent natural biodegradability. Both are environmentally-friendly choices compared to traditional paper confetti. •Sustainable wedding venue. Consider the location of your wedding, where are your guests travelling from to be there? The more central you are to your loved ones, the less travel will be needed. Finding a venue that accommodates both the ceremony and your evening reception will also mean a decrease in required miles. •Organic wedding attire. There are many bridal shops that use fabrics which are gentle to the earth and sourced by ethical means. This is often referred to as the minimalist bride movement, using materials such as organic silk, English lace, and vegan bamboo to create a sleek luxurious, and sustainable look. •Earth-friendly invites. Many stationers now offer invitations made with recycled fibres, which are in turn recyclable themselves. •Zero-waste favours. Some of our favourite sustainable wedding favours are take-home plantable place cards, reusable beeswax wraps, handmade soaps, and personalised reusable straws. |
Katie Poole, Carden Park
