Sustainable, Eco-friendly Wedding Ideas + Inspiration

Eco-friendly wedding ideas…

Going ‘green’ for your wedding doesn’t have to be hard.

Today Clara Cooper Photography talks us through her sustainable, eco-friendly wedding ideas to help you reduce your environmental footprint on your own big day…

Clara Cooper Photography…

Where did you get your inspiration from?

For over a year now I have been taking small steps within my personal and business life to reduce my impact on this beautiful planet. I have made numerous changes which have dramatically reduced my waste, plastic consumption, and my product miles by supporting local companies as opposed to large conglomerates. This felt like a positive and fantastic start but, I couldn’t help the feeling I could do more. From here an idea began to form – I wanted to help encourage as many people as I could to start taking small steps to a more eco-friendly/ethical future. But more important than this, I wanted to show everyone how easy it can be!!

My love for the ocean and beaches is what spurred this gradual change in my attitude towards reducing plastic, waste and the ethical repercussions of many products which we use daily. So I realised that combining these two things, the beauty of the ocean and my tenacity for waste reduction I had at my fingertips an idea which, to my knowledge has never before been approached by a photographer in the wedding industry to this level.

I wanted to create a completely eco-friendly, ethical, plastic free, styled bridal shoot inspired by our beautiful oceans.

And that’s precisely what I did!

I had a particular vision for my shoot; I wanted to encapsulate minimal Japanese styling with a high fashion edge. I am using only recycled/recyclable products. I spent months and months, plotting, researching and scouring social media and google for the very best eco-friendly suppliers I could find.

How did you find the suppliers who made this concept come to life?

I’m lucky enough that I get to work with some incredible people in this job, so most of the suppliers who helped make my vision come true are people I have had the pleasure of working with before or came from extensive research online.

Do you have any styling tips for readers looking to emulate this shoot?

My main piece of advice if you are hoping to create a minimal, eco-friendly style for your wedding is to reduce, reuse, recycle. Lots of the items within my shoot all came from my home or the homes of my suppliers, like the vases, the wooden bowls and the dried flowers etc. If you don’t have this stuff at home, there are lots of amazing companies out there who offer rentals for stoneware, cutlery, vases and more all for reasonable prices. You just have to stay true to your minimalist dream and pick your key pieces wisely and carefully. For me, this shoot was all about creating the feel of a beach while remaining true to my love of Japanese styling.

The fashion, however, is a different story. I always advise that you choose items which are timeless, elegant and simple, but with a modern twist. Something that will stand the test of time, but still gives you that wow factor. Eco-friendly fashion is something that needs to come from a reputable source, so do your research and make sure you find someone who offers an ethically made garment in the style you love.

For a simple, modern, minimalist style always remind yourself that ‘less is more’, and you can never go wrong.

What is it that makes your shoot unique?

For me, this shoot was always about making waves (pun intended) in the industry and making a statement. I wanted to make sure that my shoot could ultimately make a difference and encourage everyone who saw it to make some much-needed changes not only within their home life, but when planning a wedding as well. I wanted to show everyone how easy and beautiful it could be. We could all stand to do more to help our beautiful planet and our oceans. From here, my idea was born. And that’s where I feel the two most unique elements of this shoot came from — the ocean, and the planet’s dire need to do more.

What’s the most important tip you have for couples planning their wedding?

When planning a wedding, it is so easy to get wrapped up in other peoples opinions and expectations. The most important piece of advice that I repeat to all my couples all the time is to stay true to your vision and create a wedding that is 100% authentically you. You can’t do your day over, so you may as well do it right, and do it exactly how you want!