MAID OF HONOUR/BEST MAN/FAMILY GIFTS
It can be quite overwhelming, feeling like you have to buy a gift for absolutely everyone who has been involved in the planning of your wedding. People like to splurge on gifts or go down the safe route of alcohol or flowers.
Here are some gifts which go down a treat no matter the age and that are better for the environment:
- Dinner Out or Cocktails Vouchers
- An overnight stay somewhere
- Donating to a local charity/charity that means something in your guest of choice’s name (especially if you know a charity close to their heart)
- Paying for them to go and do a hobby they have always wanted to do, i.e. pottery, painting or life drawing.
- A hamper of gifts from second-hand/charity shops or only ethical companies.
- Social Stories Club – they create hampers which support disadvantaged communities and give back to farmers by being Fairtrade.
- If someone is a coffee lover, why not treat them to an array of ethical coffee beans? Cafeziniho coffee treks to farms in Brazil to support families and roasts everything herself here is Kent.
- An online magazine subscription is great for the readers of your wedding party.
- For those who have green fingers, why not treat them to new seeds/gardening tools/high-quality gardening gloves?
- If you would like to go with jewellery, make sure your diamonds/stones are being sourced ethically. It is best to go with independent jewellers rather than big chains. Wearth are a like-minded company who has this in mind.
CHILDREN’S GIFTS
If children are attending your wedding, you can feel the need to create goodie packs or buy games for them. However, these are always filled with the dreaded single-use plastic. Some alternatives are:
- If you have quite a few children attending your wedding why not pay for some hired entertainment?
- A magician – Chris Harding is fabulous and will have something up his sleeve for the adults too!
- A bouncy castle – everyone loves a bouncy castle.
- An artist to make some great doodles to keep them entertained.
- In the summer garden games in the secure gardens are a fabulous way to let the kids run loose!
- You could also bring in someone like Carousel Creche who bring toys in for children of all ages and mean there is someone to keep an eye on them during the day!
THE BRIDAL PARTY
Whilst you and your wedding party are getting ready in the pamper cottage and kicking back with champagne, it is courtesy of the bride to treat her tribe with gifts. Usually this comes in the form of personalised robes or glasses. We have put together a whole host of goodies for you to create the perfect morning hamper eco style!
Everyone loves a matching PJ set or robe, however more of your bridesmaids are more likely to reuse them if they aren’t personalised. It is also good to stay clear of fast fashion and use a sustainable clothing brand such as;
A beautiful refillable candle. One of our amazing recommended florists Hedges and Flowers have produced beautiful candles in some gorgeous scents. The best thing about them is that once they have been used, they can send them back and get them refilled. A piece of your wedding will be with them forever.
Ethical skincare is a must! Check out some of these brilliant brands;
Natural Perfumes;
To buy your tribe something more practical, The Good Company has all sorts of products from unique stationary to reusable water bottles.
GIFTS FOR YOU!
So many people want to give to the happy couple when they attend their wedding. However, asking for a list of gifts can sometimes seem a little forward and doing a gift registry can seem a little outdated. Here are the perfect sustainable alternatives:
- Asking for money for your honeymoon fund! There are lots of ways you can go on your honeymoon without damaging the environment. The Guardian have put together a list of the best places to travel too without making a big impact on your carbon footprint.
- If you have everything you need, ask your guests to donate to a chosen charity in your name.
- If you are working on a big project, why not ask for people to gift you their time and help? In this day and age spending time together is priceless, so make every moment count.