Marry Sustainably

At a time when people are grappling with the problem of pollution and waste, sustainability can no longer be just an idea. The good thing is that there are a number of couples who are keeping our planet in their mind while planning their wedding.

While weddings get bigger and fancier by the day, there are couples who want to do things differently and make an impact in their own little way. Here we look at some environment-friendly wedding trends that have gained popularity in recent times.

These weddings are royal, elegant and cost effective. The key is to flaunt heirlooms, be it engagement rings, clothes or jewellery and to have the ceremonies at an ancestral home. Richa Singhaniya, who had a vintage wedding at the ancestral home of her husband in Jodhpur, reveals that their wedding was small but regal. “Since we had it at our home, the cost of the venue was zero. As for my attire, I decided to wear my mother’s wedding sari, albeit in a different way. I used her more than 26-year-old Benarasi sari to make my lehenga. This was again cost effective, and yet held a lot of sentiment. Meanwhile, to make our engagement ring, my husband used his grandmother’s diamond, which was with their family for three generations. All these made our day very precious,” she recalls.

VEGAN WEDDINGS

A trend that is still very niche in India, vegan weddings are capturing the imagination of many a couple who respect animals just as much as they respect the environment. “Right from our décor, to our clothes and food, everything was vegan. My outfit was made of artificial silk; the sweets and milk products served as part of our wedding dinner was made of almond and cashew milk while the décor included the use of faux leather sofas. At the end of the day, we were happy that we didn’t hurt other beings for our selfish reasons,” says Dhara Manial, who got married last year in Mumbai.

LOVE FOR THE PLANET

At a time when people are grappling with the problem of pollution and waste, sustainability can no longer be just an idea. Talking about the efforts many couples and their families take, Sunanda Shankar, founder, The Royal Elephant Wedding Planners, says, “Carbon footprints are inevitable, even at small weddings. These impact the environment on a massive scale. So it feels great when young people opt to recycle and reduce the use of materials that cost the environment in the long run. For example, families ask us to use artificial, cloth flowers as part of wedding decoration. This is mostly re-used. Another interesting trend is the use of edible cutlery. It’s new, stylish, healthy (often made from dried nuts and soya), and ecofriendly. This is cost effective as well.”

Matter referenced:

Times of India, Ahmedabad, Wednesday, 19th March, 2020.

By: Dr. Bhawana Asnani.

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