More and more couples are beginning to consider the S word when it comes to planning their wedding.
In a world where the media continues to portray sustainability with a guilt trip agenda, it is more important than ever to see and experience the positive results from our sustainable choices. When planning a wedding there are so many decisions to make, but by working with local businesses, using recyclable materials and investing in items that have sentimental value, you make a big statement. That statement is personalising your special day with conscious choices that make a positive impact on you, your guests AND the world around you.
But, what everyone wants to know... is it possible to be sustainable and truly profit from making conscious choices?
Absolutely.
Want to know how? Read my advice below.
Personalisation is a form of luxury, and often, it is made to last.
Having something personalised makes us all feel warm and fuzzy inside! Whether that be hand painted candles as a wedding gift, a knitted cardigan customised with a baby's name on, or even as small as a handwritten thank you note, things that are created with us in mind have so much more sentimental value. And what do we humans tend to do with items that mean something to us? We keep them forever, we cherish and safekeep because we want to preserve something... and that is the feeling of being special.
When it comes to your wedding day, you will want to bottle up the magic, and, just like all of the sentimental items that you have saved over the years, you'll want to cherish and safekeep that bottle of magic so you can feel that feeling forever.
The thing is, you can't just bottle up the magic. But what you CAN do is give yourself personalised gifts that you actually use on the day, which are made especially for you, and it is these gifts that you take away and cherish forever. The gifts could be in the form of personalised stationary, preserved bouquets or bespoke signage that can be framed in your home forever.
My biggest advice is to invest in personalised items that have form and function, that way you can ensure that you have the best of both worlds. For example, everyone needs wedding signage, so rather than buying printed signs for £200.00 that will be used once and thrown away, invest in bespoke signage that are pieces of art to commemorate your day. This is a sustainable choice where you profit for the long term. It is a gift that keeps on giving! It is no just for the wedding day, but it is a gift for every anniversary and it is a gift that can be passed down through generations to come.
So trust me on this one, don't throw your money at a throw away sign!
Materials do Matter
We all know that materials that can be recycled are more environmentally friendly and are therefore a more sustainable option for your wedding. As a signage artist, I make ethical choices when it comes to choosing what surfaces I work on. You will see so many signs that are made from acrylic, which technically are recyclable. But with many plastics, not enough councils invest in the necessary equipment needed to actually recycle it, so many centres will reject the material and often it will end up in landfill.
So do you actually profit from sustainable material choice? It all depends on what your intention is. If you invest in any sign made on any surface with the intention of keeping it forever, then everyone wins. But if your intention is not to invest in signage that you want as a keepsake, then I would advise sourcing signage that is made from widely recycled materials such as paper and card. Then at least your sustainable choice profits the environment too.
Food for thought
So yes! It is possible to be sustainable and to also profit from making conscious choices. The answer is personalisation!
I suppose it all comes down to your intention, what matters the most to you? For me, supporting small businesses who offer personalised experiences, bespoke services and customised products not only enables you to feel special, but you are also choosing to support local makers who are more likely to make a positive impact in your community than the big fat cats.
Want to learn more about my process for creating personalised wedding signage? Click here to head over to my FAQ page where I answer everything you want to know.
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