Eco-Friendly DIY Wedding Accessories for an Earth-Conscious Celebration

For environmentally-minded couples, keeping nuptials green is a priority. Handmaking natural decor and accessories allows you to implement sustainability through recycled materials and ethical practices.

This guide will explore eco-friendly DIY ideas that reduce waste for everything from invites to wearables to decor. Follow along to learn how you can avoid harmful vendor practices, support artisans doing good, and source through surplus – all while upholding style. Get ready to feel peace at the altar knowing your eco-conscious choices make a meaningful difference!

Planning an Eco-Friendly Wedding Theme

First, tips for organizing a sustainably-minded wedding:

Low Impact Venue

Prioritize open outdoor settings, historic buildings, and zero-waste vendors requiring minimal additional decor transforming spaces.

Energy Efficient Rentals

Select LED lighting, cloth napkins/tablecloths, energy star rated appliances, and furniture from rental companies focused on reusing over disposables.

Ethical Catering

Sourcing locally, donating unused food, composting waste, and eliminating plastics and excess packaging are caterer priorities.

Green Wardrobes

From thrifted outfits to sustainable fabrics like linen, hemp, organic cotton, and TencelTM, attire makes a major eco impact.

Water Access

Provide guests reusable water bottles or pitchers over bottled water to avoid senseless plastic waste.

Carbon Offsetting

Invest in accredited carbon offsets equal to the footprint caused by necessary event-related travel and energy usages.

Sustainable Materials for DIY

Eco-consciously source materials for handmade details:

Thrift Store Fabrics

Comb second-hand stores for discarded fabric yardage, linens, clothes, and accessories ripe for upcycling into decor elements.

Yard Sale Curiosities

Rescue antique doorknobs, silverware, teacups, candelabras and other items from yard sales to transform into unique wedding accents.

Hand-Me-Downs

Repurpose cherished heirloom lace, beads, jewelry and other family keepsakes already in circulation rather than buying new.

Certified Wood

Ensure wood comes from responsible forestry stewards like suppliers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Natural Fibers

Choose plant-based materials like jute, seagrass, cotton, silk, bamboo etc. versus synthetic plastics. Linen is especially durable.

Upcycled Leather

For leather details, use small remnants upcycled from seatbelts, jacket cuffs, handbag offcuts etc. versus newly tanned.

Recycled DIY Wedding Projects

Get creative transforming cast-off materials:

Repurposed Place Cards

Print names on old book pages, sheet music, flash cards, playing cards or vintage postcards for unique recycled escort cards.

Wine Bottle Candle Holders

Upcycle empty transparent wine and beer bottles into dazzling glittered candle luminaries to decorate reception tables.

Vintage Lace Veils

Sew vintage doily lace, handkerchiefs, or tablecloth edges rescued from second-hand stores into a delicate heirloom wedding veil.

Restored Furniture Aisle Décor

Upcycle found furniture like peeling windowsills, drawers, doors etc. into unique repurposed aisle markers and signs.

Book Page Bouquet Wrap

Use book pages folded into origami flowers or sewn into blooms to elegantly wrap and adorn floral bouquets.

Recycled Glassware Centerpieces

Fill vintage glassware sourced from thrift stores with flower arrangements, candles, or glowing LED lights as table focal points.

Sustainable DIY Embellishments

Create ethical accessories and attire:

Woven Beaded Jewelry

Incorporate handmade fair trade beaded accessories supporting global artisans. Opt for tagua nut, seed bead, and recycled glass styles.

Natural Dyed Fabrics

Seek silk, cotton and linen fabrics colored using low impact natural dyes from sources like plants, minerals, and insects versus synthetic dyeing.

Organic Cotton Lace & Trims

Choose organic cotton laces, ribbons and trims for your dress, suit, ring pillow, and other accessories. Chemical free!

Vintage Buttons

Sew decorative buttons rescued from flea markets onto jackets, veils, gowns and ring pillows to personalize sustainably.

Wood Burned Details

Add gorgeous pyrographic art to projects using reclaimed wood from building demolition, thrift store furniture, tree trimmings etc.

Macrame Accessories

Incorporate hand-knotted macrame shoulder wraps, bracelets, hair pieces etc. made from natural jute, hemp, cotton, and linen.

Eco-Friendly Print Invites

Select ethical paper and printing for invites:

Recycled Paper

Choose paper containing at least 30% post-consumer recycled material. Many eco printers offer tree-free invitations as well.

Vegetable-Based Ink

Ensure printers use non-toxic vegetable or soy-based inks versus hazardous petroleum-based. Low VOC inks are safer.

Printer Eco Practices

Research printers using renewable energy, donating leftovers, composting waste, and avoiding harsh chemicals in processes.

Electronic RSVPs

Have guests RSVP on your wedding website versus mailing back cards to save paper and transport emissions.

Print Only Needed Amount

Order only the invites needed for confirmed guest numbers rather than overprinting extra that could go to waste.

Print Locally

Choose a printer close by to reduce the shipping footprint. Some printers also plant trees to offset paper usage!

Make your eventselections with Mother Earth in mind, and DIYing wedding elements allows you to embed sustainability into every special detail. Celebrate both love and stewardship!