One thing that surprises many couples during wedding planning is the amazing amount of stuff involved. A wedding requires a dress, catering, rings, flowers, and more. With all of the consumption, it can be difficult for eco-friendly brides to figure out a way to make their wedding dreams come true while still thinking about the environment.

This is especially true with flowers. A big wedding requires lots of them – from bouquets and boutonnieres to the arch and centerpieces, flowers make up a large part of what gets thrown out after a wedding. Here’s my top 3 tips on how you can have more environmentally friendly wedding flowers.

Go local

There are many beautiful flowers in the world, and many of the most popular only grow in certain climates. For example, many of my brides love King Proteas for their color and size, but they only grow in South Africa and Hawaii. That means they have to be freshly harvested and flown in. The same is true for spring flowers like tulips and peonies – you’d never find them growing here in Miami! All that long-distance flying means your international flowers have a huge carbon footprint, all for just a few hours of beauty. Choosing local flowers has the biggest impact on reducing the environmental impact of your wedding. Ask your florist about what flowers are local and in season.

Use greener materials

Floral designers use all kinds of disposable tools to make your flowers look and stay fresh. Some of these can be reused (like cages and water tubes) while others generate bulky waste (like wet foam). Also, florists sometimes use chemicals to make your flowers last longer or dyes to change their color. To make your wedding florals greener, ask your florist to not use foam or chemicals for your arrangements. This means less waste at the end of the event (and the waste that is generated is compostable!).

Think of the bees, please

It’s easy to get caught up in how pretty flowers are, but remember they have a purpose. Plants produce flowers to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies so they can reproduce. Flowers are a crop just like fruits and vegetables, and they can also come as organic. Ask your florist about getting flowers that haven’t been treated with pesticides so we can help save the butterflies and bees.

With a little planning it’s possible to have beautiful wedding flowers that are also good for the environment. Let’s chat about how I can make your wedding greener!