8 WAYS SUSTAINABLE CATERERS CAN HELP GREENIFY YOUR WEDDING
Have you looked into sustainable caterers?
Planning an event for a large number of people can be intimidating enough, let alone trying to make the entire experience an eco-friendly one in the process. Across the board, PNW wedding professionals agree that the majority of waste generated during celebrations is at the reception, from single-use dining ware and napkins to leftover food and drink. But sustainable caterers can help!
Creating a sustainable wedding experience starts by communicating with vendors about how they’re contributing to the cause, or how they are willing to accommodate alternative methods that are environmentally focused. Couples might be intrigued to learn about the many ways wedding professionals doing their best to be sustainable caterers by reducing, reusing, and recycling within their own businesses.
For PNW couples, seeking out sustainable caterers who source their ingredients from local, seasonal, and/or farm-to-table providers is becoming easier than ever with the global push for food sustainability.
Ditch the Disposable
“Couples also try to save money by using disposable plates and silverware, not considering how much garbage that alone creates.”
Lavender Owl Farm, Lesley Wise
FARM TO TABLE
“For me, a great meal and experience together builds the best communities. From foraging to farming, my purveyors and teammates are friends or family of mine from within my local community.”
Ø Horizon Provisions, Kim Lattig
Watch Your Estimates
“I never suggest a cake to feed 100% of the guest count as not everyone will eat an individual slice, some people will share a slice or just not indulge. In my experience, it’s been safe ordering cake for about 85% of the guest count.”
Sewell Sweets, Cat Sewell
OPTIONS FOR MAKING YOUR BAR MORE ECO-FRIENDLY
Sustainable caterers may get all the attention when it comes to green wedding choices, but there are ways to be mindful and reduce waste with your drink options too! We spoke with Lisa Stokes, founder of Harper & Gracie Mobile Drinkeries to get her advice for couples looking to create an eco-friendly bar setup
Your wedding bar can create a lot of waste. Cups, straws, stir sticks, plastic bottles– it all adds up. But you do have other options!
Glassware: Consider renting glassware. Add it to your delivery of other rental items, or ask your bar caterer to coordinate it for you.
Agave Straws: Opt for a biodegradable straw, for example, one made from agave. The agave will last longer than a paper straw.
Wood Stir Sticks: Swap the plastic stir stick for a wooden one. You can have them personalized with your initials, or skip the stir stick altogether.
In-House Simple Syrups: Hire a bar caterer that makes their own in-house simple syrups rather than purchasing pre-made ones in plastic bottles.
Ditch Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles: Skip the single-use plastic water bottles. Offer lemonades and infused waters in self-serve dispensers with glassware or reusable water bottles.”
Whether you go with a sustainable caterer or not, small steps, like the tips above can go a long way to creating a wedding that reflects your values. Check out issue three of our magazine for more ideas on how to create and eco-friendly wedding!
